We have finished day 11, the second to last day of our trip. Today, we were given a special tour by Rob of his community in Rotterdam which has sustainable infrastructure, including green roofs and water storage and management systems.
At first, we looked at a school which had 3 water basins designed to catch and store rainwater. These basins only fill up a couple of times a year, but in doing so prevent the flooding of surrounding areas. This rainwater is then pumped into the canals, effectively preventing flood damage and preserving the area. These water basins, when not in use, can be used as a basketball court, and as other places for students to hang out. This makes for an efficient use of space and material. While walking away from the flood basins, I saw large letters reading “ZOHO”. These large letters have containers to store rainwater as well. The surrounding area was thriving with plants, and this ground additionally helps to absorb rainwater. All these rainwater management systems contribute to sustainability by keeping communities safe. It prevents the need for additional energy or materials that would be used to fix flood damage. Also, using plants to absorb water is a great way to increase the biodiversity of the land, as well as absorb excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
We then toured two green roofs. The first green roof we toured was a public community garden. There they grew fruits, vegetables, and various other plants. As this is a public garden, these plants can be picked and used by anybody who needs them. It is a great resource for those who may be food insecure, or for those who want fresh food. This green roof is also used by students to showcase a variety of performances including dance recitals, spoken word performances, plays and more. There is a green field on this roof with seats surrounding it, effectively creating a stage. It is an excellent use of space, and gives a place for the community to come together and celebrate each other’s achievements.
The second green roof we toured was on the roof of a café. This green roof grows a variety of edible flowers that are used by the café to garish dishes. It also grows a variety of other plants including cherries, mint, and others. Underneath the dirt, there is a plastic mat with cups that collect rainwater. This ultimately acts as a water drainage system to prevent overwatering when there is rain. Additionally, they have bee hives and worm farms on this roof to help increase the health of the garden. The bee hives provide bees which can pollinate the plants on this roof, as well as the surrounding areas. The worm farm collects the worm’s waste and uses it as a fertilizer. It is extremely healthy and nutritious for the plants. In fact, it is so healthy, and they create so much of it, that they sell it in bottles. While only for fun, they also had a chicken coop with five chickens. I stayed back to take some photos, and Rob let me feed and pet the chickens! It was the highlight of my day.
These green roofs offer a sustainable solution to decreasing carbon dioxide emissions in urban areas. The plants and land of these green roofs naturally absorb carbon dioxide, and do not absorb heat. This can help fight the heat island effect, and therefore conserve energy. These gardens also offer a way to grow readily available food, negating the need to use extra energy to transport food. This conservation of energy overall decreases carbon emissions, and contributes to sustainability.
After the tours of the sustainable community and the green houses, Brian gave us a walking tour of the city of Rotterdam. While on this tour I learned about the history of Rotterdam. During World War II, Rotterdam experienced extreme bombings. The majority of the city was destroyed and many people were killed. The city had to be completely rebuilt from the ground. Many American architects were brought in to design new buildings, and so Rotterdam feels like a modern city that could be found in America. Just like America, Rotterdam’s infrastructure was originally designed for cars and other vehicles. However, in the 1970s, protests for creating more pedestrian and bike friendly infrastructure changed these plans. Sustainability is a core value of the Netherlands, and so Rotterdam was redesigned to accommodate this. Rotterdam now has bike lanes, trams, and a metro system. All of which I have used!
Once we finished the walking tour, we were allowed to roam free. Me and some friends visited the cube houses in Rotterdam. They are a very intriguing bit of architecture, and have very cozy homes on the inside. We then grabbed dinner, and headed back to the hotel to rest for our last day tomorrow!
