It’s so sad that today was the last day in the Netherlands. It’s very unfortunate that this journey has already came to an end. It felt like just yesterday when we landed in Amsterdam on no sleep doing many activities.
We started this morning with Floating Farm, a farm created to lower carbon emissions by having food sources located close to urban areas. The Floating Farm was very innovative because of how sustainable it is. We learned that the farm feeds their cows local food returns and beer grain in order to lower food waste! Additionally, the farm is able to have zero ammonia pollution, which can have harmful on impacts on humans and the environment. Another neat fact about the Floating Farm is that it is able to adapt to the climate. If sea levels rise, then the floating farm is able to adjust its above and below water areas, so no reconstruction is needed. We also learned that the farm just genuinely cares for its animals; the cows are always allowed to go on the field whenever needed. We got to meet the cows today, and they were adorable! Lastly, the farm does must of its work in-house. We got to see where yogurt from the cows is made and packaged in an underwater area of the farm. We also got to see the beginning of a vertical farm. And of course, in traditional Dutch fashion, they allowed us to taste some of their cheeses.
After the Floating Farm, we went to RDM. We took an electric boat to RDM, which super neat to experience! Sustainability is very engrained in Dutch culture, and it would be very cool to see it implemented in the United States. RDM, which was an old ship-yard has been repurposed to be an innovation hub for over 60 companies and start-ups as well as technical training of students. They prioritize a sustainable future over making money by keeping rent low and encouraging businesses to be sustainable.
One of the coolest parts of RDM was the 3D printed coral reefs. It was very interesting to see these reefs in fish tanks and this lowers plastic use.
After a long day, we took the tram back to our hotel to start packing up. We went to our final farewell dinner, where we had Middle Eastern cuisine that was great. We were given a great dessert before we headed back to the hotel.
Today being the last day was very bittersweet. I loved seeing the Netherlands and learning more about Dutch culture. Sustainability is so effortlessly included within Dutch culture, and getting to experience that first-hand was marvelous. The Dutch cities we explored Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and The Hague are great examples on how proper urban planning allows people to enjoy cities without the use of a car. The most impactful part of seeing the Netherlands for me was enjoying the public transportation. Every tram, train, metro, bus, and ferry we took was always on time and easy to access. Having a good public transportation system will lead to lower carbon emissions, ultimately going one step further to a more sustainable society.
Additionally, in my experience, the United States has lots of pushback to electric vehicles and paper straws/cups; however, in the Netherlands, this is embraced. I frequently got paper cups and straws along with many wooden utensils. Along with that, almost every form of transportation is an electric vehicle, including the water taxi from today, the bus, and other cars around the cities. Truly, the Netherlands is a country that I wish the United States would learn from in some areas. This experience was so cool, and I wish more people got to experience this country.