Today was more relaxed as we had a tour around Enschede and then had the rest of the day to explore the city and the University of Twente. We began our day by taking a bus to the city center. Here we met with a representative from the municipality who took us around and taught us the sustainable design of the city.
As we explored, we learned about the sustainable practices being implemented. A big issue in this city is that there is often water overflow. Our tour guide, who works for the municipality, gave us insight into the problems the city faces. Water overflow has been a persistent issue and has caused floods, which of course frustrates the people living there. To combat this, the city implemented design changes to mitigate water overflow. For example, the city is on a slight incline such that water will run down and accumulate. To combat this, the municipality installs drainage and water control systems throughout the city. Our tour guide explained how climate change has made these water management infrastructures increasingly important. A specific example is the drainage ditch shown in the picture below. These ditches not only catch and store water but also allow water to flow into the ground water supply. This is an example of a sustainable design as it prevents flooding from occurring, while simultaneously not wasting water.
After learning about the city, we had time to explore a farmers’ market. The market is near the German border, so there were many Germans visiting. A farmers’ market is a very sustainable place to source your food as it is grown locally and therefore does not require as much transportation. Furthermore, it is better to support smaller farmers than massive companies that do not care about the environment or their customers’ health. The rest of the day was spent exploring the university and learning how universities in Europe differ from the ones in America. One thing I learned about the culture at UT is how they have a strong sense of community. Lots of students gathered around to cheer for everyone participating in the Batavierenrace which is the largest relay race in the world.
