On May 11, we took the metro and headed to the first floating farm. There, we attended a presentation where we learned that the idea for a floating farm first came from the need to make fresh produce and meat products more accessible near the city. This floating farm offers a sustainable alternative to traditional farming since all of its products are made in-house, and they personally deliver them to nearby businesses. Additionally, their main goal is to repurpose as much as possible in order to minimize waste.

The farm consists of three levels. The bottom level is where they grow microgreens using infrared lights. The middle floor is where they make their cheese and collect the cows’ urine and manure. The top floor is the actual farm where the cows live. The farm powers 100% of its lights and about 50% of the entire facility with solar energy. I also found it interesting that the cows’ diet mainly consists of food waste from supermarkets and businesses, such as orange peels, stale bread, and corn pulp. This feeding method allows less food to go to waste while also providing the cows with high amounts of protein and nutrients. After the tour, we got to taste the cheese they make, which was delicious.

We then headed to RDM via water taxi. This place offers a space for innovative companies and educational institutions where both parties are encouraged to collaborate on diverse projects. The tour guide explained the different companies that operate within RDM. He talked about Ampelmann, which is a Dutch company that provides a safe and fast way for oil rig workers to travel to and from work. He also mentioned the company Paebbl, which offers a more sustainable construction material that simulates concrete. They are able to do this by mining olivine rock, crushing it, and combining it with captured CO2 to create a concrete-like material. This is a process that naturally takes thousands of years, but Paebbl managed to reduce the time significantly to about a year.

After the tour, we headed to central Rotterdam, where we got to experience and explore more of Dutch culture. Overall, I found it really interesting to learn about so many innovative and sustainable ideas that could become much more common in the near future. Seeing how these companies are finding practical ways to reduce waste and rethink traditional industries made me realize how much sustainability can shape our future.