Today we visited De Tuliperij, a tulip farm near Amsterdam. This was one of the visits I was most excited for and it did not disappoint! Although tulip season was nearly over, the fields we were able to explore were indescribably beautiful. We were also able to learn about the significance of the tulip industry in the Netherlands past and present, and how this flower became a staple of Dutch culture. It was interesting to hear how the soil is ideal for farming with its high groundwater concentration, decreasing the need for farmers to expend water on irrigation. In addition, we were introduced to some sustainable practices in tulip farming such as how instead of treating the flowers with chemicals, farmers look to individually identify diseased tulips and cut them out.
Next we visited Schoonschip, a floating village in the north of Amsterdam. This village is unique not only because it is a sustainable village constructed floating on the water, but that it was developed completely by its residents. We learned about the ways the residents implement sustainability through strategies such as a net positive energy consumption, use of recycled materials for construction, and water recycling. To me, the most significant takeaway from this visit was how a community can come together to make a vision come to fruition.
Then we visited The Edge, a development company that makes the world’s most sustainable office spaces. We learned about their biggest past, present, and ongoing projects and the various innovations they implement in their buildings. Something I found interesting was their branch company that makes sensors for rooms that monitors temperature, light, and oxygen levels based on how many people are in the room. This makes working conditions better while significantly reducing unnecessary electricity use. I also learned about how they practice person centered design which aims to maximize human happiness and therefore productivity through the use of open spaces, light, and raw materials.
