Today, we took a day trip out to Münster, Germany, taking a day to step out of The Netherlands. Walking through the city center, there were old churches, detailed buildings, and narrow streets that felt similar to some of the older Amsterdam towns we had already visited. Münster is known for its role in the Peace of Westphalia, the treaty that helped end the Thirty Years’ War in 1648 as I was told by Enno, so it was interesting to see a city with so much history still being prominent as such a modern place today. Compared to a lot of cities in the U.S., especially newer suburban areas, Münster felt much more centered around public spaces and community rather than large roads and parking lots. It was difficult to tell where the road ended and where the sidewalk began, it was all one big paved road.

One thing I noticed throughout the day was how naturally sustainability seemed integrated into everyday life. Similar to parts of The Netherlands like Amsterdam, it just felt like part of the culture. The city was designed in a way where everything was close together, making it easy for people to walk around, use public transportation, or spend time outdoors. There were also lots of green spaces mixed into the city, which made the environment feel much less crowded despite how active it was. Especially one giant one where we got to hacky sack on for over an hour haha. I think one of the coolest sustainability aspects was actually the preservation of the historic buildings themselves. Especially in a city that was heavily involved with wars, I’m surprised they were able to keep its original look. Instead of tearing structures down and constantly rebuilding, the city has kept many of these buildings for centuries, which reduces waste while also preserving the culture of the city.

Overall, Münster felt like a good example of how sustainability is not always about futuristic technology. Sometimes it can come from designing cities in a way that encourages community, preserves history, and makes daily life more efficient. That’s it for today, catch you later!