As much as I love Amsterdam city life, one of the things I value most is how easy it is to escape – and to escape by bike. I’m on a constant quest to find the perfect mix of city and nature, preferably in close proximity. After all, I’m a Seattle girl, and value easy… Read More Amsterdam: Good City, Good Nature
Following on other cycling posts in my adopted city, here is one of my favorite video clips, entitled, The Cyclists, depicting the “Amsterdam cool…” By bike. In all seasons. And all forms of cyclists. Just can’t get enough…
After 4.5 years living in Amsterdam, some things continue to fascinate me: dogs on bikes, moving by bike and kids on bikes to name but a few. Sensing a pattern? Indeed, my fascination concentrates on the bicycle lifestyle. No matter how long I live in this cycle city, this is something that I cannot, nor… Read More Amsterdam: Family transport in Dutch minivans, also known as bicycles
I was recently in Bangkok for a meeting of the Montreal Protocol (governing substances that deplete the ozone layer) held at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific campus. The weeklong event meant my exposure to this city of 7 million was limited to the areas between the UN campus… Read More Bangkok: hustle, bustle and unexpected secrets
Lund University’s International Institute of Industrial and Environmental Economics (or IIIEE, my alma mater in Sweden) was involved in the design and delivery of a new Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) entitled, “Greening the Economy: Lessons from Scandinavia.” (See also the United Nations Environment Programme’s work on the Green Economy concept.) This (free) online 5-week… Read More Green Lifestyles and Cities: Lessons from Scandinavia
In London (population circa 8.5 million) its residents are always be on the go, taking off to the next destination on one of its double-decker buses, in its beeping taxis, in private cars or swerving through the city on its growing population of city bikes. While these bicycles are a happy site in this massive city,… Read More London Underground Repurposed: Hello Tube Cycle
UNFCCC COP20 in Lima, Peru This blog post (see original) was written and published on the Institute for Development’s Eldis website, as part of a series of blogs published during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP20) underway in Lima, Peru from 1- 12 December 2014. It discusses why cities serve an apt platform to tackle climate change, and the challenges and opportunities of urban climate… Read More Cities & the climate crisis – part of the problem, and the solution
The Swedish capital is a vast and varied city – in addition to being exceptionally beautiful. Palaces, stately buildings and impressive museums, allude to Stockholm’s role in history and current affairs. Narrow cobbled streets, flanked by ancient brick buildings painted in warm pastels, wind through Gamlastan (Old Town) inviting locals or visitors for a quick… Read More Stockholm Urban Nature: city of water, city of parks, city of seasons
Last summer I visited Paris’s latest and greatest public space project, Les Berges, located on the banks of the River Seine. I recently returned to Paris and was curious to see how it looks, one year later. Les Berges continues to amaze me: 2.3 kilometers of former roadway are now dedicated as public space, featuring bars… Read More Paris: The Les Berges public space project, equally impressive a year later
I love my bicycle: the freedom, the chance to combine fresh air, exercise and transport, the interaction with fellow cyclists and the affordability. Cycling makes me happy… and I’m not the only one. Daily cycling (i.e. consistent exercise) is good for mental health and the bicycle’s consistent and perpetual motion can improve memory, reasoning and planning, while… Read More Happiness is… a bicycle lane, a bus stop or light rail line close to home.
The Urban Observer 