With a variety of traffic calming measures and bicycle promotion, Paris is quickly becoming a cycle city – although this takes time, so one needs to exercise some caution concerning where you bike (trust me)! 🙂 Still, with its famous Velib bike-sharing (and car-sharing) systems, great parks, public spaces and expanded bicycle lanes; the bicycle is… Read More Paris: reclaiming the city for cyclists & pedestrians
At Gustav Adolfs Torg (c) Inga löjliga bilresor Malmö / Jens Lennartsson photography For several years in Malmö (Sweden) May was “No Ridiculous Car Journeys” campaign month, or in Swedish Inga löjliga bilresor. This campaign, launched in 2006 and repeated for several springs, includes animated displays, a dose of humour and a competition for the “most ridiculous car driver.” In one of… Read More Malmö: No Ridiculous Car Journeys
Since moving into my latest Amsterdam flat about a year ago, I have been dreaming about putting the beautiful 5 x 2 meters squared/ South-facing balcony to good use. Last year was a first attempt, and it went quite well. This year, I am curious to know: how much can one really grow on a… Read More As local as it gets: watching the (edible) balcony garden grow
Cites like Amsterdam & Copenhagen have turned their cyclist reputations into a marketable concept: enter Amsterdamize and Copenhagenize, featuring dedicated bicycle experts and consultants that draft city cycling blogs and run research projects associated to the concept of urban cycling. Copenhagenize recently released their 2013 Bicycle-Friendly Cities Index, featuring many cities that I have either lived in or cycled… Read More City cyclist superstars
I love living in a city, but access to a quick urban escape is, for me, a necessity. Without this, I don’t think I would be the same urban enthusiast I that I am. In Amsterdam, access to open and green space is easy. And beyond just relaxing in a park or by the river… Read More Amsterdam urban foraging: returning to our roots, literally
Beyond energy-efficiency or green technology, what if buildings could actually mitigate urban pollution problems? Well, architects Allison Dring and Daniel Schwaag of Berlin-based Elegant Embellishments are attempting to do just that. They developed a tile with the catchy name of proSolve370e. This tile, based on its shape and chemical coating, is designed to eliminate urban pollutants… Read More Mexico City: Smog eating buildings combine fashion and function in architecture
While some trains allow bicycles and the occasional city bus will let you load your cycle, public transport systems often discourage bicycles from being brought on. I get it: they take up space, can be bulky or cumbersome to load, and take time. Besides we should be encouraging more people to hop on the bus… Read More Stuttgart: taking your bike on the tram? No problem!
Stockholm is often referred to as one of Europe’s greenest cities – in terms of environmental policies, its attitude and ethics, advanced (and efficient) public infrastructure and close proximity to nature. It was the home of the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, paving the way to some of the today’s environmental governance… Read More Stockholm: local food cravings in the city
Urban sustainability initiatives are my passion; and while bicycles lanes, solar panels and urban farming are my favorite blogging topics, a sustainable city also requires eco-entrepreneurs. After all, sustainability is for more than just treehuggers – it’s also about looking good, living well and eating delicious, healthy (eco) food. Enter eco-boutiques for trendy urbanites: a… Read More Amsterdam: eco-boutique & café in one
Food logistics & food trade are complicated issues these days and they don’t always make sense. In the Netherlands for example, almost as many potatoes are imported as exported: there are strict guidelines which often prohibit Dutch farmers from selling potatoes inside the country. As a result, it may be easier to buy potatoes from… Read More Amsterdam: urban food revolutions | power to the pieper (potato)
The Urban Observer 