Tell Me Tuesday: Where do you find eco-initiatives?
Like train travel. In all three locations I visited – Amsterdam, Gland (Switzerland, where our international head office is housed), and Berlin, you could take a train from the airport directly downtown. And it really seems to be the most convenient way to get around. When I heard that we were staying in a Nyon, a town nearby rather than in Gland (which is so small it couldn’t host us all!), I thought transit would be a hassle – but it wasn’t in the slightest. The train came twice an hour, was always on time, and the ride took only four minutes. Amazing!
(Also, for my fellow dog-lovers: apparently dogs are allowed everywhere in Switzerland. I saw them in cafes, shops, restaurants – everywhere.)
Similarly, the bike scene in Amsterdam is unbelievable. There are bicycles everywhere. People use them to get to work, to take their kids to school, to run errands, to meet up with friends. In a small city with narrow roads and no parking, they’re the best option. And outside of Amsterdam, they’re still the mode of choice for many – made particularly appealing by the separate bicycle road network that exists in several areas in Holland
Bikes in Amsterdam (C) Riannon John/WWF-Canada
In Berlin, there were plenty of cyclists and extensive train and tram systems. And even for those who do choose to drive, street parking is somewhat eco-friendly because the meters are powered by solar energy!
Clearly, being environmentally friendly is important to people everywhere. Which makes me wonder: what fun eco-initiatives have you found in your travels?