Utrecht: bus stops buzzing with ideas
Protecting the climate and species can be very simple. That's what the Dutch city of Utrecht has proved by greening the roofs of its bus stops.
The extinction of species is on everyone's lips, as is that of bees, which regularly hits the headlines. Pia Seidel, my editorial colleague, recently devoted an article to domestic beekeeping. There are also larger-scale actions aimed at bees.
The Dutch city of Utrecht has implemented a solution that is both simple and effective. The government has decided to green over 300 bus stops to increase the habitat for these worker bees. The main planting on these small flat roofs is sedum, also known as thorn grass. And it's no coincidence: they love it. What's more, this plant has other advantages: it's easy to maintain, hardy and stores rainwater. In other words, it hardly needs watering at all. Even better, sedum filters fine particles from the air.
Other changes to these stops? The replacement of the old benches with their bamboo counterparts and the addition of LED lights. Maintenance is carried out by city employees who drive around in electric cars. By the end of the year, 55 new electric buses - all powered by Dutch wind energy - will follow suit.
The city does not intend to stop at the roofs of bus stops; it hopes to encourage residents to plant their own roofs. Anyone can apply to the town hall for subsidies. The idea could catch on and spread to other towns. I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem for anyone, least of all our friends the bees.
My life in a nutshell? On a quest to broaden my horizon. I love discovering and learning new skills and I see a chance to experience something new in everything – be it travelling, reading, cooking, movies or DIY.