Why the Netherlands?

In 2013, UNICEF rated Dutch children to be happiest in the world, while children in the US were ranked 26, why is that? One might think that this is because they might have expensive objects to play with, or they come from a higher class, but in actuality its the complete opposite. The Netherlands has one of the best education systems in the world, as well as one of the healthiest environment to grow up in. Kids are being raised like equals to their peers, making the community almost free of discrimination or bullying, kids play outside most of the time while feeling safe, are used to receiving second creating a sense of gratitude as a community, there is a strong family bond within the whole country where parents trust their children and vice-versa, hence giving them the freedom to explore their likes and dislikes, and much more. Now, what can we implement in a North American community that might give us similar effects

 

 

City Planning

I believe that one big part of the success of the Netherlands is its design. Many Dutch cities are designed to be pedestrian-friendly, inclusive and green. In fact, The Netherlands has a bike “population”of about 880,000 bikes! Believe it or not all these aspects play a role in people’s behavior. People feel safer while being outside and are more aware of their environment due to the government’s implementation of green infrastructures around cities. Because of this children are able to spend quality time outside and bring positivity to the classroom and their homes. Pair these aspects with families acceptance of their kid’s individuality and allowing them the freedom to express it, as well as teaching gratefulness for the simple things and that is a formula for success! Watch the video below for a closer insight on the life of a dutch family.

 

 

CHANGE YOUR MINDSET!

Now that we have a happy community, the next challenge is to preserve their homes. We all know that climate change is unpredictable and an issue that needs addressing immediately. Something we can learn from the Netherlands is their attitude towards it. They see climate change as an opportunity for improvement and embrace it. A major way they have already started doing so is building with the sea level in mind, and building houses in the water, on platforms that have the ability to change levels along with the sea. If we were to start by adapting the Dutch attitude about climate change into the way we design, there are no questions communities would experience exponential benefits. To know more in detail about how The Netherlands manages climate change issues click here!

 

Floating houses of the Netherlands

Click here to learn more!

 

 

 

 

References:

Hutchison, Rina Mae Acosta; Michele. “They Raise the World’s Happiest Children – so Is It Time You Went Dutch?” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 13 July 2018, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/parenting/raise-worlds-happiest-children-time-went-dutch/.

Mecking, Olga. “Are the Floating Houses of the Netherlands a Solution Against the Rising Seas?” Pacific Standard, 21 Aug. 2017, https://psmag.com/environment/are-the-floating-houses-of-the-netherlands-a-solution-against-the-rising-seas.

 

 

A big concern is how coastal cities will be adapting infrastructures to respond to climate change. The answer is sustainable behavior and green infrastructure. It is about using strong building materials while also bringing bits of nature into neighborhoods. The implementation of greenery within a space brings many advantages to a design and there are many reasons why it is so important. 

 

To build a resilient city means to build a place that has the ability to withstand or recover from any difficulties. This happens by designing and prioritizing spaces that encourage safe movements and social interaction. It is crucial that a place is provided that is safe and can prevent or hold through major losses from natural disasters. 

 

But how do you make a city resilient? Strong infrastructure materials can withstand during extreme weather conditions and natural disasters. This will prevent any major damages or loss as well as save communities from having the rebuild. It is important to save buildings and avoid new unnecessary construction that will generate more heat and disrupt existing vegetation. Early warning systems for people are also crucial. Many places lack proper mapped signages. Taking these subjects more seriously will create an efficient and educated community. And lastly, with resilient infrastructures comes safe amenities and shelters. With more amenities that prioritize the safety and well-being of the people within the community, the city is just getting closer to a more inclusive culture and a successful city. 

                                                                                         

Starting a Child-Friendly initiative does not mean making a city more comfortable for families with kids, it means including kids on the design process of the city they are going to live in. There are many reasons why it is extremely important to involve children if we wish to have a successful Children Friendly City. As we can see in the diagram above, children, most importantly, have rights, just as adults do, although it’s easy to forget given the fact that children are simultaneously extremely dependent on adults, therefore constantly outspeaking and even discriminating them. For this reason, we need to keep in mind that children are in fact the future of society, which is why, if they don’t have a voice regarding decisions that involve the places where they are growing up, they are less likely to have an enjoyable childhood. 

 

Now, how do we do that? How can adults implement the crazy ideas that kids come up with? Many might think that children’s ideas are extremely far fetched, after all, children don’t understand concepts like liability, budget, time, etc, right? Well even though children might be oblivious to these concepts that adults consider all the time before making a decision, they do understand what they need! There are precedents that prove that when we let children have an opinion on the design and planning process, what they design makes it inclusive, not only for them but for other demographics such as the elderly, and disabled, which many adults tend to forget about. Since kids are completely dependent on adults, they can’t just go anywhere they want easily, which means that if we design a place that is easy for children to access, it means it’s easy for everybody else in the community to access! A kid has an infinite amount of possibilities that must be explored and taken into consideration, but how?

 

There are many ways we can make children share their ideas while at the same time making them easy to understand for our not as imaginative minds. As you can see in the diagram, we have mentioned some of the many possible ways kids can get involved in the design process, be it with a designer on the room or from far away, thanks to social media. Having kids draw their ideas or physically build them with materials such as legos is a great way to make a young child idea come to life. As kids get older, these approaches might not be as appealing, so what about they plan using video games like Minecraft, or share their own designs through contests on social media. In the end, there are an infinite amount of ways kids can tell us what they envision their childhood to be, it is up to us now to listen to their infinite ideas, and deliver.

 

References:

Talks, TEDx. “We Let Kids Design Our City — Here’s What Happened | Mara Mintzer | TEDxMileHigh.” YouTube, YouTube, 1 Feb. 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cudn_vSdCY.

“Why Build a Child-Friendly City?” Child Friendly Cities Initiative, https://childfriendlycities.org/why-build-a-child-friendly-city/.

Why Climate Change Matters

Climate change has affected the natural environment and humans for centuries. From droughts beginning the decline of the Maya to the Vikings of Greenland being forced out to lowering temperatures, climate change has changed the way humans live. Understanding why it is happening and how we can slow down its effects will pave the way for a cleaner and greener future. The clearest present-day impacts of climate change in Australia and elsewhere are seen in the natural environment and are associated with warming temperatures and increases in the number, duration, and severity of heatwaves. These impacts include changes in the growth and distribution of plants, animals, and insects; negative shifts in the distribution of marine species; and increases in coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef and Western Australian reefs. Some of these changes can directly affect human activities; for example, through the effects of changing distributions of fish and other marine organisms on commercial and recreational fisheries, and the impacts of coral bleaching on tourism. With 85 % of all Australians living within 50 km of the shoreline, it is easy to see how devastating climate change can and will be.

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Who Climate Change Affects

The population of Melbourne in 2018 was 4.9 million individuals. There are 1.8 million households in Melbourne with that number expected to grow to 2.4 million by 2036. Preparing these homes for the impacts of the future is critical to a resilient city.

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With 31.7% of the public being 24 years of age or younger, it is extremely important to empower and educate this group in order for them to take action and make a difference. The Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC) is the largest youth organized group in Australia trying to solve the climate crisis while educating the future of Melbourne.

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Upon increasing temperatures, multiple cities in Victoria will be experiencing weather that is not normal for their ecological areas.

Credit: climatechange.vic.gov.au

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These increasing temperatures will ultimately create more arid and unlivable cities.

Credit: climatechange.vic.gov.au

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Negative Effects

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Heat

Melbourne experiences nine very hot days (where temperatures exceed 35 degrees C or 95 F) on average each year. Climate models suggest this number will increase by up to 26 days on average by 2070. Heatwaves (five or more consecutive days of temperatures exceeding 35 degrees) are also predicted to increase in frequency.

Hundreds of people die each year from conditions exacerbated by extreme heat. The very young, elderly or sick are most vulnerable to extreme heat

Built-up areas experience higher temperatures than surrounding areas due to expanses of exposed concrete, asphalt, and steel which retain heat and release it over longer time periods than vegetation. This can cause average urban daytime air temperatures to be up to 5.6°C higher than the surrounding areas in summer. This means taking health precautions is particularly important during days of extreme heat in the city.

Higher temperatures have been correlated to increased levels of violence and antisocial behavior. Research undertaken for the City of Melbourne in 2012 indicated that the number of assaults in the municipality increased by 6.62 incidents per 100,000 persons for every one-degree temperature increase above 32 degrees.

Very hot days and heatwaves place stress on the provision of essential services such as electricity and many types of infrastructure including roads, train and tram tracks, and overhead power lines. Increased use of air-conditioners pushes up demand for power during heatwaves and can potentially outstrip supply leading to power blackouts. This risk has significant implications during a heatwave, particularly for those managing their heat stress with air-conditioning.

Not only is there a great threat to human health but there is also a risk of economic disaster. It is estimated that during the four-day January 2014 heatwave (14-17 January) businesses across the City of Melbourne experienced a $37 million decline in revenue. This equates to almost $10 million in lost revenue per day. Certain sectors such as retail and food and beverage appear to have been harder hit than others.

 

Credit: melbourne.vic.gov.au

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Drought

Noting that Melbourne is likely to experience much warmer weather in the coming years, it is also very likely that the Melbourne water supply will come across some challenges.

The increasing frequency of drought and reduced rainfall poses challenges to Melbourne’s water supply, as well as the health of parks, trees and green spaces throughout the city.

Between 1998 and 2007 rainfall was 14 percent below average in Victoria. The annual average rainfall is predicted to decrease by 4 percent by 2030 and 11 percent by 2070, with the largest declines occurring in spring.

Fire risk will also become greater as droughts become more severe. The warmer, drier and longer summers expected in Victoria are very likely to increase the frequency and intensity of bush fires – with flow-on effects for air quality.

Credit: melbourne.vic.gov.au

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Rising Sea Levels

Climate change is projected to increase average sea-levels along Victoria’s coast by 5 to 15 cm by 2030 and 26 to 59 cm by 2070. These changes will increase the likelihood and severity of floods and other inundation events like storm surges in Melbourne.

While the risks posed by sea-level rise are relatively negligible during the immediate future, they become far more concerning by 2070 with current climate change projections. Higher sea levels in 2070, coupled with more intense storms and increased storm surge heights, will greatly expand the coastal and riverine areas likely to be inundated by storm events. To see areas affected by increasing sea levels, go here.

Credit: melbourne.vic.gov.au

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What Is Being Done?

Immediate action to combat climate change is going to be crucial in the slowing of extreme temperatures, drought, and rising sea level. Melbourne has a list of initiatives and goals to move in the green direction for both the long and short term.

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Urban Forest Strategy

The Urban Forest Strategy is a direct solution for urban heating and the Urban Heat Island Effect. With growing populations, climate change, and urban heating there is increasing pressure on the existing infrastructure and services of the city. Ensuring there is a thriving urban forest is critical to keeping a healthy and livable city.

The strategy aims to:

• adapt our city to climate change
• mitigate the urban heat island effect by bringing our inner-city temperatures down
• create healthier ecosystems
• become a water-sensitive city
• engage and involve the community.

We will achieve this by:

• increasing canopy cover from 22 percent to 40 percent by 2040
• increasing forest diversity with no more than five percent of one tree species, no more than ten percent of one genus and no more than 20 percent of any one family
• improving vegetation health
• improving soil moisture
• improving biodiversity
• informing and consulting with the community.

To help visualize this goal, an interactive map was made showing where individual trees within the city are and even see what the life expectancy and ID of each tree are. You can access this interactive map here.

Credit: melbourne.vic.gov.au

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Cool Roofs

Cool Roofs are strategies to reduce the heat transferred from roof to building and the surface below in an effort to mitigate the Urban Heat Island Effect. Most of the roofs in the world are dark-colored. This means in full sun, they absorb an extreme amount of heat, reaching up to 100 degrees F warmer than the ambient temperature. Using a cool roof will:

• Reduce energy use: A cool roof transfers less heat to the building below, so the building stays cooler and uses less energy for air conditioning.
• Reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions: By lowering energy use, cool roofs decrease the production of associated air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Improve human health and comfort: Cool roofs can reduce air temperatures inside buildings with and without air conditioning, helping to prevent heat-related illnesses and deaths.

Utilizing cool roofs is an effective way to combat urban heating. Minimizing the urban heat island effect will make Melbourne a more resilient city.

Credit: certainteed.com, melbourne.vic.gov.au

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Adaptation Strategy

In 2009, Australia released The Climate Change Adaptation Strategy which outlined a list of desired goals and outcomes for the coming years as well as methods for achieving these goals. Within this document, there were research and assessments of climate change risks for 2010, 2030, and 2070. The most recent version can be viewed here.

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Sources

https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/about-council/vision-goals/eco-city/Pages/adapting-to-climate-change.aspx

https://www.environment.gov.au/climate-change/climate-science-data/climate-science/impacts

https://www.climatechange.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/60750/Statewide-Victoria.pdf

https://www.science.org.au/learning/general-audience/science-climate-change/7-what-are-impacts-of-climate-change

https://theconversation.com/rapid-growth-is-widening-melbournes-social-and-economic-divide-117244

https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/fa553e97-2ead-47bb-ac80-c12adffea944/files/cc-risks-full-report.pdf

https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/sitecollectiondocuments/climate-change-adaptation-strategy-refresh-2017.pdf

https://www.certainteed.com/residential-roofing-commercial-roofing/what-cool-roof-0/

https://ozcoasts.org.au/maps-data/

http://www.coastalrisk.com.au