We're not in Denmark anymore, Toto!

Just a little update to say that I've left Scandinavia behind and am now in Hannover, Germany. These last few days in Odense were a mix of bike riding and relaxation. Odense takes its claim to fame as a cycling city, so we put its moniker to the test and went on a 6 hour bike ride around the city. The verdict: excellent biking infrastructure, interesting cycling campaigns, and truly immaculate parking facilities. They have lighted, music-filled underground parking at the train station-- way cool! The connectivity between the park systems was also really admirable. We went around numerous parks, weaving in and out between zoos, bridges, lakes, fountains and these really cool boats that looked like swans. Being in Odense gave me a few days to catch up on some of my sleep, and was an excellent close to my time in Denmark.

Our last day in Denmark was spent on the island of Ærø, whose claim to fame is being an island run almost entirely by renewable energy sources. We visited a solar water heating farm and the energy distribution center, where they burned wood pellets and straw as a backup system if they don't have enough solar energy. It was really exciting, but my favorite part was visiting and learning about their wind power. We visited some of their turbines and a speaker told us about the shareholder system that the 6,500 citizens of the town created and use to operate and manage their power. We went inside of a wind turbine-- which was a super exciting moment for all of us. Oh, and for the record: wind turbines do NOT cause a large amount of avian accidents and they do NOT sound terrible. I actually found their noise to be relaxing and peaceful.

Now I'm looking forward to our adventures in Germany! Our first night in Hannover has already been full of excitement. We found an outdoor roller disco, which makes me realize that roller blading never died... it just moved to Germany. Also, I tried German Bratwurst Sausage....and it was quite tasty! There goes my 5 year stint of vegetarianism. Oh well; when in Europe!

PS photo cred to Christina!

Great Danes.

The Danish are an interesting and wonderful group of people. I've spent the last 3 days in Copenhagen, and have just now arrived in the small town of Odense, the hometown of Hans Christen Anderson (author of fairy tales like Thumbelina and The Ugly Duckling). The SCONES group is pretty fried: we're clocking in at day 18, and really needing this time of relaxation and respite. Now that I have internet again, I wanted to share my thoughts about Copenhagen and the first parts of my Danish experience.

I first became interested in Copenhagen when I learned that they were hosting the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15). This summit was held to discuss the framework for international climate change mitigation and policy for when the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. After reading about the United States' lackluster initiative and commitment at the summit, I began counting down the days until I would get to go to the city where it was held. I can 100% say that the city did not disappoint.

During our stay, we enjoyed many guest lecturers about Danish history, culture and architectural design of the city. Having such a deep-rooted history embedded in the days of the vikings has given Denmark a long time to redefine their city and the different elements of its urban fabric. On a personal level, my favorite element was the prevailing bike culture that the city embodies. Living in Davis has exposed me to the possibilities of commuting by bicycle, but Copenhagen's vibrant culture of bikers in such an urban and undeniably metropolitan area is nothing short of incredible. An astounding 85% of Copenhagen's population owns a bike, and nearly 36,000 people will ride them on a daily basis, regardless of weather. Biking is viewed as efficient, affordable, and enjoyable transportation. On any given street corner, at any time of the day, I saw a smattering of all sorts of people biking. Age, gender, race, whatever: biking is embraced by all walks of life here. And fortunately, the city is actively working to promote biking by making it feel safer for cyclists. Bike lanes are often removed from the main street and isolated between another curb and the main road. Intersections are painted bright blue to alert drivers of the bikers. Separate street lights moderate traffic flow for cyclists. And (I have mixed feelings about this), intersections where there has been a biking fatality are marked on the ground with a red cross to remind cyclists and drivers alike to be careful there. Indeed, the city is working to increase the bikability of the city.

We then tested the bikability of Copenhagen. After another wonderful street picnic (these are becoming a sine qua non on this trip), the 30 Americans hopped on our bikes and cranked out a 7 hour bike ride of the city. Copenhagen by bike: it's the only way to do it. We went down to the water front, around the city, through the universities, into parks, around housing developments, everywhere.

We also visited the Freetown of Christiania, which what I'd call a "granola anarchist" neighborhood in Copenhagen. Originally a site for military barracks, squatters took over the area, became a large commune, and established itself free from the municipality of Copenhagen. Christiania, as a result, operates under special law and as a free town. It has become a haven for artists, musicians, hippies, broke backpackers looking to save some money, and also druggies. The community is filled with public art, gardens, shops, food, houses, a skatepark, and basically anything else the community wants. Walking around and exploring the area was very interesting from an urban planner's perspective because Christiania challenges most conventions of what we consider to be the pillars of city planning.

We also visited the very first co-housing communities of Denmark. It was an amazing day. We traveled out of Copenhagen into the countryside, where we were greeted by the community and treated to a conventional Danish lunch. Everything they prepared for us was organic and locally grown. We had pickled herring open faced sandwiches, pasta, beets, eggs, shrimp, meatballs, vegetables, and the most delicious and dense bread ever. I have never eaten such amazing food. We were then spoiled with homemade beer from a resident's microbrewery. And then, after giving us a tour of their facilities, we helped with the communal chores: composting, feeding the pigs, sorting their trash and recycling, weeded their garden and fetched water. To celebrate the end of our labors, we then snacked on Buttermilk Koldskål: a Danish delicacy that is like melty Greek yogurt with crumbled cookies. Between the beautiful weather, delicious foods, strong feeling of collaboration and kinship between us SCONES and the residents, I think I speak for everyone when I say we felt very content and satisfied. To top it off, we then spent our last night in Copenhagen at Tivoli-- a miniature Disneyland with fireworks, music, rides and games.

In short: I absolutely love Denmark. I've had some magical moments here in Copenhagen, and am sad that our stay here was so short. William Shakespeare may have written in Hamlet that "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark", but I'd have to disagree. Denmark is absolutely amazing.

Making eco-"logical" sense.

This morning we visited the eco-city of Augustenborg, which was built in the 1950's by the municipal housing company MKB. By the 1970's, much of the wealth in the neighborhood had been lost, the area became crime ridden, and was seriously needing some work.

Next step: restoration project movement, which began as a joint project in the 1990's between the city of Malmö and MKB. The area has become drastically revitalized, and with a new sense of ecological consciousness. We walked around the area, and were given a tour of the facilities at work. Augustenborg uses a open water storm management system that collects water from gutters and roofs which is then channeled through ponds and canals before draining to a typical storm water system. Through this system, it reduces the peak flows of the storm water runoff. But more than functionality, it gives an easy solution to add more life to an area by providing a self-contained watering station to plants and vegetation. Once these adjustments were made, the area began to thrive again, but remained an affordable housing site, and has successfully avoided the issue of gentrification. Many of the residents see the site as just a place to live, but for the larger part, a community has been formed around the area's sustainable practices. Residents take pride in their home, as there are guided tours (our guide has lead tours to people from over 37 different countries!). The renovation of Augustenborg has created a community of conscious, and considerate residents.

But what Augustenborg is really known for is its expansive green roof system. Our guide put it best: green roofs shouldn't be called green, because they're really a mix of green, browns, and reds. A more accurate name would be "living roofs" because the plants used on the rooftops are not necessarily roses and tulips and grass, but more ecologically minded, drought resistant plants. Roofing can be either extensive (light weight and thin) or intensive (can hold more weight). The roofs use soil and drought resistant plants that are maintained entirely by natural rainfall. They are so easy to maintain; only the intensive roofs need occasional maintenance.

Aside from aesthetics, green roofs do a lot of great things. They provide a habitat for animals and plants, and also create a natural system for water management. It keeps rainwater away from the storm water drains that goes to the treatment plant, which as a result means more efficiency and reduced costs. Green roofs can also absorb noises (reduce noise pollution) and even help reduce heating and cooling energy needs for a building. One thing the development is looking to explore is the possibility of growing more food on the roofs to reduce food miles, and to also use gardening as a community transforming activity for old and young residents alike.

But more than all of this, green roofs are symbolic. There's something beautiful about adding life to a concrete rooftop: we are taking back the wasted space our unbridled growth and consumption has left on our cities.

So that was this morning's grand tour. Last night turned into a grand adventure in itself. Aside from spending a long day at the beach (still not a bronze beauty. I'd say succulent tomato is a more apt description of my current state), we encountered a Swedish thunderstorm. It was, sorry for the cheesiness, magical. Being the studious (read: nerdish) person I am, I decided to miss the World Cup finals to start my research paper. However, my plans were soon interrupted by the thunder and lightning that crept across the sky. Two friends, Brian and Rebecca, and I grabbed our bikes and went down to the beach to fully experience the thunderstorm. Along the way, we saw a perfect rainbow. Needless to say, the combination of splashing around in the water, taking in the swirling palette of pinks and blues and grays in the sky and the shimmering clouds against the high rise Twisted Torso apartment complex was an incredibly beautiful moment.

On our trip so far, we've seen some really great examples of taking run down industrial sites, and turning them into a beautiful and sustainable place. The Augustenborg complex reminds us that being sustainable isn't always about starting from nothing and using new technology, but adapting and working with what you have to make it better for the human and natural environments. I think my mentality is starting to mimic that. Experiencing the city isn't always about creating a strict itinerary of things to do and see, but going with the flow, and adjusting your course as the moments come by. An evening of academics randomly turned into a fleeting moment of uninhibited play, and absolutely unparalleled beauty. I think that if Malmö has taught me anything so far, it's that opportunity exists in places you might not initially expect.

Photo cred: Darwin. Hopefully if Brian uploads his pictures, I can put up some from the thunderstorm!

Malmö on my mind.

The SCONES group headed south on a 4.5 hour train ride, arriving to our new destination: Malmö, Sweden. We've relocated, and as a result, we're saying goodbye to our sea legs, and hello to a hostel on steady land. Currently, we’re staying in an old home in the middle of an apartment complex area. The house has about 7 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms: but the 30 of us are doing fine. We’ve got a spacious backyard, a BBQ pit, and an adorable bull terrier dog living with us named Axle. So far, life is good.

Even already, Malmö is quite different from Stockholm. Geographically, it’s located a lot closer to Copenhagen (Denmark), and being a bit more south has been somewhat startling. Last night was the first night it got actually “dark”. Going to bed at 1 AM devoid of bright sunlight was a weird feeling having become used to Stockholm’s light patterns. The city is home to about 300,000 people, and while its roots lie in the shipping industry, Malmö has sort of redefined itself as a more educated city with a university and countless trade schools. It has also become really involved in the sustainable movement, and is working hard to establish itself as a keystone city.

So far, we’ve hit the streets walking, noting the plethora of parks and green spaces in the city. We stumbled upon a big park with over a hundred people with portable, mini BBQs at some informal gathering, eating and playing sports. These “street picnics” are not really a rare occurrence here—in fact, they’re everywhere. There’s something comforting in the simplicity of people coming together and enjoying good company and their natural surroundings. We’re taking a cue from the Swedes and having our own backyard BBQ tonight. The whole group is pitching in with tasks, from crafting the grocery list, to shopping, to cooking, to cleaning up. It’s going to be a lot of fun.

We rented bikes this morning and explored around on them. It felt great to get back on a bike, and to not feel threatened by cars. Davis, CA has been great at being bike friendly, but it’s small town feel isn’t realistic for most cities. Malmö is considerably larger and stands as a great example for a city being bike-able. The streets have few lanes, with the majority of the space being dedicated to wide sidewalks for bikers and pedestrians. We also went to the B001 development, which was an amazing area of sustainable and beautiful studio apartments that lined up against the beach. It was my favorite place so far. I’m thinking retirement in Sweden wouldn’t be so bad (except for maybe winters). Summer house, maybe?

After “class”, many of us went to the beach. It’s a lot hotter and more humid here, so jumping into the cold water was much needed. We got some fruit and cheese for a snack, and met a Swedish woman that helped us get home. She biked with us most of the way home, which was a really kind thing to do. As I was talking to her, she got a flat tire. She wasn’t upset at all, saying that sometimes you have days like this, but it’s nothing to get upset about: she was having a good day, and that the weather was great. Of course, I’m drawing too much symbolism from it, but it definitely made me think. Back in the states, we’re so focused on the future, that we try to just get through everything so we can get to whatever is just off reach and in the distance. We ‘re so narrow-minded, that when things don’t go according to plan, we get frustrated or upset, failing to see the good things around us. I don’t know: just some thoughts I’ve had. But I think it perfectly sums up my first impression of Malmö: a city that is not only sustainable in its building and design, but also sustainable in its mentality and perspective of the people.

Stockholm Syndrome

Today is our last day in Stockholm, and then we're heading off to Malmö, Sweden. I can't believe how quickly this trip is going by, and how much there has been to do and see here. The last few days have been incredibly fun-filled- class picnics, the Fotografiska Museet (which featured an exhibit of Annie Leibovitz's work), a visits to a waste water treatment/ biogas plant, Architecture and Modern Art museums, a trip to Kaknas Communications tower (the tallest building in Scandinavia), a guest lecture by the manager of the Waste Management program, and a look at the early stages of the new ecovillage The Royal Seaport.

One of my personal favorite adventures was at the Stadshuset (City Hall). We climbed up the tower and overlooked the City, and then took a tour of the grounds. The art inside was a mix of Classical and modern design, and truly amazing. There was a giant mosaic made of 23.5 carat gold foil that incorporated key figures of Swedish history. A woman sat in the middle as a symbol of Sweden. The artist intentionally did not make her beautiful looking, instead suggesting that her value came from her power and cleverness. I thought it was a good indicator of Sweden's fairly egalitarian societal norms. The Stadshuset also has conference rooms and meeting halls, and interestingly enough, is the official site of the Nobel Prize banquet.

This is all for now; I've gotta grab some lunch before we have class and present our Read the City projects. Here's to a fun afternoon and a great evening!

4th of July in Stockholm?

Despite being abroad, 4th of July was quite a success. The day was filled with all sorts of fun.

Thanks to the convenience of public transit and our intense walking skills, we managed to see a lot of great things. We first visited the Millesgården, which was filled with absolutely gorgeous gardens and statues. Next, in the spirit of the 4th of July (and our professor's birthday), we hit up the store to get some sparklers. Swedish grocery stores are way cool-- they sell firecrackers, but they are called "isfraka". Darwin purchased a watermelon, named it Bjork, and we enjoyed it on the subway.

We then went to Gamla Stan for the Red Bull Flugtag. For those unfamiliar, the energy drink Red Bull sponsors a competition where people make "hovercrafts" and try and launch them and make them fly. It's a hilarious and fun event. We saw a flying cake, fire breathing dragon, and a pink pony. None of them went too far, but it was great to watch large objects get pushed off the bridge and into the canal.

After Flugtag, we went to the Musikmuseet. It was awesome! We all grabbed an instrument and made as much noise as possible. And, since we're in Sweden, there was a huge section on ABBA. Naturally, we went into the music video room of the museum, dressed up in the costumes, grabbed the instruments, and rocked out to "Mama Mia". Having satisfied our inner rockstar, we traveled by ferry to Skansen, and visited the Aquarium and zoo. I was both horrified and mesmerized by the naked mole rats running about. They were so small, so pink, and so gross looking!

For dinner, we went to Vapianos, which is easily one of the coolest Italian restaurants ever. On all the tables there were tables with potted basil and rosemary for you to pick and put fresh herbs on your pizza.

To celebrate Jeff's Birthday/ America, the whole class went to the Mosebacke Beer Garden, and toasted America. On the walk home, we stopped at "our spot", the dog park, and lit off the isfrakas. They didn't last nearly as long I'd hoped, but for 25 seconds, I had the biggest grin on my face and danced around like a kid.

4th of July in Stockholm: total success.

and then I was a student.

Yesterday marked the our first official day of class. We've set up camp at the

Konsthögskolan Royal University College of Fine Arts, where Jeff (how cool is that... I get to call my Professor by his first name!) lectures us and we do group work. Our first lecture was an overview of Sustainability. We looked at the history of environmentalism, and the indicators of sustainability. Jeff also revealed to us the main points for successful sustainable communities. Some of my favorite points included:

• involved and engaged citizenry
• compact, high density, mixed use
• transit compatible
• walkable, bikable
• balance of jobs and housing
• local food systems

Oh, and in the United States, it takes 10 calories of fossil fuel energy to produce 1 calorie of food energy. Similarly, the average meal in the United States must travel a total of 2500 miles. Isn't that some food for thought?

After class, the rest of the day was free to do whatever we wanted. I tried a fried herring sandwich for lunch, and actually found it quite enjoyable. I have no clue how the Swedes figured out that Honey Mustard, Herring and Onions would taste great on toast, but it definitely did! The rest of the day was spent relaxing at the beach. It's crazy how we can be in the city of Stockholm, and WALK to the beach. Everything is so accessible!

For dinner, some of us decided to trust The Lonely Planet's advice and go to Cafe Nero for budget dining. We realized a bit late that the people at The Lonely Planet must be billionaires, because our pasta were about $25 a plate. Our bill's grand total was over 1500 SEK. I should have taken a picture of the bill: it was quite impressive. In Cafe Nero's defense, the pasta was fantastic, and some of the people that tried their Tiramisu will attest to the fact that it is world class and probably the best they've ever tasted.

Even though class is on hold until the "weekend" (read: one day off) is over, I still feel like a student. Stockholm presents a living laboratory for all of us to take in and enjoy. Everything is in the details. The sidewalks have huge setbacks from the streets, giving ample space for outdoor seating and lots of foot traffic. Walk ways are divided for bikers and pedestrians. Transit has islands in the middle of streets for its riders to wait in. The trees and balconies form together as a canopy, yet they let just enough light in. It's all so beautiful.

The sandwich thief

My trip wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t start off my morning with a mix of pure Debs bad luck/ American ignorance. At breakfast, a lot of people were packing sandwiches to enjoy later on in the day. I made myself a tomato and cheese sandwich, and my friend Bryan and I put our sandwiches in a Ziploc bag. Just as I began to place it into my backpack, one of the women that works at the hostel swooped in out of nowhere and began to chastise me for making a sandwich. I was so embarrassed and apologized profusely. Indeed, sandwiches to-go are frowned upon by the Swedes.

But this wasn’t enough. I figured I’d just take my sandwich and leave, having learned my lesson, and would never continue with my terrible ways of sandwich pilfering. On the way out, the woman chased me down from the other side of the room and grabbed hold of my arm. Shaking it up and down she kept asking me with a panicked frenzy “WHERE IS ZE SANDVICHES!!!?” I took the bag out of my backpack, explaining that I didn’t know what to do with the sandwich. She looked at me absolutely horrified, and told me I could throw out the sandwich now at the dish return or she’d fine me. I returned the “goods”, but I’ve become dubbed the Sandwich Caper by my friend Erik, and now I’m afraid to set foot in the breakfast lounge. And while the rest of my class enjoyed sandwiches, I was reminded of the old adage that there’s no such thing as a free lunch.

After my breakfast adventures, we visited the neighborhood of Hammarby. Originally an old industrial area, it was reconverted into an eco-village in the late 1990’s in attempt to win the bid for the 2004 Olympics. This project is funded by a mix of private and public interests and designed by over 30 developers. The 26,000 residents live in the most incredible and environmentally efficient homes. Within the grounds it has schools, offices, shops, restaurants, community centers, day cares, a church, library, and even a ski slope. Hammarby also has public transit to and from the other areas of Stockholm, buses, ferries, bikes, and plenty of pedestrians. Cars are allowed, but it’s honestly stupid to have one. There’s so many alternative methods of transportation available to everyone for free, so why even bother? Easily, the most incredible part of Hammarby was how it deals with waste. Each housing complex has a 3 trash bins (organic waste/ combustible waste/solid waste) that connect to an underground vacuum system that relieves the residents of its waste. After placing the waste in its respective receptacle, the tube takes the waste to a central area where it waits for a main trash truck that takes it where it needs to go: composting, incineration plant, etc. As a result, trash trucks don’t have to drive nearly as much to pick up everyone’s waste. Similarly, the waste is all broken down and converted into energy to be used for future use. It’s absolutely awesome how even waste is viewed as a resource and is part of the equation of fueling the city.

P.S. Photo cred to Peter!