Name: Steven van Grinsven
Profession: Curator of “ZINGERpresents”
Age: 32
Found at: Wolvenstraat, Amsterdam
Climate change, does that ring a bell?
Yes, I worry about that like everybody else. But I have to admit that I don’t do anything with it. Pretty bad huh?
Yes. Have you heard of green energy?
Uuhh..No.
Do you have energy saving and LED lights at home?
No.
How about ecofriendly fashion?
No. Style goes before consciousness.
Jeez…organic food?
Yes, but that’s because of the taste. It just tastes better.
Your scarf could be made out of recycled textiles?
Well….no. This is designer….!
Oh excuse me…
What do you drink, vodka or nettletea?
I actually don’t like either, but if have to drink one of them the whole day I would choose vodka.
Don’t splash out on water
AMSTERDAM – The convenience of buying a bottle of water when you’re thirsty is one of the main reasons so many water bottles are sold. But what if there were water-refilling points all over the city where you could just open up the tap and refill your own bottle? If the clever people from Tap It Water have their way
Name: Charlie
Age: 30 Something
Profession: Culinary Student
Found at: 14th Street Between Broadway and 5th Avenue, Union Square, NYC
What’s your cat’s name?
His name is Nicholas.
Would you consider your cat eco-friendly?
Yeah, I would imagine so because he eats and does his business outside. That would be eco-friendly. I don’t use a cat litter. (laughs)
So are you eco-friendly too?
To a certain extent, I guess.
Low carbon footprint?
Yeah, I don’t leave a mess anywhere I go.
Have you ever tried to put a dog on your head?
No.
Would you?
No.
Have you ever put the cat anywhere else on your body?
No.
Do people try to touch the cat a lot?
Yes. I get a lot of wackos.
How much can you make in a day doing this?
That’s confidential information.
Photo by: Kate Yay
Albino and fox save city trees
Who’d be a city tree? Shat upon by hordes of feral pigeons. Lubricated and pebble-dashed by vomiting and urinating humans. Gnawed to matchsticks by vicious squirrels and deranged bankers. Yup, it’s a tough life, this tree life. But all is not lost.
Name: Judith Hermarij
Profession: Dancer
Age: 29
Where from: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Found at: Elandsgracht, Amsterdam
You just came out of the organic grocery store. Why do you shop there?
I shop there because I care about people, the environment and animals. I buy almost everything organic. It’s the fuel for your body and the quality of your food is really important.
A lot of people complain that organic food is too expensive…
I think it’s the other way round: the stuff in the supermarkets is too cheap! Three euros for a kilo of chicken, that can’t be healthy! I’d rather buy a small amount of good quality food than a pile of rubbish.
Are you worried about the state of our planet?
Very much. But what I read about it sometimes confuses me. The planet is warming up but this year we have a very cold winter! But I’m convinced we should treat the planet with more respect regardless.
How do you save the planet, aside from the way you shop?
I have green energy, I support Greenpeace, I don’t eat meat and I do almost everything by bike. The last thing is not an effort because that’s the most practical way of transport anyway in Amsterdam.
Laces or velcro?
Eehhh…I prefer laces. Most sneakers have laces right? Isn’t velcro more a children’s thing anyway?
Eco hangout for birds
AMSTERDAM – If you’re lucky to have birds singing as your morning alarm you may have noticed that spring is in the air! It’s time to give those lovely feathered friends of ours a decent eco present. Dutch designers at “Studio Oooms” made
Cities of the future are….green!
AMSTERDAM - What will our future cities look like? Green of course! On 20 March 2009 ‘N8’ is organising “Night salon” in the architectural centre ACRAM in Amsterdam, with green cities as the theme. From 8 till 11pm the programme will include film, music and performances about green cities. For example,
Row your own smoothie
AMSTERDAM – There’s no place where there’s more energy wasted than in the gym. People cycle, row and jump till they sweat, but the energy that it’s generating is lost. “Shame!” thinks Jacky Simons. Why couldn’t you cycle and make some fresh orange juice at the same time? Together with different technical experts, Simons designed the first
Photo by Tom van der Leij
Name: Frank Uffen
Profession: Advises Amsterdam on city development
Age: 32
Where from: Amsterdam
Found @: Berenstraat, Amsterdam
What are you up to today?
I’m on my way to work. I advise developers and cities on urban development projects. I come up with ideas on how to make the city nicer to live in.
Does ‘nicer to live in’ also mean more sustainable?
Yes. There’s more and more attention about impacts on the environment also at a social level. How can you make a neighbourhood healthier? How much garbage or energy does a building project cost? That’s what we think about.
Do you have sleepless nights because of climate issues?
No, I sleep very well. There’s nothing that can keep me awake!
Do you have nightmares sometimes?
No, but I do worry. I travelled a lot and the developments in China will have a huge impact on the climate I’m afraid.
How eco do you live yourself?
I live next to an organic shop, that’s where I do my shopping. I have energy saving light bulbs, a well insulated house and I recycle my glass and paper. I did buy this take away coffee though….
Tut, tut, tut! Who would you like to spend a day with, Al Gore or Tina Turner?
(After a long silence while Frank gazes out of the window)…Well….those legs of Tina…If I could get some work-out tips from her on how to get those legs, I choose Tina!
Photo by Nicki Wilk
Toilet paper at bottom of environmental crisis
NEW YORK – Americans like big cars, big buildings and big white trainers. But this time they’ve taken their love of extravagance too far. American consumer demand for quilted, luxury toilet rolls to wipe their tender bottoms is causing an environmental crisis!
