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First country in the world: Norway boycotts rainforest products

Posted on August 3, 2020 October 7, 2020 by Emma Jansen

More than a quarter of all trees worldwide grow in tropical rainforests. But the destruction of the rainforest continues to progress. Worldwide, an area of forest the size of thirty football fields disappears every minute. In March 2020 alone, a forest area of around 645,000 hectares has been destroyed. This is equivalent to an area of more than 900,000 football pitches. In addition to the destruction of biodiversity and the habitat of animals, deforestation – per definition the act of clearing a wide area of trees – is displacing the indigenous population of these countries. Norway is the first country to commit itself to a complete ban on deforestation.

People before profit: The Degrowth Movement values people, not money

Posted on August 2, 2020 October 8, 2020 by Emma Jansen

Globalised capitalist economies continue to rely on numbers and economic growth, although they reveal little about inequality and sustainable well-being. How people live is not only a question of chance, but strongly influenced by the people in power. The Degrowth movement deeply questions the ways of living, producing and consuming shaped by the powerful, and asks for a democratic approach. It stands for a realizable reorganisation of values, lifestyles and the economy.

Recognising that endless economic growth is destructive to human well-being, it calls for the shrinking of some economic segments, specifically those that damage the ecosystem. The meaning of Degrowth is to build economies around segments such as education and care. Both are, among others, examples of undervalued contributors to society, which has been highlighted throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

How Mayor Anne Hidalgo is turning Paris into a car-free city

Posted on August 1, 2020 October 8, 2020 by Emma Jansen

A city where cars are banned. A city where everything you need is just a walk away. A city with green spaces and playgrounds instead of car parks. These are the plans of Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, for the French capital.

It’s 2016, and Paris is suffering: the smog is so thick you can’t see the Eiffel Tower, and air pollution is the highest it has been in every ten years. Subsequently, every second car has to stay in the garage. On one day cars with an even number at the end of the license plate are allowed on the roads, the next day those with an odd number. In exchange, local public transport is free. After some time the situation calmed down, but to Mayor Anne Hidalgo it was clear: there were too many cars in Paris. She needed to redesign the city center consistently and prioritise cyclists and pedestrians in the future.

Beyond the digital divide

Posted on July 31, 2020 October 7, 2020 by Emma Jansen

How parents and teens are learning to navigate the risks of life online.

Carmel Molony is Facebook friends with her daughter, Frankie, who just turned 14. She also follows her daughter’s Instagram account. But then Frankie’s digital life disappears into Snapchat and Carmel knows she cannot follow.

“I could be on Snapchat with her but I still wouldn’t be able to know her activity. It’s not a platform like the others,” she said. “As a parent, even if I wanted to, I simply couldn’t say I want to see all your snapchats. But I know she uses it a lot.”

Electrified only by renewable energy? Burgenland in Austria shows how it’s done!

Posted on July 30, 2020 October 8, 2020 by Emma Jansen

A federal state in eastern Austria has become a role model for Europe: Burgenland covers its entire electricity demand by using renewable energy sources. Furthermore, it produces so much electricity to provide other regions with it. This could be done all over Europe. It only takes political willpower.

At first sight, the narrow strip of countryside in the east of Austria, Burgenland, has little in common with Iceland. Flat plains here – rugged cliffs there. The quiet Lake Neusiedl in Burgenland – steaming geysers on the small island in the North of Europe. Vineyards here – moss landscapes there. But as different as the regions may be, both manage to make the most of their geographical advantages and generate energy from it. While Iceland mainly uses geothermal sources, Burgenland relies on wind power.

The Cleveland Model: The city’s flourishing economy has worker participation to thank

Posted on July 29, 2020 October 8, 2020 by Emma Jansen

Cleveland, USA was once a booming industrial city. When many of the local companies moved to low-wage countries, the city’s economy and social fabric collapsed. Mass unemployment and poverty resulted. Twelve years ago, the first cooperatives were founded in one of the poorest areas of the city. They rely on the participation and co-determination of the workers and sustainable economic activity. Together with the city government, the cooperatives developed a regional economic plan and created the economic upswing. This success became known as the “Cleveland Model” and became a model for cities around the world.

The cityscape of Cleveland in the US state of Ohio is a good illustration of the city’s history. Cleveland is full of old factory buildings and the skyline is dominated by skyscrapers from the interwar and postwar period. That was the golden age of Cleveland, when the USA was the driving force of world industry. The Midwest, with cities like Detroit, Chicago and Cleveland, was the heart of this industrial nation. However, when companies in the region began moving production to lower-wage countries in the 1970s, Cleveland’s economy also began to crumble. The former industrial metropolis became a city marked by poverty and emigration.

First country in the world: Luxembourg makes public transport free

Posted on July 28, 2020 October 8, 2020 by Emma Jansen

Thousands of commuters travel to Luxembourg every day. Their cars and trucks clog the roads and pollute the air. But in an effort to combat climate change, this is coming to an end. Starting March 1, 2020, Luxembourgers will be able to travel by bus, tram and train – completely free of charge.

Luxembourgers will no longer have to buy tickets when using public transport in the country, and tourists will not pay a cent either. This makes Luxembourg the first country in the world where public transport is free. Just those passengers who want to travel first class will have to pay for their journey.

The whole thing will cost 41 million euros. Furthermore, the state will invest more than 2 billion euros in rail expansion by 2023. The personnel behind the ticket counters and the ticket inspectors are to be deployed in passenger service.

Allow Dignity to Flourish by Discovering and Developing Your Medium of Self Expression

Posted on July 27, 2020 April 8, 2021 by Emma Jansen

Humanity is undergoing an alarming crisis of trust and human dignity. Pompous politicians, hidden hackers, and unaccountable executives are, unfortunately, actively shaping our world this very moment. They are unapologetic as they put forces of fear and coercion to use as weapons of manipulation, control, and obstruction of truth. Often these ‘weapons’ are masked within political rhetoric that is working to undermine progress, by pitting humans against ourselves.

Apathetic to the fate of humanity, these fear mongers are willing to forego any sense of the greater good for their own personal vengeance, political or economic gain, or sheer ego. Perhaps most disturbing is the fact that greater society sometimes falls victim, allowing the self-destructive behaviors and persuasion tactics of a few to permeate into our own beliefs and values, leading to a state of perpetual distrust. When this happens, we all fail.

New York DNA between Art, Architecture and Urban Green

Posted on July 26, 2020 October 8, 2020 by Emma Jansen

At the Bloomberg Center’s Cornell Tech building, by Pritzker Prize architect Thom Mayne, the New York DNA is part of the conceptual project. The outdoor texture has captured the skyline of Manhattan; the panorama is expressed through a green camouflage organic, steel skin. This shines and naturally changes during the day through the sun rays in the heart of Roosevelt Island’s campus. The aluminium panels register a continuous image which merges the river view scenery. Each pixel of the image is translated into the specific turn-and-tilt of a two-inch circular tab punched into the paneling. The depth and rotation of each of the tabs determines the amount of light reflected. This pixel map and its algorithm were fed into a repurposed welding robot, developed in collaboration with Cornell and MIT students.

Modern Workforce Expectations and How Socially Aware Businesses Can Win the War for Talent

Posted on July 25, 2020 April 8, 2021 by Emma Jansen

Not since the industrial revolution has there been such a seismic shift in the way we are viewing the world of work. Debates about the modern workforce and their expectations happen far more regularly as businesses get to grips with how our towns, cities, and workplaces will look entirely different in the future.

This evolution of the working world is exciting; it has felt like we have been trapped in the archaic constructs of corporate apathy for so long that to see the green shoots of new thinking cement themselves on a larger scale is refreshing, liberating and nerve-wracking all at the same time.

What is evolving is not the slightly tired and repeated debate about Millennials. I don’t believe they are the first generation to want purpose from their work and they certainly won’t be the last. We all crave to be part of something bigger than ourselves, I for one never charged into my working life with an enthusiasm which was based on anything other than the strong sense of purpose I shared with my colleagues.

Supporting the Arts Should Be a Part of Your Business Strategy

Posted on July 24, 2020 October 8, 2020 by Emma Jansen

The time of grey suits is coming to the end – business now strives to be more innovative, creative and inclusive. To achieve that, we can look towards something that’s already all these things – the arts.

Some years ago The Arts Council (England) said that art:

Helps people “understand, interpret and adapt to the world around them.” To ensure long-term success of the business, it is essential that our strategies include understanding the world around us and our communities. We need to constantly adapt to survive – art can help.
Brings “colour, beauty, passion and intensity to lives.”
Builds people’s skills, confidence and self-esteem.

Arts And Liveable Cities

Posted on July 23, 2020 October 8, 2020 by Emma Jansen

What do we mean by a liveable city? Perhaps the sum of the factors that add up to a community’s quality of life: housing options, decent jobs, robust neighborhoods, mobility, vibrant public spaces, and affordability. But really, couldn’t that apply to any town, of any size? What makes a “city” so special? For me, it is the stimulating cultural life… Entertainment, enlightenment, recreation, inspiration—those things that help us step beyond the bounds of our day-to-day pragmatic existence and fire up our sense of possibility, collectively and individually.

Diversity plays a key role here. Through the eyes of San Francisco’s huge range of artists, for instance, I can experience radical differences among us and discover surprising affinities. I can imagine myself walking in different shoes, speaking a different language. Through art I can thrill to the beautiful or strange, surrender to the ridiculous, or struggle to comprehend the darkness. Art is the door to a million feelings, a cultural landscape that literally and spiritually brings people together. When we venture into foreign territory together, we bond. We share the same experience, we are on the same team. We cultivate empathy, and empathy is surely the deepest root of tolerance.