A week ago we set off on a trip to Europe. The trip will cover England, Switzerland and France in a way we have not done before. An amazing opportunity to learn about the different cultures, history and, of course, recycling habits.
Europe is famous for coming up with innovative ways of doing things, improving what is there in order to do things better, more efficiently and in a more sustainable form. We see projects like the Bombardier's zero-emission PrimoveCity transportation solution emerging, being co-funded by the government and already available and being tested in Germany. And Germany is also home for the holder of the title of European Green Capital 2011. Hamburg accepted the title at an official award ceremony in February 2009 in Brussels and now the Hanseatic City is planning to travel around Europe with its visions for a green future to transform people into environmental protection enthusiasts. For this purpose Hamburg has created the Train of Ideas.
In the UK, we read about packaging regulations that are in place to encourage businesses to reduce packaging and take responsibility for their impact on the environment. Information about recycling at home, at schools, and in the workplace is also made available to the public via websites like Recycle More, which also has a link to help everybody find recycling facilities in the UK. In England (Barclays Cycle Hire) and France (Velib) we see the trend of bicycle-sharing spreading and the practice of car-sharing, like City Car Club in England, also becoming very popular.
It seems to me that in Europe being green and eco-friendly is just the way to be. Has the 6th EAP pushed Europe further into making changes to protect the environment in general? Has the EU Waste Legislation visibly achieved the results set for waste/recycling? We'll see. The reporting on progress occur frequently and according to the data available there has been some progress in a few countries. Other reports on more recent years should be able to show more, but they have not been published yet.
All this sounds very interesting and I cannot wait to experience a little bit of it! I am particularly curious to learn how the recycling practices in the countries I will be visiting compare against what I am used to back home.
So come with me in this little European adventure and let me share with you what I learn about other recycling practices.
In the meantime, we keep doing what we already know and...
Recycle Brevard!
Recycle Brevard, Inc. is an independent 501(c)3 Florida non-profit organization, 100% funded by sponsorships and donations, 100% run by volunteers.
