Sustainability in the Netherlands
During my fellowship to the Netherlands I wanted to rekindle my love for horticulture and visit a country which horticulture is a way of life. What I mean by this, is people of the Netherlands have a passion for horticulture which is integrated into their everyday lives. Rich or poor, living in lower income neighborhoods or in more modern flats, living in the open country or living in the depths of the cities you see horticulture used to enhance their lives indoors and out. Every inch of green-space is used to plant something of beauty and practicality. Window seals are lined with pots of orchids or tropical house plants. Sidewalks have hollyhocks and wild flowers growing out of the cracks of the cobblestone. Is it planted there or is it just happenstance? It's just beautiful.
The Dutch are known to be hard working citizens because of how they build their country. Most of the country was under water in ancient times. It was a safe place for inhabitants because what little dry land they had was covered in trees and other plants surrounded by water. A great place to hide and difficult to get to. As time grew these small islands became ports for commerce and trade helping the Dutch to become financially successful. With the discovery of the windmill the Dutch were able to drain the small lakes and begin the process of draining the land. The Dutch people worked hard to dig out the peat and place rocks to protect the dikes from being washed away.
I also discovered the Dutch are natural conservationist. They feel strongly about saving the planet by not pouring their used resources into the ecosystem. In the early days of industrialism the factories poured their chemicals and waste into the water that surrounded Holland. Very quickly they realized they were poisoning the very resource which provided them with food. Many of the people I spoke to in Holland, especially in the agriculture sector, believe they have to protect their resources for the next generation. I saw how they recycle their water and use less chemicals by applying the concept of biological systems.
The Dutch are known to be hard working citizens because of how they build their country. Most of the country was under water in ancient times. It was a safe place for inhabitants because what little dry land they had was covered in trees and other plants surrounded by water. A great place to hide and difficult to get to. As time grew these small islands became ports for commerce and trade helping the Dutch to become financially successful. With the discovery of the windmill the Dutch were able to drain the small lakes and begin the process of draining the land. The Dutch people worked hard to dig out the peat and place rocks to protect the dikes from being washed away.
I also discovered the Dutch are natural conservationist. They feel strongly about saving the planet by not pouring their used resources into the ecosystem. In the early days of industrialism the factories poured their chemicals and waste into the water that surrounded Holland. Very quickly they realized they were poisoning the very resource which provided them with food. Many of the people I spoke to in Holland, especially in the agriculture sector, believe they have to protect their resources for the next generation. I saw how they recycle their water and use less chemicals by applying the concept of biological systems.