This part of the Primer will show and tell places I have visited in Europe. I have spent about 3 years in Europe, spread over several visits. The first two times in the 1980's adding up to over a year and a half; another visit in 1999, several months; just before W2K; and then three times more recently; 2022 when covid masks were still required on the train; 2023 and then 2024 into 2025. The more recent visits were 3 months each.
While the visits in the 80's and 1999 were great fun, the more recent times were more purposeful. As I described in my bio section HERE, I had gained a new interest in urban land use, transportation and especially, pushing back on cars.
Europe has plenty of problems. The European countries have unsustainable eco footprints, but still about half of the US. I have seen traffic jammed freeways in bicycle friendly Holland. There is plenty of pollution and even poverty. But there is a much greater level of expressing public places and public transportation. Flawed as it is, there is more of an aesthetic sense and care for public space in Europe than the US. Taxes are much higher but there is a higher quality of public life in Europe.
These fotos make those comments visible. Yes, there are beautiful urban parks and pubic places in the US but its not like where I have been in many different European countries. We have something to learn from Europe. Public transportation is far better, both bus and train and in many areas, bike infrastructure. Not so suggest ecotopia. But I have been wowed by how Europe is far ahead of the US in pushing back on cars. There is a long long way to go but the US could learn from Europe.
American cities sprawl far larger than European cities. Cars have become a big problem in post WW II Europe but they were substantially pushed back in the 1970's particularly in northern Europe.The damage could have been much worse. And again, much much more work needs to be done for Europe to become even shouting distance to sustainability.
These fotos are intended to show what some places in Europe are already doing. Admitted, the places I have visited are know to be better than most. They are role models for other less progressive parts of Europe but there are wonderful car free urban centers all over Europe and even new planned communities that purposefully discourage cars.
Here are some fotos. Hover over the foto for a caption and clik to make the image larger.
While the visits in the 80's and 1999 were great fun, the more recent times were more purposeful. As I described in my bio section HERE, I had gained a new interest in urban land use, transportation and especially, pushing back on cars.
Europe has plenty of problems. The European countries have unsustainable eco footprints, but still about half of the US. I have seen traffic jammed freeways in bicycle friendly Holland. There is plenty of pollution and even poverty. But there is a much greater level of expressing public places and public transportation. Flawed as it is, there is more of an aesthetic sense and care for public space in Europe than the US. Taxes are much higher but there is a higher quality of public life in Europe.
These fotos make those comments visible. Yes, there are beautiful urban parks and pubic places in the US but its not like where I have been in many different European countries. We have something to learn from Europe. Public transportation is far better, both bus and train and in many areas, bike infrastructure. Not so suggest ecotopia. But I have been wowed by how Europe is far ahead of the US in pushing back on cars. There is a long long way to go but the US could learn from Europe.
American cities sprawl far larger than European cities. Cars have become a big problem in post WW II Europe but they were substantially pushed back in the 1970's particularly in northern Europe.The damage could have been much worse. And again, much much more work needs to be done for Europe to become even shouting distance to sustainability.
These fotos are intended to show what some places in Europe are already doing. Admitted, the places I have visited are know to be better than most. They are role models for other less progressive parts of Europe but there are wonderful car free urban centers all over Europe and even new planned communities that purposefully discourage cars.
Here are some fotos. Hover over the foto for a caption and clik to make the image larger.
