Can a complete sustainability be achieved?

I have thought about it and it is almost an utopia. For instance, if a company designs and ensembles a bicycle, it is the case that the energy used to build it can come from renewable sources, but if we take into account the whole lifecycle of it, from the cradle to the grave, it turns out that there are stages such as the raw resources extraction or the end-of-life which could be unsustainable. So, what are some ideas to advance in industrial processes sustainability?

Rethinking products and processes with green glasses, redesigning them, taking a chance on material reductions, using less impact vehicles for logistics, recycling materials and products, perhaps digitalization, enhancing circular economy, and promoting biking and public transport over cars are examples on how to advance in sustainability. Depending on your situation, you can fulfill some or all of them. In any case, opt for sustainability whenever you can to fight against climate change.

What if there are a lot of bikes?

In some cities like Amsterdam (The Netherlands), there is a problem with so many bicycles on streets. Amsterdam has built at least two mega-parking next to the Central Train Station, another at the Dam square and the third at Leidseplein, to name a few. Still, when celebrating an important event there is the need of increasing safe parking for bikes. In such cases, there is the possibility of creating a parking for thousand of bicycles in a fast way in order not to use cars.

Moreover, they made a test in Pijp, the highest density neighbor in Amsterdam, consisted in painting rectangles on the soil. This proposal by the local cyclist association (Fietsersbond) reduced the sidewalk obstruction and improved the urban living. After it, the neighbor erased car parking so today shows the best equilibrium between density and accessibility. Additionally, there are places specifically designed for cargobikes since they overcome the standard bike measures.

On the other hand, some 24-h commercial premises work as public bicycles parkings and storage boxes for 5 bikes which have a shared key to the neighbor in Rotterdam (The Netherlands). This way there are less bicycles hindering sidewalks.

Walloon

Walloon (Belgium) is an attractive cyclist destiny with more than 1,800 kilometers of RAVeL, several bike paths with different levels, and about 800 Bienvenue Vélo agents (safe hotels to lock your bike) to make your bike-tourist trip comfortable. Indeed, four EuroVelo cross the zone. Thus, there is a myriad of landscapes to enjoy, from the forest region of Ardennes to the Canal du Centre (Heritage of Humanity) and its four hydraulic elevators. Moreover, there are bike shops, multi-services companies and ebike charging points.

RAVeL means Slow Paths Autonomous Net, or in other words more than 1,800 kilometers for pedaling, 45 itineraries that connect to fourteen national and international routes. You can complete the lakes tour of Eau d’Heure or the VennBahn route. Regarding History, villages such as Fagnolle and Falaën make it well worth the effort as well as the Durbuy and Dinant cities.

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