I Have Missed Writing

We left for Portugal on January 31st. I have only published twice since then. But, I have been busy. We spent four weeks in Nazaré, the World’s surfing capital. Yes, this is the place that surfers go to catch the 100-foot waves. And then, two weeks in Vienna. I did take time to enjoy my winter break but I was working several hours a day, mostly on a project designed to find a way to fund green projects in the urban environment. We had our workshop on March 28 at Massey College, Toronto. And then, the ice “event” in Montreal had us on a nomadic search for a hot shower. So, not a lot of time to blog and I have missed writing. I hope you have missed me.

Over the next few weeks

I will pick up my series on cities. I have started the section on affordable housing – a complex but not unsolvable problem. There will be new articles on this topic but I will probably insert some posts on Third Places in between these articles. Maybe there will be a little bit more on Portugal and on our time in Vienna. And, of course, the occasional item on a restaurant I may think you should enjoy! Or, perhaps avoid! Or about something I really like or dislike.

However, I am going to avoid politics. There will be no question about my views on certain topics but the cupboard is bare when it comes to politicians and political parties. This is true, almost everywhere in the world and particularly so in Canada.

In the meantime, some random items:

• Cafe Fenster, Vienna – The best coffee ever comes from this little hole in the wall. A full-milk cappuccino served in a waffle cone. Why doesn’t it leak? The cone is lined with a very thick layer of high quality chocolate.

• Miyawaki Forests – not every urban park needs to be big. Small can be beautiful. Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki developed the concept which entails planting native tree species in high density. The result – fully matured treed areas in less than 20 years. Quick to establish, maintenance free after a year or two, a Miyawaki forest can be grown on a plot as small as three square metres. And so good for bio-diversity, shrinking heat islands, these green gems can be planted anywhere. Hey – rip up part of your lawn!
• I hate graffiti! Grow trees and vines to cover it up.
• Why would anyone think that a heritage property makes good affordable housing or homes for the chronically homeless? These properties will house fewer people, cost a LOT MORE to make livable, and cost more to maintain. That does not mean that I think heritage properties should be demolished – boutique office space perhaps?
• People don’t want to return to the office? Then why do shared work places seem to be more and more popular?
• Restrictive dancing laws in ABBA-land? Bar owners in Sweden can get fined if there is spontaneous dancing to Dancing Queen (or any other tune) – if they don’t have a permit. It now seems that the government will undo that law so soon no one will get busted for busting a move.
• Have you had an extreme weather event this year? How resilient was your physical infrastructure? Our electrical distribution system in Montréal collapsed under the weight of freezing rain. Grow trees, please, but not under power lines and look after them. Trees in populated areas need care to be safe.

• Are you really going to have a manicured lawn this summer? Grow native wildflowers and clover instead. More drought resistance, better water absorbency, and good for bio-diversity.

And some old reminders:

• Buy better, buy less
• Reduce, repair, reuse and recycle (courtesy of Patagonia)
• Shop local, support local businesses, buy from local farms, and support local artisans and manufacturers

And really, I have missed writing.