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transition ijburg

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Dear Reader,

All below suggestions, opinions, analysis and the point of views are aiming to create a self sustainable(as Human settlement), edible, ecologically sensible Ijburg with connected people as community. I believe, we, as all humanity, have to make changes in our lives towards more sustainable life style and move away from consumer oriented civilization. Behind the scenes, our civilization, all around the world, is destructive because of our consumer based life styles. Therefore below content is based on the idea that we, as civilization, use local based solutions; local created or stored energy, locally grown food, ecologically sensible and aware society with their relevant governing authorities.

I have categorized the topics below;

1. Housing
2. Ecology and Nature
3. Economy
4. Energy
5. Food and Water

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1. HOUSING in IJBURG:
As I see it, Ijburg has been designed to provide housing for 5 different incomes; High End Expensive Villas and Boat House type Luxury Buildings, Upper Class Single Houses with Gardens, High Middle Class Houses next to each other with gardens, Middle Class Housing with Apartments.

All of these type of housing are dependent on central energy source for electricity, gas and heating. Any issues with these central sources for any reasons, all of the area, along with other areas, is impacted. These central energy sources are dependent on non-renewable natural products, such as Oil, Coal and Gas.

The land owners in Ijburg is mostly Banks or Building Corporations, which have invested on Ijburg with buying big chuncks of land pieces when Ijburg was first built. It is logical. Who had that amount of money to buy hectars of land pieces? This is the main obstacle for Ijburg because Corporations are oriented by profit and growth. Their aim to get the maximum profit for their investments, it means filling up the empty land pieces they own with best possible profit with the same style of buildings with central resourced and dependent lifestyle. These companies will try to build on these land peices as long as the economy allows and the demand exists. We invest on this type of life style and they provide it. There is nothing to complain.

Without understanding and accepting the reality of our circumstances with Economy, Ecology and Social future that we are heading towards more crisis, it is unrealistic to expect a different behaviour from anyone. The growth mentality, which worked well in the last century is coming to an end but it is not widely understood. That is our main issue. There is a common thinking that "someone will figure out something that all this life will continue as it is". I do not believe that and I do not wish that our civilization continues the same way as it is now with destructing the world we all live in. 

In my opinion, instead of trying to add more apartments or houses to Ijburg, we need to think of how to use the empty areas to sustain the existing people. 

New land pieces, such as Sluisbuurt, Zeeburg, Oostpunt, Centrumeiland can be used for a new beginning. A different lifestyle. Instead of consuming, a producing lifestyle, a self sustainable lifestyle. My Eco Living designs of Sluisbuurt and Centrumeiland is based on this idea.

2. ECOLOGY and NATURE:
Ijburg is an island, it is a sand dune. All surface of this sand dune is covered with buildings, asphalt roads and brick walking paths. It seems like saying "We do not want Nature here! We want large roads, lots of space to park our cars, lots of space to walk, lots of space without any dirt on it!". The size on an average road in Ijburg is 15-20 mt. This can be turned into an advantage but the main crisis of our time is thinking. Without changing our thinking it is hard to make changes and create solutions.

The suggestions I have in my mind is listed below;

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Streets Transition:
The idea is to open space for Nature to establish itself. We need to plant Fruit and Nut Trees. We need to create flower plots, Herb plots, edible planting plots. And these plots should be permanent places. 

Everything is connected in nature. 

For example: We have so much Spiders in Ijburg because their predators are missing. There is not enough birds, because there is not enough environment to have a nests for birds to breed in Ijburg. There is not enough fruit trees, protected environments in Ijburg. We need permanent places to provide nature to do its own business.


* Instead of having double side carparking roads, we change one side of the road to Flower and Herb beds. 

* Instead of horizontal car parking, we change to diagonal car parking. The space saved is used for flower and herb plots and edible tree planting.

* Instead of having large walking paths, we use half of it for planting permanent flower and herb plots and edible tree planting.

* Instead of planting only trees for their green look, we start planting edible trees with Tree Guilds(below) around them.


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These transition is also going to help on the heavy rainfall water absorption. You might have noticed, the rainfall type has changed recent years. It used rain small drops but continuesly but now in bulk and heavy rains coming with lots of lightining. These heavy rains are creating floods in many areas. Do you think, covering all side roads with bricks help to absorb that rain fall? Placing cement canals to direct them very fast to the rivers, does it help or it adds quick build up on water? 

The solution? It comes with Permaculture. Permanent thinking. Making peace with nature, not fighting against it. How about more trees? More trees with multi functioning purposes. 
Along the Tram line;


* Instead of only green hedge, we use espalier style fruit and nut trees. Instead of only green hedge, we use flowering plants under these espalier fruit and nut trees.

* Along the tram line we have to create wild flower and herb beds corridor. It only exist in Steigereiland between Piet Hein Tunnel until the Ijburg bridge. We need to extend this corridor all the way to end of tram line.
COMMUNITY GARDENS and WINDBREAKS:
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Community Gardens: There are so many Community Garden possibilities in Ijburg. There are some small scale initiatives but they are all on temporary bases with 1-2 years contract. This way, permanent establishments, such as trees are not planned in the initiative and we continue living in temporary culture. In the green areas between the buildings, currently, a few random planted greening trees and grass cover is provided. This is an old idea of filling up the empty spaces in the cities. We need to turn these spaces into Permanent Flowering, Permanently edible plots and instead of single functioning(green leaf) trees, we have to plant edible and multi functioning trees(Flowering, Nitrigen Fixing, Mineral Accumulating) Trees and plants.

Community Gardens are essential to cure our social problems. Unfortunately, in our civilization, an idea has been embedded that only lower class people grow edible plants in and around the cities. This idea is pushed into people's minds with mainstream media after the Green Revolution. We need to overcome that and connect people who are suffering internally in our unhealthy civilization. Community Gardens are the cure for this with inviting all levels of people into one interest; socializing and connecting with growing plants together. All our civilization problems, such as racism, agression, crime, etc. come from disconnected and alone feeling people.



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Windbreaks: Without stopping the wind, we cannot much talk about Nature growth or edible trees. As the ground is sand, it would not hold and provide abundant growth to those planted trees. There are special techniques for creating windbreaks. There are special trees like poplar, black alder, which will grow tall with strong roots to block the wind. There are smaller trees to grow under those bigger trees. There are special bushes next to those smaller trees to create a bond, a line of a stronghold against the wind. These multi-functioning bushes can add natural environment to the area to create safe places for birds, beneficial insects, lizards to make home and the main issue of wind can be blocked as well.

These windbreaks are multi functional. They provide food, shelter, pollen and a protected area for all nature's creatures. We cannot create nature or control nature, this is an illusion. Nature is a program, self evolving. Instead of trying to fix or control nature, we can only provide places that nature makes its own work. Instead of trying to be the king of the world we should act like a steward of the world. Instead of fighting against nature, we need to learn to cooperate with nature. Our current culture is based on fighting against nature, we need to change that.

In Ijburg, we need to make a decision, do we want a nice view to the water without any windbreak, Or, we want nature to establish itself and help us to grow our own food. If you cannot grow your own food, how can we talk about sustainability?

COMPOSTING in IJBURG:
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Understanding the importance of Composting from individual person to whole area of Ijburg is the key for transformation towards Nature in my opinion. The Bio-Mass, which is currently produced in Ijburg is enough for the start of a large scale edible environment.

The simple design on the right side is a model. It is created for Ijburg to create its own compost for the residents. Without increasing the quality of the ground layer of Ijburg, we cannot create abundant natural environment. We have to invest on our earth. It is possible in a sustainable way. At the beginning we need only straw from outside of Ijburg. Also we need to keep all the grass cuttings and plant resudues, pruning material in Ijburg. These items are currently taken away to central location by the Governments. This is not sustainable and cost edict system. We have to change that towards local solutions.

Recycling in Ijburg has to be understood by every resident. Plastic, Paper, Glass and Textile are the ones we have possibility recycling. We have to make sure of this recycling separation in our private houses. It is currently not good enough.

Kitchen Scrubs Composter:
Additional to available recycling solutions, we can also recycle and compost our kitchen scrubs. I have created a Kitchen Scrub Composter with using the same methology as Earthworm Composting. It is applicable for balconies and small gardens. Basically, I have used a large rainwater container to keep the kitchen scrubs and added tigerworms in it. Earthworms are happy, they have abandoned food supply, it doesn't smell bad, it creates compost for my balcony plants. I believe, every household should have one of that in their balcony or garden in Ijburg.

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I'm currently making improvements on this system. Very soon I will have more effective and easy usage of a container for this type of composting. I need to improve the compost harvesting methodology. 
THEO VAN GOGH PARK TRANSITION:
Theo Van Gogh Park is the largest public park in Ijburg. It is located in the South part(Ijburg Zuid). I had earlier prepared a section for only Theo Van Gogh Park. I'm including here that it is also viewed under Ijburg. Please click on the link above or Here for further details.
DIEMERPARK
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There are key areas if the sustainability and ecology is in question. In my mind, for transitioning Ijburg, Diemerpark is a key location. Unfortunately, the development on this land is going on the wrong direction. Placing a football club on one corner of this land sounds very reasonable and friendly but extending this football club with a car parking lot is not. People should not come to this sport place from Ijburg by car. It is max. 10 mins bike ride from all points of Ijburg. Come on.

I understand the history of Diemerpark as far as with given information. It was used as a waste dump in the past and some toxic material is covered under a special material. Now the surface of the Diemerpark is green with grass but planting trees are not allowed. At least it is the information I got. I'm not a specialist on curing toxic substances but I'm reading books and watching documentaries, which suggests to transform very toxic materials(even nuclear wastes) to organic mass with using mycelium, which is vegetative state of fungus. I mean using mushrooms to transform Diemerpark underground towards nature friendly base. I believe, we wouldn't loose anything for a research on that direction.

Along with this transformation, Diemerpark can be a real wildlife supporting and human life supporting place. Trees with multifunctional selection can suddenly change the picture of Ijburg towards a world wide recognized wild life sunctuary. Maybe I'm just dreaming away but why not, it is a nice dream.

I imagine of a large scale Food Forest(Voedselbos) and in between them ponds, green areas, resting and sport places. A windbreak, especially on the North side of Diemerpark, large trees can buffer the South winds towards Ijburg. A few plots can be used for Community Gardens as well. But without trees none of it is possible. 
3. LOCAL ECONOMY in IJBURG:
I find Ijburg very dry place on the subject of economy. Same impression as Ecology. It seems only existence planned for this place is building sector. The local economy is built on Middle and Big range companies and supporting their single handed business. Small business is not much thought or supported in the general picture by the legislations. If you want to open a small business, first you have to find a small work place with a reasonable rent, right? Finding a place is the first challenge. After you find a plce the rental prices you need to face. A rental place square meter prices start from 120 euros a year and goes up to 130-140 euros. It means, for a 100 square meter place, the small business owner must pay minimum 1000 euros a month plus taxes and fees.(120eu x 100mt/12months). It is mostly more expensive than that amount. So, the main profit goes to the building owners, which are Who? Building Corporations and Banks. Because of this set up of business, backed up with the government legislations, there are not many small businesses in Ijburg. And the existing ones are pushed into centain areas of 2 locations(the village with Ijburglaan and Pumpuslaan). 

In my opinion, the governments must check their city planning(Bestemmingsplan) and really make changes on it to support small businesses. Diversity is the color of life, as it is in nature. Without diversity, without innovation from everyone, we create our own monsters.

Local economy does not happen by itself. Some steps must be taken to provide the right environment to allow that happen. Also, in Ijburg, we need Community supporting activities, real actions to gather all levels of people. For creating those activities, the governments must create actual places, open and covered locations. Community Centers should be created. At least 1 in Zeeburgereiland, 1 in West Ijburg and 1 in Zuid Ijburg. I'm talking about a ground level building, which is surrounded by community gardens. In that building, one part should be spared for educational purposes, to teach people about actual sustainability solutions. Learning how to grow edible crops, composting, recycling, rainwater hasvesting, soil quality improvement techniques and many more. Another part should be spared for organic food store, which will sell organic and healthy food products without paying high prices. And the last part of that building should be for people to get together and have relaxed time, maybe with a cup of tea. I'm talking about a healthy beverage serving place, not a bar, not a cafeteria which sells fast food, but a place which provides healthy, organic, fresh beverage and food possibilites to the residents of the location. This will also support local economy.


To read more on Community Center Ijburg, please click on the link or Here.


3. ENERGY in IJBURG:
The energy is everything in our civilization. Without energy, we are back at the stone age. Think about an electricity failure for 2 weeks. All our cooling, heating, food, water is connected to electricity. At the end of 2 weeks we stink!

Sustaining electricity must be our aim but it should be a local solution. We can continue using mainstream grid but what is our back up if that fails. We think our ship is unsinkable. Like the Titanic owners thought. But I believe, our ship is very vulnarable and it can sink very easily.

Investing in local solution bring Wind and Solar Energy into picture. But I mean, it is created right in the middle of Ijburg. Not coming from some central solar fields or mid-sea wind turbines. These solutions are fine(except that every time we create those fields we destroy an eco system). But the question here is, How to create our own energy? We cannot change our current houses, which are built on dependent model but we can transform them to be more sustainable.

Green Roofs, Solar panels for every house or apartment, small scale wind turbines on the roofs are my main suggestions. These solutions come with cost of course and every person cannot afford it. So, I'm now talking about the equal terms of service from the governments. Thinking of the tax benefits they provide to big companies, why not the governments help transform cities towards more sustainable way with helping the real people. Guiding the people towards the right solutions and subsidizing them. A research on this investment can be publicly made and openly discussed. We have even a TV in Ijburg(http://www.ijburgtv.nl/)


4. FOOD and WATER in IJBURG:
FOOD: As food shop, we have currently 3 different type of solutions in Ijburg. Main supermarket, a Bio shop and 3 small food shops. There is no diversity, not much choice, not much possibility for healthy, local and low price food products. As I mentioned in the Economy section, the regulations don't allow for small businesses to grow. There are internet based possilities as well but it is not used widely.

Grow your own food activities are at very basic level. There are a few box vegetable growing locations with temporary agreements. There is no Community Gardens with sensible amount of harvesting. So, the picture is looking a bit dark but there is always hope if the will is there.

If we are talking about sustainability, then we need to agree on what is not sustainable. I suggest that all our food supply is not sustainable, because all of it coming on wheels. It is dependent on Oil. From food production to food transport, this system is vulnarable and very much oil dependent.

We must have places to grow our own food. I suggested the Community Centers and partially Diemerpark but my opinion is to transform all Ijburg to a food producing place with all its available spaces. Side of the roads, empty spaces, balconies, everywhere possible. 

WATER: The water we use in our houses is drinkable water. It means we are watering our gardens with drinkable water, washing streets with drinkable water, washing our cars with drinkable water, cleaning our clothes with drinkable water. Such a luxury eh? Knowing that only 3% of Earth's water is fresh water. 97% of the water on Earth is salt water. Now, please imagine the power used for providing that drinkable water to our houses. Is this centrally sustainable? Or, we should be looking into local solutions? Are these solutions already available? I say Yes. 

Sustainability comes with understanding of the resources and respecting them. I believe, we should start investing on the rainwater and ground water and aim to filter it in stages where necessary. So far, the rainwater is free. Only necessity is to filter this water to different usage needs. For example, for flashing the toilet we do not need to filter the rainwater but for washing our clothes some filtering needed. When it comes to drinking, our consumption on drinking is the minimum in all other water usages. We can easily implement a filter for the drinking. 

I have seen it in Earthships in Olst, at Aardehuis site(aardehuis.nl), they are using ground water for all purposes. As the Netherlands has plenty of ground water, only investment is the filtering systems. Doesn't it more intelligent than filtering the water centrally with using lots of electricty and pushing this water all the way to the city area of Amsterdam and maintaining it centrally, putting chemicals in that water that it doesn't decay. Is this intelligent, is this healthy, is this less costly? Just think about it. 

How to turn this around and become sustainable? The same way as the energy. Ask from your governments as a single voice that they invest on sustainable solutions. Stop watching TV, it is a sleeping pill. Start connecting to each other, create your community.
Thanks for reading,

Tayfun Yalcin
Aug, 2014

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