Here is the greenery and the fresh air...
The population is sensitive to environmental issues: the mayor of Amsterdam, Femke Halsema, elected in July 2018, actually belongs to the Green Left party (GroenLinks). Amsterdam has a green image that owes more to the quality of its transport and facilities for cyclists than to the quality of the air. In Amsterdam, cyclists are kings and queens: separate lanes on most streets, specific signage, and huge two-wheeler garages all over the city, including the two new ones at Central Station, a must-see! But the city is not totally immune to the problem of air pollution. Levels of nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter exceed European legal limits. Like other capitals, the city wants to reduce the use of polluting vehicles. Since 2020, diesel cars over 15 years old have no longer been allowed on the A10 ring road around the city. Since 2022, no gasoline or diesel-powered public buses have been allowed in the city center. In 2025, this ban will be extended to mopeds and pleasure boats. The European Environment Ministers of the 27 EU countries have voted to end the use of internal combustion engines by 2035. Amsterdam wants to take the lead and achieve this by 2030. The city recently launched a 6-week pedestrianization trial on a major thoroughfare, the Weesperstraat, as a foretaste of things to come? Note: the country has just approved the abolition of night flights and jets by 2025-2026.
Where to get some fresh air?
It's not hard to find a place to escape the city noise in Amsterdam. There are some 30 parks. The best known, Vondelpark, near the Rijksmuseum, covers 48 hectares. Here you'll find pretty lakes, century-old trees and a charming rose garden(rozentuin), home to 70 types of rose. It's also a venue for regular events, including summer concerts, dance and sports classes... For plant lovers, the Hortus Botanicus is one of the world's oldest botanical gardens, established in 1683 and home to over 4,000 different plant species. On the outskirts of the city lies theAmsterdamse Bos, 1,000 hectares of nature and waterways. Here you can enjoy a variety of water sports. There's also a campsite and the Ridammerhoeve farm, specialized in goat breeding.
Holland is the land of the tulip. This flower has been very popular in the country since the late 16th century, thanks to the work of botanist Carolus Clusius. Since then, tulipomania has subsided, but the Dutch are still very fond of the flower. Every January, on National Tulip Day, a temporary garden is set up in Amsterdam's Dam Square. In April, the city is decked out in red for the Tulip Festival. There's also a Tulip Museum on the Prinsengracht, opposite the Anne Frank House.
An exotic fauna!
The fauna of Amsterdam is not limited to the pigeons of Dam Square. It's not uncommon to see rose-collared parakeets perched in groups in the trees. They were first spotted in the 1980s, but the origin of their arrival is unclear - probably escaped pets. There are 3,700 in Amsterdam and 10,000 nationwide. Other notable residents: grey herons. They can be seen at Oosterpark. Even more surprisingly, seals from the North Sea can sometimes be seen in the Amsterdam canals. In all, 10,000 species of animal have been recorded in the city.
Recycling on board
Amsterdam has an efficient waste sorting and collection system. Containers are set up on the sidewalks to collect each type of waste: glass, paper, plastic packaging, textiles and "residual waste" (i.e. the rest). Yet, as elsewhere, plastic pollution remains a major threat to ecosystems. That's why the Plastic Whale association offers tourists original, useful and solidarity-based outings: board one of its recycled plastic boats to fish for garbage in the canals. You can find out more about similar solidarity and ecological experiences at www.untouristguide.com. This platform, launched by the city, aims to encourage innovative tourism that differs from that driven by the city's "sex & drugs" image, which is still important, much to the chagrin of the locals. For the past few months, beer and soda cans have been returnable and must be taken back to the supermarket. Don't forget it! In fact, you'll see quite a few people rummaging through garbage cans looking for cans left behind by tourists unaware of this recent measure... You've been warned!
Speaking of recycling, "the place to be" for those interested in the subject is the former port area of Buiksloterham. In this eco-neighborhood, new ways of living, consuming and exchanging are being tested. Start-ups specializing in recycling, offices and homes made from recycled materials and powered by solar panels, a short-line vegetarian restaurant, a weekly organic market... in short, a model eco-village that is likely to grow in the coming years.
Eat well
To stock up on organic produce, head to the Noordermarkt in the Jordaan district. This historic farmers' market takes place every Saturday. A flea market is held here every Monday. On the Nieuwmarkt in the center, an organic market is held every Saturday, while the "Zuidermkrt" is the organic market in Amsterdam's chic southern district on Jacob Obrechtstraat. It's not hard to find healthy restaurants in the city. In fact, to set an example, all meals served at Amsterdam City Hall are vegetarian.
Enjoy the nature in the surroundings
The Netherlands has 21 national parks. Some of them make great getaways from Amsterdam. The nearest is the Zuid-Kennemerland national park, west of the small town of Haarlem. Dunes and marshes provide an idyllic backdrop for a stroll, followed by an evening at the beach - Bloemendaal is particularly recommended. De Hoge Veluwe National Park, between Apeldoorn and Arnhem, is a protected area some 100 km from Amsterdam, home to a rich variety of fauna (including mouflons) on 5,500 hectares of forests, moors and water. The Wadden Islands (about 5 hours away by train or bus) are one of the world's most important ornithological areas.
