Studio Roosegaarde is expanding its portfolio with a new installation that cleans public spaces of coronavirus.
If you’ve been missing mass gatherings as much as we have over the last year, this will brighten your day. Studio Roosegaarde’s Urban Sun — a project which wasinspired by the light of the sun — may be the long-awaited solution for being able to safely gather in public spaces.
Urban Sun by Studio Roosegaarde can clean public spaces of coronavirus. Image: Daan Roosegaarde/Supplied
The Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde and his team started this project with a mission to find out if light could be used to sanitise surfaces against coronavirus. They ended up creating an installation that uses far-UVC light — a light shown to inactivate the bacteria and viruses in some microbial diseases.
Urban Sun works by shining this specific type of light into public areas, thereby cleaning them of the coronavirus. This innovative solution was created in collaboration with scientists from the Netherlands, US, Japan, and Italy.
What is Urban Sun about?
Urban Sun is a symbol of hope. It “combats the negative impact of social isolation by aiming to improve cultural gatherings, sporting events, public squares, and schoolyards,” says Roosegaarde.
The project uses far-UVC light to combat the virus. Image: Daan Roosegaarde/Supplied
Starting in a city known for innovation, the project was launched next to Rotterdam’s iconic Erasmus Bridge. “It’s inspiring. People are tired of COVID19. What we need is the courage to find new solutions, to get in touch with each other, and create some intimacy. That is what Urban Sun is doing,” says Jet Bussemaker, the President of the Council of the Public Health & Society Board of the Netherlands.
The studio had already been researching the power of light prior to this project. However, the pandemic made the issue much more urgent. Urban Sun can clean up to 99.9% of the virus, potentially acting as an added layer of protection in addition to current coronavirus regulations.
Designing solutions for a better future
Being able to meet up safely in public areas again is something many people need. The studio points out that this artwork can be used in any type of public space, and encourages governments and partners to strongly consider implementing the project to upscale its practical applications.
Studio Roosegaarde encourages governments to scale up the project. Image: Daan Roosegaarde/Supplied
Urban Sun is yet another addition to Studio Roosegaarde’s impressive portfolio of installations that improve daily life in metropolitan environments. Dedicated to fighting climate change, their previous work helps to stop pollution, rethinks traffic, and lights up the future of agriculture.
What do you think of the studio’s new project? Could it be the solution we need to have safe public spaces again? Let us know in the comments below!
We are what we eat. If that’s true, it’s probably their fuss-free cooking that has rendered the Dutch direct and to the point.
Known for their Calvinistic outlook, Dutch cuisine is seldom varied, but it is certainly functional. Until a decade ago a typical Dutch dinner consisted of a couple of vegetables and meat or a combination of these two — the one pot meal of stamppot.
Modern Dutch food — a movement away from meat
Times have changed. Taco Tuesdays are quite the rage. So are Meatless Mondays. This generation of Dutch (and internationals) are big on vegan food. Remember the Dutch ingenuity? Yes, that has made them leaders of the mock-meat fever that’s gripping the world.
Unless you live under a beer can at the bottom of a gracht, you must know what mock meat is. It copies all the gloriousness of meat, without all the spillage of blood. As more and more people adopt a vegan diet for health, environment and animal welfare, Dutch supermarkets are flooded with plant based products.
Since 2017, plant-based proteins have grown a whopping 51%. Yes, Folks; veganism is no more a Hippie-dippy fringe movement, certainly not here in the Netherlands! Major supermarkets have an entire aisle dedicated to vegan food. Brands like Alpro, Violife and Oatly take up precious rack space.
Between Beyond Meat, Quorn, Kips Vega, De Vegetarische Slager and home brand meat alternatives, most Dutch supermarkets now provide their customers with a vegan-options-galore scenario. In fact, cities such as Amsterdam have even seen vegan supermarkets crop up!
Dutch supermarkets and meat alternatives
Albert Heijn and Jumbo are almost neck-to-neck in competition when it comes to offering their customers meatless meat. The supermarket chains keep adding an ever increasing range of plant based options at excellent prices.
For over a year, their seasonal magazines have been highlighting and exploring vegan food and recipes. Combine this trend with a year of lockdown, a host of acties,kortings and bonus and these Dutch supermarkets have opened the door to sustainable gluttony (in my case).
Why is the Netherlands going vegan?
Given the limited land, an ever-increasing population and several grim warnings by the Council for Environment; the Dutch government is now a huge supporter of veganism. And so ethics, environment, health and business are all tackled in a single stroke. Talk about keeping your (vegan) cake and eating it too!
The next thing we know — the government tweaks investment policies and benefits extended to the money men. That’s how this country has become the vegan paradise of Europe.
The science of mockery
But what is vegan meat? What is it made of? For those of us who didn’t major in science, it does seem bizarre. But consider this, the key ingredient is generally soy protein or vital wheat gluten or textured vegetable protein.
It is then subject to something called shear cell technology or simply slashing through of molecules that makes the texture “meaty.” Next, a gel is added to help keep its shape and then in go various colours and flavorings. And voila, you have meatless meat!
Meatless meat is readily available. Image: freetousesounds/Unsplash. Image: Free to use sounds/Unsplash.
The Netherlands and the future of veganism
The Netherlands is now forging the future of food in the University of Wageningen, where the brightest of minds test and innovate food for a sustainable lifestyle.
The actual magic happens in Food Valley amidst The Protein cluster. It is a single platform that brings several stakeholders of the chain together. Their webpage shows about 60 companies including big shots like Kraft Heinz and Unilever. It is a whole world in itself helping enable and uphold vegan diet.
A vegetarian butcher?
De Vegetarische Slager (acquired by Unilever) has become a leader of sorts in the meatless meat industry. A native Dutch company, it was founded by Jaap Korteweg who comes from an agricultural family. A former meat lover himself, he had a change of heart after mad cow disease and swine flu gripped the country.
While his mind did reject meat, his tongue lusted for it. After a little reflection and a bit of experimentation, an idea was born. He — along with some scientists — developed vegetarian meat that looked, felt and tasted like traditional meat. A shop in The Hague paved their path to success. And that was only the beginning.
How good are the goods?
Today many meat processing plants are following this trend. Bolscher, a well known butchery has introduced a vegetarian line. Zwanenberg, Vion and many others are joining the vegan bandwagon.
The geographical placement of the Netherlands combined with painstakingly built seaports, access to other European markets, and of course the Dutch business acumen has made the Netherlands a fertile ground for the fake meat industry.
This is not just the case for home grown businesses, foreign brands are also trying to make their mark here. The American brand Beyond Meat, The Upfield Group (which owns Greek vegan cheese brand, Violofe) and AAK, a Swedish-danish manufacturer of vegetable fats have all flocked to steak (!) their claim.
Vegan cheese and milk in the Netherlands
While one could go crazy with any cuisine, thanks to mock meat, the classic (not classy) Dutch lunches of cheese sandwiches and a pint of milk can be recreated with Violife cheese slices and the baby bottle of Oatly Barista (or Alpro/provamel/Abbot Kinney’s/Zonnatura and more).
So, oat milk, rice milk, soy milk, almond milk or coconut milk, What’s your take? Pea protein, soybean or wheat, what’s on your dinner plate?
Would you go vegan in the Netherlands? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
Research shows that 60% of the Dutch people believe the terraces of cafés and restaurants can safely open again.
This opinion reflects the general trend of declining support for the government’s coronavirus measures in the Dutch population. Only 42% support the current economic policies related to the pandemic. This is the lowest percentage since the beginning of the corona crisis.
The study, from I&O Research, found that the majority of the people asked are still in favour of the general approach to the pandemic. However, this number is also declining, from 75% at the end of January to 62% now.
People want measures to be relaxed
Up until now, the support usually grew bigger when the measures were tightened and declined in times where people didn’t find the measures strict enough. Now we’re witnessing a reverse trend.
Nearly 60% want to see the measures relaxed. A small proportion of the population, 10%, thinks they should be abandoned altogether. On the other hand, about the same percentage believe that the measures should be even stricter.
The research, commissioned by the NOS, also finds that the voters of Mark Rutte’s party VVD (People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy) support the current coronavirus policy the most.
Where do you stand in this debate? Should the measures be relaxed or tightened even more? Let us know in the comments below!
What do Dutch people eat? If you’ve already read part one of this series, you know that there are many things to get used to about eating in the Netherlands.
With this complete guide, you will not only Dutchify your kitchen but also learn some of the key elements of the Dutch way of living. After all, they say ”you are what you eat” for a reason.
Rookworst
This tasty sausage is often placed on top of stamppot. Image: M.Minderhoud/Wikkimedia Commons/CC3.0
We start our part two of what Dutch people eat with a classic: rookworst. This is a type of pork-based smoked sausage, enjoyed traditional Dutch dishes such as stamppot and erwtensoep.It’s best to get an authentic Dutch brand like Unox to get the full experience.
Stamppot is a dish made from either one or several different boiled vegetables and mashed with potatoes. Whereas, erwtensoep is a soup made with split peas, celery, onions, leeks, carrots and often potatoes topped with sliced rookworst. Usually served with slices of rye bread and raw spek (smoked bacon).
Zuurkool
Not particularly attractive, but Dutchies love it! Image: Kalhh/Pixabay
Speaking of Dutch delicacies, we just can’t skip zuurkool. It’s finely chopped fermented cabbage often mixed in with mash potatoes which goes beautifully with a rookworst. Having this staple in your kitchen won’t only expand your repertoire of Dutch cuisine, but will impress Dutchies when you serve them this traditional dish, with mustard mayo of course. 😉
Appelmoes and Appelstroop
Perfect on top of your morning yoghurt. Image: Tasks/Pixabay
Ever felt confused by people who can combine sweet sides with savoury meals? Yes, I am looking at you, Ikea meatballs and cranberry sauce.
In the Netherlands, especially for kids’ meals, appelmoes is the ultimate side dish – but it is enjoyed by adults as well. Made by boiling apples before turning them into a compote, this little treat is widely enjoyed next to any generic Dutch meal including potatoes, meat and veggies. Just grab the biggest jar of Hak brand.
On the other hand, Appelstroop is a syrup made with apples and sugar and looks a lot like molasses. You can have it with your Dutch pancakes (known as pannenkoeken) or even just on a slice of bread!
Ontbijtkoek
“Is it bread or is it a cake?” was the first question that came into my mind when I first saw this breakfast treat. The literal translation for ontbijtkoek is “breakfast cookie”, but before you think the Dutch are crazy for having cake in the morning, it is not as unhealthy as it sounds.
Ontbijtkoek is a type of cake made with rye and spices like cloves, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. You can have it for breakfast with a thick layer of butter, or as a snack throughout the day.
However you like to enjoy it, always keep it in its special tin that you can buy from Blokker.
Gourmetten Set
Image: Abuzer van Leeuwen
What a crowd-pleaser! Want to throw a dinner party but don’t want to the sole responsibility of not ruining the meal? Then you should try gourmetten.
Gourmetten is a shared meal where you combine many different ingredients on a grill or hot plates and cook it yourself with the help of your individual small pan. Not only delicious but also you get the fun of cooking your own dinner.
Even though it is often enjoyed at Christmas, don’t let that stop you from buying one of these bad boys and enjoying this fun way of eating any time of the year!
Bitterballen, Frikandel and Kroketten
You can even get vegetarian Bitterballen nowadays. Image: Takeaway/Wikimedia Commons/CC3.0
Oh, freezer items, where would we be without you? Dutch people love their fried food. It’s widely enjoyed alongside a biertje, mashed in a bread bun just on its own. No matter how you come across these beauties we’re here to explain to them all:
Bitterballen are a popular Dutch snack made by combining meat, butter, flour to make a thick mix; followed by covering them with bread crumbs and deep fry until they are golden brown. Best enjoyed with mustard and a good drink.
Frikandel is dark, long and deep-fried (did we mention how much the Dutch like to eat fried food?) meat sausage. Generally combined with curry ketchup or mayonnaise and chopped raw onions. Just make sure you have some mints with you for afterwards.
Last but not least, there is the kroket. It is a general name for anything mashed, deep-fried and covered in bread crumbs. Definitely a freezer favourite, easy to whip out for a get-together with friends.
Now that you are a proud owner of a fully equipped, completely Dutchified kitchen, our job here is done! The next step is to invite some loved ones and enjoy the yummy goodies. Lekker!
Have we missed anything off the list? Let us know in the comments!
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in September 2017, and was fully updated in March 2021 for your reading pleasure.
Feature Image: Becca Tapert/Unsplash
All flights from the United Kingdom, South Africa, and numerous Central and South American countries to the Netherlands will continue to be banned until Thursday, April 1.
The outgoing Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management, Cora van Nieuwenhuizen, announced the extension of the measure in a letter to the Parliament, the NOS reports.
The ban was originally supposed to be lifted today. However, it comes as no surprise that the government decided to extend the measure. The reason to keep it in force is to help prevent the further spread of more contagious coronavirus strains in the Netherlands.
Since January 23, flights from the following countries are also not allowed to the Netherlands, as well as the Caribbean Netherlands:
Argentina
Bolivia
Brazil
Chile
Colombia
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
French Guiana
Guyana
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Uruguay
Venezuela
Cape Verde opens
On the other hand, the ban on flights from Cape Verde has been lifted. According to Van Nieuwenhuizen, there are no longer signs of the more contagious coronavirus strains in the country.
However, the government still urges residents of the Netherlands to not travel abroad unless absolutely necessary. This means that a nice vacation in Cape Verde will have to wait.
What do you think? How will this development affect you? Let us know in the comments below!
Have you ever wondered how the stork became the symbol of childbirth in the Netherlands? Are you curious as to why your Dutch friends put up storks outside their houses when a baby is born? Here is a brief history of how that tradition came to be!
When a Dutch child asks “where do babies come from?” they are often told that they are delivered by “ooievaars“. For a long time, the stork has been a lucky charm of childbearing. At the beginning of the 20th century, it became the symbol of childbirth in the Netherlands.
A few years ago, on my birthday, I remember getting a toy stork from a Dutch friend of mine. He gave told me it would bring me luck. At that time I didn’t realise how superstitious the Dutch were or that the stork was still seen as a lucky charm.
The Dutch say that “the stork has visited” when a child is born and in some parts of the Netherlands new parents often put a (toy) stork in their front yard. The legend of the stork is not just a story that parents tell little kids, it has now become an integral part of Dutch traditions surrounding childbirth.
Some fun facts about the stork
The Dutch name is oievaar, Other popular names including eiber, uiver, hoetbar and adebar.
The Hague’s coat of arms includes a stork (minus the baby).
Storks are the “playboys” of the bird family as they are not monogamous, taking on a new partner every year.
Storks lay a maximum of seven eggs a season and their young ones eat approximately four kilograms of food every day.
After 40 days the young ones get flying lessons from their parents, and after 10 weeks they become independent and are left to fend for themselves.
In 18th century Germany, parents used to conceal the truth of where babies come from with a number of stories about children who literally grew on trees — very ethereal. And just like that, the myth of the stork as a child-bearer came to be.
The stork is traditionally regarded as a lucky charm, not only in the Netherlands but also in countries such as Turkey, Morocco, and Greece. They believe the bird to have similarities with humans: it cares for its young and mourns their loss if they die. In the Middle Ages, people in Germany even believed that the stork could prevent fires and, as a result, storks could be found in practically every German house.
Later, the stork became directly associated with childbirth. In German folk law, babies were given directly to mothers or dropped into the house through the chimney. Due to this method of delivery, the stork was to blame if a baby was born disabled or stillborn. On a lighter note, there was a sweet tradition to let the storks know you wanted children. The women of the village who wanted children put candy on their windowsills.
As well as myths about storks delivering babies, there are also stories about them taking babies away! In Greek mythology, the story goes that a woman had been turned into a stork as a punishment and then she came back to “kidnap” her own child. In Egypt, it was thought that the soul of a man similar to that of a bird. When a stalk returned, it meant the return of a lost soul.
So how did the stork become associated with childbirth in the Netherlands?
Off to pick up the lastest delivery. Image: Soumadeep Das/Pexels
The symbolism of the stork as a bird that brings babies dates back to 1909 when Princess Juliana van Oranje was born. The Dutch royal family received a special card announcing the birth of the child. On the card were: a picture of Noordeinde Palace, and a stork on a nest with a baby in it. The stork on the card was announced to the illustration of Wilhelmina that it had brought a child for her. Since then, everyone in the Netherlands uses the image of a stalk when a baby is on its way.
The Netherlands might be a sex-positive haven nowadays, but talking about sex and having children was taboo in the early 20th century — surprise surprise. When children asked their parents where babies came from, they were told that storks brought them or that they were kept somewhere in the earth and dug up through a hollow tree or special stone! A long way of getting around talking about sex right? Of course, kids also wanted to mummy was lying in bed right when the stork brought the babies, so and they were told that their mum had stepped on a nail while walking outside! 😂
Fast forward to today in the Netherlands, people still tell their children that storks bring babies to new mothers. They also still believe in the luck that storks bring. So when next you see a stork in the neighbourhood, just know that a baby has been delivered to a lucky family, somewhere out there!
Do you find the story of how the stork became a symbol of childbirth in the Netherlands interesting? Does your country have similar traditions of its own? Let us know in the comments below!
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in November 2018, and was fully updated in March 2021 for your reading pleasure. Feature Image: Henrik Hansen/Unsplash
Dutch police have confirmed an explosion at a coronavirus test street in North Holland this morning.
The blast occurred at 6:55 AM when a metal pipe exploded on the outside of the building. Police are assuming the explosion was intentional and that the test street was the target.
Only a security guard was present in the otherwise empty building. No injuries have been reported, but bystanders said that there was a very loud bang. Five windows were broken in the blast.
Bij de teststraat Covid van de GGD in Bovenkarspel is vanochtend om 06.55 uur een explosief afgegaan. Ramen vernield, geen letsel. Politie doet onderzoek. Omgeving is afgezet.
The test site, in Bovenkarspel, has been closed while police conduct their investigation. All test appointments before 12 noon have been cancelled.
The building is home to a very large test site, according to a radio reporter from NH Nieuws. “I would almost call it a factory. You can drive your car in to be tested and then out the other side.”
Mij is onduidelijk waarom, maar de brandweer is zo zojuist ook gearriveerd bij de teststraat in Bovenkarspel waar de explosie was. #NHNieuwspic.twitter.com/RWaZfLQNeF
Princess Alexia, the second-born daughter of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, is to attend the prestigious United World College of the Atlantic in Wales after the end of this summer.
She will be joining the Crown Princess Leonor of Spain, who is also enrolled at the UWC. Alexia will study her International Baccalaureate in Wales — a diploma that is recognised all over the world.
The international school has around 350 students of various nationalities, and some of the important alumni include the Crown Princess of Belgium, Elisabeth, as well as the Dutch king himself.
Following in father’s footsteps
King Willem-Alexander attended the same college from 1983 to 1985. According to the royal house reporter Kysia Hekster, “it has never been a secret that Willem-Alexander was sent to that school because he was not feeling well.” She adds that “It is not known why Alexia will attend this particular school.”
UWC puts emphasis on creativity, which “works out nicely for Alexia because she plays the guitar,” says Hekster. The princess is currently completing her fourth year of high school at the Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet in The Hague.
Do you think Princess Alexia will enjoy her time studying abroad? Tell us in the comments below!
Good news for vaccine enthusiasts! Not only has the Netherlands ordered millions of doses of the Jenssen vaccine, but from April the country will also receive considerably more Pfizer-BioNtech vaccines every week. This brings up the number of vaccines coming into the Netherlands each week to 500,000.
Outgoing Minister of Health Hugo de Jonge tweeted the good news yesterday. “This ensures we can speed up the vaccination process again,” he writes. He also claims that anyone in the Netherlands can receive their first dose of the vaccine by July.
Mooi nieuws! Vanaf april gaat #BioNTech/@pfizer fors meer vaccins leveren. Nederland ontvangt die maand elke week ongeveer een half miljoen doses. Een dikke verdubbeling. En dat zorgt dus opnieuw voor versnelling. #mouwenopstropenpic.twitter.com/0NoYvpWOls
In spite of this good news, it is unclear exactly when these vaccines will be administered. Spokespersons for both, the Ministry of Health and Pfizer, told NU that these new deliveries won’t affect the number of vaccinations administered in the second quarter.
It remains uncertain when exactly in April the Netherlands can expect these vaccines and there is much planning that needs to be done, according to the spokespersons.
Creeping up the leaderboard
When it comes to giving out the first dose of the vaccine, the Netherlands is now fourth place in the EU. This means 1.8 million adults in the Netherlands have already received the first dose of the vaccine.
The country remains slightly behind in terms of the number of adults who are fully vaccinated, but this new influx of Pfizer-BioNtech vaccines could help to raise that ranking.
What do you think of the vaccine timeline? Let us know in the comments!
Decommissioned Minister for Health Hugo De Jonge has said that anyone in the Netherlands who wants a coronavirus vaccine will have received at least their first jab by July.
He claimed this last night on the Dutch TV programme OP1, the NOS reports. When asked about how he thought the Dutch vaccination campaign was going, this was De Jonge’s response.
He believes that if there are no delays in receiving deliveries from pharmaceutical companies, 80-85% of adults in the Netherlands will have received at least one shot of the coronavirus vaccine.
Many will be fully vaccinated
Of this percentage, the minister calculated that two-thirds (approximately 8 million people) should have received two doses of the vaccine by the beginning of July. The remainder (4 million) will have received at least one dose.
Dependant on setbacks
Of course, this is only achievable so long as there aren’t delays along the distributive chain, the minister made sure to emphasise.
However, De Jonge did take a moment to point out that the Netherlands reached its millionth vaccine this month (1.8 million to be exact). All going well, the country will see two million vaccines given by mid-March and the three million vaccines “on the March/April threshold.”
Are you feeling hopeful? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
