Sustainability in Germany

Bicycles are the most dominant sustainability theme that I noticed in Germany. They had some wonderful covered parking for bicycles on the GFZ Institute's campus.

 

I saw a number of bike share racks in German cities similar to what I observed in Italy.

  

I also found another bike share program that seemed more economical than the other ones.  This looked more like a low cost version. We investigated a bike share program for Indiana State University and found that the professional ones (like the other bike share pictures I have shown above and in Italy) were very expensive. They cost about $3,000 a bike and because of up-keep and maintenance throughout the year, one school found that they lost money on them over the lifetime of the program.

 

 In the tourist area near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin they also had Pedicabs.

I gather this is not unique to Berlin, but they had a pedi-pub with about eight peddlers and drinkers with a keg in the middle. Apparently you have to have a sober driver. Since this time, I have seen these in other places and have heard they have them in the US. Not a bad way to spend some time at the bar while getting exercise.

 

 This is a close-up of the pedi-pub. The keg goes in the middle.

Recycling drop-off points were evident as well.  This was similar to what I observed in Italy and Switzerland.

These modular structures were an interesting construction design.  I believe that these are the temporary construction offices for the work going on in this area of Berlin. The structures are individual modules that can be stacked and it looked like they were also wired together for power. With an outside stair, occupants could get to each level and have compact and mobile housing or office space.