Urbanista Lesson # 3: “Green up”...

Here is my simple pocket of green..

original photo by author

In my previous workplaces, I always see to it that I do have a plant at my desk this is to sometimes remove my mind into stressful things at work, or just simply watching him grow everyday makes you feel more alive and mentally healthy. My morning routine at work is usually after waiting to turn on my computer, that’s the time I can have that extra few minutes to water him and clean my desk with all the dusts as an asthmatic.

Why to we need plants indoors? Well, aside from being mentally healthy, the plant itself can clean and help us for better indoor air quality that’s why I usually put it in my bathroom to remove unwanted odors. Every morning while brushing my teeth, that’s the only time I can get to stare at his small little leaves growing one branch after the other. While doing my night time mantra routines, he also gets to help me clear my mind with all the worries and happy and not so happy thoughts within that day. Just the thought that he is there growing through my everyday care helps me increase my needed energy throughout the day,months and who knows years to come.

In 20th century, a lot of mindset has changed. Especially the year of the Millenials ( people who are born 1980’s to 1990’s) where us, younger adults are more interested in living and working in diverse and active urban area. It’s not about the development of roads and building huge buildings one after the other, it’s about how to push ourselves to being “diverse” and being “active”. Last generation was to have that instant goal of having a family after graduation,having that stable job to sustain one’s family is just enough to live paycheck after paycheck but the essence of “living” your happy life is just secondary. The mindset has changed to the “essence” and to the “fulfillment” of life…

Since a lot of development needs to torn down to adapt to 20th century living, it is indeed for the overall good cause. In year 2008-2013, the Air Quality comprising 38 European countries including Barcelona dropped on it’s NO2 which majority of its pollutants emitted directly from diesel vehicles. For this reason, the Strategic Plan for Improving Air Quality 2015-2018 was developed and one of the major project was the “Tearing down the roundabout” in Les Glories. Ten candidates for the design competition was invited to plan for the central green open space as the replacement of the roundabout.

The design contest needs to define the “Triangle of Opportunity” that defines the configuration of the proposed urban space in de les Glories Catalanes. “The Canopia Urbana project transcends the dichotomy between park and square and created a Glories Space with a personality of its own that is unprecedented in the city.”- Plans and Projects for Barcelona 2011-2015 by Guallart, Barcena, and Gratacos. Since it is located in the 3-major arteries of the city, Creus Cerda’s design revives the urban place through a square-shaped square that aims an authentic place for activities and interaction for the residents and at the same time present as a tourist-spot for the visitors. This high-density activity centre, in a shape of a star will be used merely for the purpose of “social interaction” and at the same time “leisure” for the city of Barcelona.

This year of 2018, they did succeed as shown on the annual mean value of NO2 emission map below.

Still, this journey never stops here, their everyday monitor (https://air.plumelabs.com/en/month/barcelona) is helpful but we can achieve outstanding results if one has its his or her own contribution.

What if we don’t have that “good” quality of air to breath?...What is it for you?...
But, if only we could care less of ourselves and care more on our environment, maybe that “single pot of green” could save us and the future generations to come...

This is Elsa, encouraging you, yes YOU, to GREEN UP!, and signing off in School of Thoughts!

“If I knew I should die tomorrow, I’d still plant an apple tree today.”- Martin Luther 1483-1546