Eighth Day in Copenhagen

6/23/11

Today was my last day in Copenhagen. This is truly a great city. From an outsider’s perspective, without knowing the local and national politics, I think that three of the problems the city will have to deal with moving into the future are class and race discrimination and waste.

People from many countries become stranded here without money to get home. Denmark has stopped paying to send them home. They walk the streets and collect aluminum cans and plastic and glass bottles. Each aluminum can is worth 1 KR. To put this into perspective, you could collect 20 cans and have enough money to rent a Copenhagen bike share bike. After finishing a drink people will just drop their bottles because they know that the stranded people will collect them. Often people drop trash on the street that has no value. Nevertheless, I would say that Copenhagen is cleaner than most large American cities. Perhaps there is a good city cleaning crew?

From my visit to the Danish Design Center, I know that they are already piloting good solutions to deal with the issues.  So can design solve the problem of waste? No, but it can help. First products can be designed so that all of the parts are either recycled or biodegradable. Second waste can be reclaimed to make new products. There is a Danish company that is making vacuum cleaners out of plastic waste collected from the sea. I had heard the statistic before, that in one section of the Pacific Ocean there is a collection of plastic waste the size of Texas. The vacuum cleaners are not so much about making a trendy product, but about making a statement. Pollution knows no boundaries. It will take a global effort to make collecting current waste and eliminating future waste a priority.

As far as the issue of race, one of the exhibits showed an ad campaign educating people that Copenhageners come from 126 countries. It encouraged citizens to embrace diversity. It makes me hopeful to see even more integration among the younger generations.

Just when I am starting to learn my way around the city, and around the Ekbrant’s kitchen, it is time for me to go to Amsterdam. Today I took my last run through the city. I made it to Nyhavn, where live jazz music was playing, just in time for my post-warm-up stretch. There were stages set up all over the city in preparation for the Solstice celebration. I tried to find the beach that Eskil had taken me to, but I guess I don’t know the city entirely. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the run along the harbor.

After a shower, stretch and dinner, we went out to enjoy the festivities. Down by the lake was a band and a big bonfire decorated with paper maiche witches. It was an odd sensation to have people all around me singing words I didn’t understand while burning witches. Perhaps akin to hearing the song “I’m proud to be an American” while fireworks are exploding in the sky. Next was another band and fire on a floating pallet down on the canal. People were packed onto floating stages and restaurants, bridges, and walls to observe. “It becomes like a room”, Henrik said. Two Danish men struck up conversation with Henrik and me. One of the men was eager to explain that the Danish immigration laws represent the current government, not the people. I promised him I would share only the best. Even without his prodding I would tell anyone that the Danish are very nice people and Denmark is a wonderful place to visit.

Trendy bike helmets

For my pictures, check out my web album.