Having been up for most of the Spring, it provided a beautiful blanket of delicate white flowers, since the first bulbs were waking up, and the snow was still melting.

This year, particularly after this long and hard winter, I appreciated the Daisy’s presence even more, as the trees were barely catching up with their start of the year.

Linked to the Spring Equinox, daisies signal that brighter days are coming. An old proverb says that ‘it is not spring until you can plant your foot upon twelve daisies’, though different regions have a lower threshold of nine. Whilst it’s a simple and common flower, it’s forever present in poetry, art, literature, folklore and history.1

Standing as proof for its appreciation, its Latin name, ‘Bellis Perennis’, could be translated to forever beauty, as ‘Bellis’ stands for beauty, and ‘Perennis’ translates to living forever. Deservingly so.

In English, the name ‘daisy’ is believed to come from ‘day’s eye’, or the ‘eye of the day’, since the flowers open according to daylight. They stay closed during the night, and when first ray of sunshine touches them, they open to fully embrace the new day.

Throughout history, the daisy played many roles, including a medicinal plant. John Gerard, author of one of the first English herbals, wrote, “The leaves stamped take away bruises and swellings… whereupon it was called in old time Bruisewort. The juice of leaves and rootes snift up into the nostrils purgeth the head mightilie, and helpeth the Megrim.”

Even today, in some parts of the British countryside, it’s referred to as ‘the gardener’s friend’, as farmers are rubbing it on their lower back to soothe their pain.

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Although I was aware of some of the folklore surrounding the daisy, I was pleased to discover much more meanings behind this beloved wildflower that seems to have been woven into folklore forever.

In Norse mythology, daisies are sacred to Freya, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. Because of this association, daisies became a traditional gift for new mothers, representing birth, new beginnings, and maternal love. Their connection to Freya also made them a symbol of romantic devotion and loyalty.

The Daisy is also a warrior’s plant, despite its size. It was given to soldiers as a good luck charm, for the protection of Freya in her fighting form. Its protection extends especially to warriors who are women, as these come under Freya’s dominion rather than Odin’s.2

In Roman times, it was primarily known as the symbol of childhood innocence. This charming wildflower is said to originate from a Dryad, who presided over woodlands, meadows, and pastures. It is said that daisies are linked to the story of Bellis, a graceful nymph who captured the attention of Vertumnus, the god of orchards and seasons. As she danced in the fields, Vertumnus became enamoured with her, but she did not return his affections. To escape his pursuit, she pleaded with the gods, who transformed her into a daisy.3

Described by William Wordsworth as ‘bright flowers whose home is everywhere’, the daisies are an important early source of nectar, as they keep flowering from early spring and well into its end, and they’re being witness to the dawn chorus every day.

Their connection with humanity grows deeper still. For centuries, children have been using them to make daisy chains, that would protect them from being abducted by fairies. Another popular game that the daisy has been used for is the ‘loves me, loves me not’ - where you’d pluck the petals one by one.

For the parks that choose to honour it, it provides a beautiful, low maintenance splash of colour in the vast green, and a great way to help wildlife.4

Whether seen as the modest bloom of a transformed nymph, a symbol of a mother’s love, or a whisper of the fairy world, daisies have enchanted our hearts for centuries. They remind us of purity, endurance, and the gentle magic found in nature.

I believe it is such a special little flower, and judging by its many different names, humanity adorned it for millennia.

Do you have a favourite legend about daisies? I’d love to hear from you.

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Take a stroll through the city. Where do you feel better?

I, for one, feel an absolute joy whenever I see fences or houses covered in climbers. Hidden behind trees. When I see nature taking over man made structures. When I see a symbiotic relationship between our space and the natural world.

Because it’s not one or the other. In our cities, it should be both. Intertwined.

And I’m certain this is what most of us feel.

Making our cities wilder does not only mean inviting nature in for her sake only - but for ours, too. And the easiest and closest space that we can use for this purpose is exactly our doorstep.

I have spent a few weeks in The Netherlands, and even though the country has only a few truly wild places left, the cities are making space for her at every step. On facades. Between buildings. On the corner of streets. On bicycle parking covers. On public transport stations.

Walking on a street like this makes me feel safe. Hugged. It’s incredible how much positive mental impact it can have.

And creating something like this isn’t only the decision of the government or local municipality, nor is everything maintained by them. The people who want to use the potential space in front of their building for plants can do so by removing tiles and putting down climbers, flowers, shrubs or trees. And the municipality not only enables it, but it also supports it. And the results speak for themselves.

It’s what I’d call a blueprint for community stewardship. Taking matters into our own hands.

If you think about, it’s akin to gardening. But not for yourself only, but for the benefit of others, too. Including nature.

The same way rainforests are a thriving ecosystem, so can our own cities be. Imagine the corridors we’d build for wildlife if more of us would be doing this.

And whilst parks can be amazing, we are unfortunately running out of space. And we still need to expand our cities, as population grows and the housing crisis is an ever present issue.

There are so many places where people have no access to nature. Think tanks such as Create Streets or the Lab of Thought are great at researching these topics, making it easier for people to take action. A request for your municipality will weigh more when backed by science.

The benefits for this are enormous, even if we were to think only of ourselves. Better mental health. Better air quality. Reduced temperatures during the summer, and therefore lower electricity bills. Less noise.

It’s not high tech solutions that will make cities more liveable. Nor better for biodiversity. But simple, community driven actions.

The growing interest for countryside living and for hiking during the weekend proves that we are longing for this connection. But both options are difficult and expensive.

The great outdoors is not some place to escape to, but a place to live within.

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References:

1. Analysis finds urban areas in England where no one lives within 15-minute walk of nature

2. Give britons the right to plant

3. Nature in Amsterdam

4. Kowarik, I., Fischer, L.K., Haase, D. et al. Promoting urban biodiversity for the benefit of people and nature. Nat. Rev. Biodivers. 1, 214–232 (2025)

5. Remove your tiles

Perching on the side of a roof, next to Saint Paul’s Cathedral, is probably one of the last places where you would expect to see the world’s fastest bird. Yet cities like London, Oxford or Manchester have been home to peregrine falcons for years.

With abundant food sources and shelter, some wildlife has found living with us quite beneficial, even though we have reduced their natural environments, and made it more difficult for them.

For millennia, our existence has been interlinked with nature. Although industrialisation and constant technology growth is trying to push this concept away, we cannot, and should not, deny this.

Down from our waterways, and up to the roofs of our buildings, from huge cities to the small towns of the countryside, nature has adapted in such way that has also enabled new connections with us. It is absolutely incredible to look at the animals that choose to live in cities, and how they have managed to adjust to our man made environments.

If we take some time to pay attention, we’d be surprised by the number of species that we have around us. In this story, however, we will focus on birds only.

Residents

As winter comes and food gets scarcer, most birds choose to migrate, taking a break from our cold weather for a few months. Yet, even though the conditions are harder, some still remain.

Ever present around us and seldom appreciated, the birds that choose to live with us have adapted to take advantage of higher temperatures, more food, shelter - protecting them from both cold and predators, as their natural environments are diminishing due to our continuous expansion.

I think the most emblematic bird that can be found in any city or town is the pigeon.

Having adapted to use our buildings as cliffs, and feed from our food waste, they feel just as home in urban settings as they would in the wild.

They have become so accustomed to our presence, that we barely bother them anymore. So often are they on the ground, and wouldn’t even move as people try to get through. It always amuses me to see that.

They are nesting close to us, and if you have ever lived on the last floor in a city, you’d be most aware of their calls, particularly when nesting.

Furthermore, pigeons serve important ecological functions. They help control insect populations, and serve as prey for urban raptors like peregrine falcons. Their presence actually indicates a healthy urban ecosystem capable of supporting diverse wildlife.

Even though the environment is not natural - the relationship of these two species has continued to exist, and, in some places, thrive.

Ecologists confirm that the reason the peregrine falcon is doing so well is thanks to the pigeon. A total of almost 2000 breeding pairs were estimated across the UK by the British Trust for Ornithology. Even more impressive, the survey found that peregrine falcons were faring much better in urban and coastal situations than in the hills, thanks to the food abundance, which in this case is the pigeon.

Although we might not see too much of a similarity between a cliff and a building, the peregrine falcons are oblivious to the intended human purposes of the latter. There are even wildlife cams available for different nesting sites in different cities.

Pigeons and peregrines have evolved alongside each other, and it’s absolutely amazing to see their relationship continue in our man made cities.

Much smaller in size, but a noisy and gregarious bird, the house sparrow is a regular in towns and gardens, taking advantage of our scraps and crumbs. The house sparrow is so successful that it has managed to colonise most of the world.

In urban areas, house sparrows can often be seen opportunistically feeding on scraps and rubbish, as well as visiting bird tables and feeders. In rural areas, flocks feed on fields of grain, using their chunky beaks to crack open seeds.

Sometimes, they’re seen sharing their lunch (or rather, fighting for it) with tits, particularly great or blue tits. Not only is their song beneficial for our mental health, but they’re also important in controlling insects populations - providing us a great service, especially during summer. Instead of using insecticides around our garden, we should try to attract more birds.

The robin, voted Britain’s national bird, is a symbol of winter. While in nature they’d follow larger mammals such as boars, and collect the worms left behind whilst they’d dig for food, they adapted to our environment, doing the same with gardeners - even earning the nickname of “the gardener’s friend.”

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If your city is blessed with a water body, be it a lake, a pond, a river or even channels, you’ll most likely get to see ducks, geese and swans. One such place is Milton Keynes, which is home to more swans than most towns in the UK.

These graceful birds are an indicator of healthy water ecosystems. Their presence on lakes, canals, and rivers shows that these habitats can support larger species and, in turn, many other forms of wildlife. They also hold a special place in various cultures, often symbolising beauty, grace, and love and they appear in European folklore and heraldry.

Visitors

Despite their journeys being full of danger, billions of migratory birds make their pilgrimage across the globe twice a year. Helping to disperse seeds, provide natural pest control, pollinate and transport nutrients – the arrival of these birds is often celebrated. The swallow, for example, is widely considered a sign of renewal and hope. In some parts of the world, having a swallow nest in your house is considered good luck.

Although our urban environments have increased some of the threats to these birds, by introducing pollution, power lines, shiny glass buildings and bright lights to their already perilous journeys - urban areas also provide numerous nesting opportunities. House martins, swallows and swifts seek cavities, eaves or holes in buildings – plenty of which can be found in urban environments.

One of my favourite summer visitors to our garden are the swallows. I have noticed an increase in these spectacular acrobats over the recent years – and am grateful that they have chosen to build nests in our open garage. It’s worth parking our car on the driveway for a few months of the year, to witness these impressive birds swooping into their nests at speed to feed their hungry young. Last year I was lucky enough to witness the birds leaving the nest.

We suffer from an abundance of mosquitoes and other biting insects here in the summer, and I’ve noticed a decrease in bites since the swallows have decided to breed here. This is one great reason to put up a swallow, swift or house martin box on your property to help support these amazing birds.

Swallows prefer a horizontal beam or ledge tucked away within an outhouse or barn – with a clear flight path in and out. Therefore, they tend to be more likely to breed in open pasture or under bridges. House martins on the other hand build closed cup nests high under eaves and are much more likely to choose an urban location. As they are on the UK Conservation Red List, now could be a perfect time to consider putting up a purpose-built nest box on your house. Who knows? It might even bring you a little good fortune.

If you have space in your garden – try creating a mud patch which you keep watered. This will provide nest builders with material. Swallows and house martins are clever little architects, making their nests from mud and straw. If you are lucky enough to have them nest near you, you can enjoy watching their aerial acrobatics as they catch insects on the wing and don’t even stop to take a drink, simply skimming the surface of the water to take a drink as they pass.

It wouldn’t be spring in our garden without the distinctive call of the chiffchaff – named so for its song. These birds are often one of the first migrant birds to start singing in the spring, often from the end of February.

Chiffchaffs are sweet little birds that can often be seen taking advantage of spiders’ webs in the corner of windows - which provide a concentrated source of their preferred food - insects and spiders.

It may sometimes seem that we are more disconnected from nature, thanks to the digital age we inhabit. This is why I found it incredibly heartwarming to come across this beautiful story from the Yorkshire Post, describing how three school pupils rescued a trio of young chiffchaffs and nursed them back to life. The girls spent nine days hand rearing the birds, feeding them every half hour and even trained them how to perch by setting up branches in their bathtub. It fills me with hope to know that there are others out there who are willing to give so much care to our birds.

Migratory birds are also increasingly relying on trees in our urban spaces. They use them as ‘pit stops’ to rest and refuel along their migration routes. In the UK for example, bramblings, redwings, chiffchaffs and wagtails have been seen in places such as supermarket car parks and residential gardens where trees are planted.

Redwings and fieldfares that arrive in Northern European cities during the autumn like to feed on urban berries, from trees such as rowan and hawthorn or shrubs like pyracantha and cotoneaster.

This shows that even just a few trees and shrubs can be helpful. Parks don’t have to be large to provide benefits. If you have a few hours to spare, why not consider getting involved with a tree planting scheme in your area. In the UK, the organisation Trees for Cities are planting thousands of urban trees each year ‘creating greener, happier and healthier places to live’.

Urban waterways also act as crucial ‘service stations’ along the migratory route for many birds, such as ducks, geese, gulls and swans. Spotted flycatchers can use rivers, canals and wetlands as a productive hunting ground, catching flying insects from overhanging branches. And several warbler species nest in vegetation along canals and riverbanks before migrating to Africa for the winter.

White storks have been part of our folklore for millennia. They have been seen as a symbol of hope and new life, and in European folklore they are thought to be the ones delivering newborns. In some places, it is considered a sin to break a nest - and a blessing to have one near you.

Especially in the countryside, they love nesting between people: or tall cement poles, on rooftops or chimneys. They especially like hunting frogs or snakes in the open field, and can be seen in groups especially when the farmers start plowing the fields.

Later edit: it appears that white storks are coming back to London!

Helping

The more aware we are of the wonderful birds that we share our towns and cities with, the more likely we are to take steps to support them. From planting more trees, choosing native shrubs and flowers for your garden and avoiding the use of pesticides and chemicals – every single one of us can do our part.

Here are a few things you can do to support birds in your area:

Plant native species in your garden and remove invasive plants that can poison birds and/or compete with native plants.

Try growing wildflowers – even if you only have a patio or balcony – consider planting native wildflower seeds in pots. They look pretty and help to provide food for the birds.

Dim lights at night. Consider lights with motion sensors rather than leaving on lights permanently.

Make windows visible. Try dulling the reflection on glass and place objects on windows to help avoid airstrikes.

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Avoid using pesticides and chemicals. This will help to increase the number of insects that birds depend on for their survival.

Try to reduce plastic waste. Plastic can kill birds through ingestion and strangulation. Consider reuseable shopping bags, avoid single-use plastics, and try purchasing non-plastic toys and decorations.

Put up nest boxes. Be sure to follow guidelines as to where to locate them to improve your chance of success.

If you have a barn or outbuilding, you could leave the door or half door open for the summer – allowing birds to fly in and make a nest site.

If you have a lawn, consider not cutting the entire lawn and leaving patches to grow over the spring and summer.

Get involved with tree planting projects – creating new areas of woodland and food sources – or consider supporting other conservation projects or charities in your area.

Even though they can live perfectly fine alongside us, their numbers, overall, are dwindling. If you’re in Britain and would like to help, you can provide vital monitoring through: Breeding Bird Survey, Garden BirdWatch and Garden Bird Feeding Survey.

Surely, we should strive to make our cities more inviting for nature. Not only will this bring more wildlife, but it will also improve our health.

Research has shown that residents of neighbourhoods with a high abundance of birds suffer less from depression and stress. A recent post by breaks down some of the research showing how living in greener areas leads to a lower risk of depression.

What better reason to plant more trees?

Conclusion

As all these myths and folk stories are proving, birds have always played an important role for humanity, through traditions and beliefs. They have provided inspiration for a lot of our technologies, that we take for granted everyday.

We need to continue to recognise that we are part of nature, and not apart from it.

As Sir David Attenborough has so eloquently put it, “viewing ourselves as somehow separate from nature is a sure way to set ourselves up to fail.”

Let’s embrace it, nurture it, and be the stewards that we ought to be.

Resources:

[1] How to watch city birds

[2] Ways to help birds in towns and cities

[3] Peregrine falcons and their city success

[4] Urban trees and migratory birds

[5] Swans in Milton Keynes

[6] White storks in Knepp

[7] Urban wildlife

And it made me look around at so many attempts of ours to tame the wild to our liking, to have as much as possible in our command, instead of enjoying it as it is. Today we will only focus on what is closer to us, and that is our cities that we live in.

We are struggling so much to make everything neat and completely sterile, yet we yearn for nature and we try to replace it in our homes with caged birds, artificial flowers and plants. We pave every inch of our gardens and streets, yet we save up so that we could have a weekend in nature now and then.

The solution is quite simple, and it involves leaving space for nature. We will talk about rewilding at larger scale in a future essay, but for now, let us have a look at our doorstep.

Green space in a city doesn't have to be isolated in parks and on the outskirts, but it should become an integral part of every street.

And in order to rewild as much as our world back, we need to make the most of every space we have. Nature doesn't only exist out there, far away from our cement surroundings, but it can and should be here, with us, in our cities.

Benefits

As climate change is causing fiercer heatwaves, trees will be absolutely necessary to reduce the heat island effect and make our lives more comfortable.

The current heatwave affecting Europe (Summer 2025) is just a drop of what’s to come in the following years.

Green spaces make cities more liveable and we can physically feel their impact. Trees and shrubs help cool down a city on a hot day, sometimes with more than 8 degrees Celsius difference.

Nature sounds and time spent in nature is incredibly helpful for our mental health, too, as confirmed by different studies. So why escape our cities with every occasion or imagine our life in a completely isolated cabin in the woods, when we can invite nature on our balconies, our streets and our gardens?

The health benefits of spending time in nature are well documented. Being in nature and building a deep connection with the natural world around us, often referred to as rewilding ourselves, can boost both our mental and physical health. Green, biodiverse spaces are great places for rest, recreation and mental reset.

Trees will also help the wildlife, including the migratory species that need a place to nest, rest or take cover. Swifts and sparrows, that are red listed in some countries, take advantage of the cover of the trees in their feeding grounds. Why not care for them, too?

Our climate is changing, and our green spaces become ever more important. We need green spaces to reduce temperatures in cities and limit the risk and impact of flooding. Places that are home to a diversity of plant and animal species are also more resilient to stresses such as drought and pollution.

Local action

If you live in a city or town, you and the communities around you can play a central role when thinking about rewilding the urban environment. After all, it's people who will visit, notice, use, manage and feel the benefits of the nature around them.

Recently, together with some neighbours, we decided to turn an abandoned corner into a little haven for everyone. Prior to it, people would just pile rubbish with no remorse, rarely clean after their dogs, and occasionally even park their car there, illegally.

We’ve planted some trees, shrubs and flowers. We arranged some borders to have it stand out, and we installed some bird feeders. Ever since we started, we’ve had loads of people passing by getting interested in our project. We even had people coming with bird feed for our station, so it definitely serves as an inspiration for others, too!

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Let’s get green

In this increasingly urbanised world - which isn't to say it's a bad thing - more and more people grow up never seeing a wild animal, except for probably the occasional rat or pigeon.

We need to leave space for nature to be nature, but we also need to invite it in our lives, too. Conservation shouldn't only be looked at just as building national parks, as we're risking creating these environment bubbles that can no longer exist without intervention. We should treat the system as a whole.

Living in a city is often viewed as the antithesis of embracing nature, but it doesn't have to be.

Nowadays, especially, it feels like we're struggling so much to go for shiny, high tech and complicated solutions, when we are completely ignoring what's easier.

I've seen projects struggling to plant trees on the facades of high rise buildings, and while it may be a viable solution in some cases, we should really focus on what's already there: plenty of misused space at the ground level, with not enough trees, flowers, shrubs or water.

One parking space can mean around twelve square meters of greenery - be it in a container or not. Let’s use that space better.

Recently, we saw Breda taking the title of a new National Park City, the first in the Netherlands, and the second in Europe after London.

Paris has done incredible progress in restoring the city - even making the river Seine clean enough to swim in.

There are many more positive examples for wilder cities, too:

Conclusion

When we live alongside nature, we end up happier and healthier. We get to help the wildlife. We might even end up rewilding ourselves.

Let us be the generation that plants more trees than we cut down.

References:

[1] Creating healthy corridors: https://projects.research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/en/projects/success-stories/all/co-creating-healthy-corridors-europes-biggest-cities

[2] Urban biodiversity: https://biologyinsights.com/what-is-urban-biodiversity-and-why-is-it-important/

[3] Why should we rewild? https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/why-we-should-rewild.html

[4] About rewilding: https://www.monbiot.com/2025/05/12/pasturised/

[5] Cities with nature: https://citieswithnature.org/bringing-nature-back-into-urban-life-for-healthier-happier-communities/

[6] Urban trees and migratory birds: https://www.treesforcities.org/resources/how-urban-trees-can-help-migratory-birds

[7] Fiercer heatwaves: https://www.euronews.com/green/2025/01/27/climate-change-could-cause-23-million-more-temperature-related-deaths-in-europe-by-2099-st

[8] Urban green spaces: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/why-we-need-green-spaces-in-cities.html

So what’s happening?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, you must be familiar with at least some of the news: the US announced they want to take over Canada and Greenland, they have started a full trade war with most of the world, and they are slashing through human rights like there’s no tomorrow. They started cutting education and science funding, trying to close any possible organisation that deals with a better future.

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Besides that, it seems that they are willing to trade anything for money and for power, including human lives. Not only in their own country, but also on foreign lands, such as Ukraine - not a surprise here, if we’re looking back at all the “freedom” they have delivered in the past. These guys know nothing but fear mongering and money. Their power only lies in people giving them what they want: attention.

Since the start of Trump's second term, we have witnessed attacks on democracy and common sense from all directions. We have seen glimpses of fascism attempting to resurface.

These recent events have revealed the true nature of many American people and companies. From tech giants endorsing controversial policies to individuals supporting divisive figures, the US has shown itself to be an unreliable ally.

The Awakening of Europe

The circus that has been going on has finally woken us up, and leaders have also started working on moving away from this US dependency.

The industrialised world’s most broken nation shouldn’t have any influence on anyone. For decades, we have been inundated with American culture—films, music, and consumer goods. This has created a status quo that is challenging to break. Or so they want us to believe. However, the tide is finally turning.

Rammstein even made a song about all this, years ago, mocking our American dependency and altered views. Their music has often been a critique of societal issues, and this one is spot on.

Communities are forming all around to boycott US products and companies, a movement that is gaining traction on social media and beyond.

The Power of People

One effective way to counter these influences is by leveraging economic power. The US frequently boasts about its economic superiority, largely due to its inflated GDP and stock market. However, this facade is crumbling as protests erupt across Europe, signaling a growing awareness and resistance.

The boycott movement aims to divest money from the US and reinvest it in Europe, reducing our dependency on American goods. This shift is not just about economic independence but also about rediscovering the quality and durability of European products. Many are surprised to find that their daily products and applications are predominantly owned by US companies.

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The Results So Far

So does the boycott work? Generally, yes. We can see the stocks dropping. We also see a lot of volunteers emerging with better alternatives, now that we’re willing to look elsewhere.

But, first and foremost, it’s important that this works for us.

We shouldn’t be giving our data to big giants, and we should be taking better care of ourselves online - and also offline. With better, higher quality products that enable us to consume less, but better.

We should embrace our local cultures - and we have plenty of different ones here in Europe.

Practical Steps

So what should we choose?

I’ve been having this discussion quite often lately, and there are generally some easy-to-implement changes that we can make, to move away from American dependency. And it can start with something that all of us use: digital services.

After years of working in the technology sector, I can only give you one advice: try to avoid big tech as much as you can.

Ditching Windows can be incredibly simple, and it depends mostly on what you’re using your PC for. There are plenty of Linux distributions that you can choose from.

Out of the most used applications, even suites like the Microsoft Office can be easily replaced with the open-source and free alternatives such as Libre Office (Germany).

Gmail, Hotmail or Yahoo, all known to harvest personal data like there’s no tomorrow (thank you Edward Snowden for revealing this), can be replaced by a more private alternative: ProtonMail (Switzerland) or Tutamail (Germany).

Let’s ditch the “Google it” when searching for something online. Try Ecosia, from Germany, that also plants trees for your searches. Alternatively, give Qwant (France) a go.

Try DeepL (Germany) instead of Google translate.

Replace Google Chrome with Firefox (don’t forget to install uBlock) or Mullvad Browser (Sweden).

If you don’t want to ditch social media altogether, give Mastodon (Germany) a try, instead of Twitter. Try Lemmy (Germany), instead of Reddit. Give pixelfed a shot, to replace Instagram.

It’s ironic that I’m preaching this on Substack, another American platform. But the website will be moved on Ghost, an open-source alternative, in the near future.

Furthermore, avoid American fast-food chains - they’re usually bad or your health anyway - and support local businesses, or better yet, learn how to cook.

Be mindful of where your money is invested. Avoid banks that fund harmful industries.

This is a huge topic, and it’s worth looking into it specifically because most banks use our money to fund fossil fuel extractions, deforesting, and other damaging enterprises. Although I am not a fan of investing and the whole concept behind it, I had automatic savings that were going to Mutual Funds via ING. I sold them all recently, and I am not the only one doing this.

Lastly, for physical items, we need to analyse our relationship with consumerism. We shouldn’t just throw everything that we own now and replace it with alternatives, but we should ask ourselves whether we really need each item. Use it as long as possible. Repair it. Only if you really need to replace a product, then do look at products manufactured elsewhere, and do look out to some certain degree of ethics. H&M or Zara may be European, but they’re one of the most distructive companies, and the poster brands of fast fashion. Do look at higher quality alternatives, and take care of them.

As a European myself, BuyFromEU was a great way to find a like minded community. As mentioned, I’ve been doing this for years - it initially started for privacy reasons. But bit by bit, when I needed to replace something, I chose an alternative that was not putting money in the tech giants’ pockets or any industry that’s harming our planet.

Check out my previous entry on consumerism here:

The Future

This movement is not just about the present but also about securing a better future. Open-source solutions and ethical consumerism are the way forward. We must take advantage of this raised awareness to stop mindless consumption and protect our planet for future generations.

Conclusion

The recognition of European products and the boycott of American goods are part of a larger shift towards ethical consumerism and independence. This is not just about the US but about any entity that works against our planet. We must be more mindful and intentional in our purchases.

Let's embrace this awareness and make conscious choices that benefit our communities and the environment.

And remember: it’s a marathon, not a race. It’s not about “sticking it” to the US, it’s about freeing ourselves from the tentacles of consumerism, social media and imperialism. But throughout the years, I realised that perfect is the enemy of good.

Our Planet and our future generations will thank us.

If you’re interested in joining the community:

The subreddit BuyFromEU - we are looking at open-source European alternatives such as Lemmy, and Mastodon, too.

The GoEuropean website, built 100% by volunteers from the community.

I’m really curious what you think about this. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Yet, since yesterday, a pristine white blanket has covered the world, as if nature itself needed a reminder of how winter should trully be. The first proper snow in years began as a delicate whisper, but quickly transformed into a beautiful, relentless storm.

Each flake, caught in the wind, is swirling and twirling, filling every nook and cranny with its embrace. Part of the lake lies frozen, and the ducks, once lively and vibrant, now float aimlessly, muffled by the cold.

The storm has paused time, transforming the familiar into a canvas of white uniformity. The world outside my window is now a monochrome masterpiece, where every contour is softened, and every sound is muted, as if the earth itself is holding its breath.

Yet, defiantly clinging to their branches, the red berries stand proud against the snow’s embrace, offering shelter and food to the birds that still dare to roam. They are a testament to resilience, a reminder that life finds a way, even in the coldest of seasons.

As I wander through this landscape, I am struck by a profound sense of loss.

The climate crisis has rendered such winters increasingly rare, and with each flake that falls, I feel the weight of what we stand to lose. As the storm rages on, I embrace this moment as a reminder to cherish the beauty around us, before it slips away beneath the weight of change.

Until next time,

Leonard

Escaping to the wilderness is a dream for many, but few can simply abandon their daily lives for the solace of the mountains or the whisper of the sea. Yet, nature does not exist solely in grand landscapes or untouched forests. It can live in the cracks of a pavement, in the delicate arch of a tree outside your window, in the flutter of a bird visiting your balcony.

This is where urban rewilding comes in—a movement that seeks to restore natural processes within cities, offering sanctuary not just to wildlife, but to the human spirit.

The Green Veins of a City

Cities are not barren wastelands; they are full of hidden opportunities for life to thrive. Parks, biocorridors, and green belts act as the green veins of urban landscapes, stitching nature back into our daily existence.

Parks: The Last Wild Refuges
Too often overlooked, parks are among the last havens for wildlife in the heart of cities. They offer a space where people and nature can coexist, where a moment of stillness beneath a canopy of leaves can ground us in a way nothing else can.

From Vondelpark in Amsterdam, to Central Park in New York, Richmond in London to Herastrau in Bucharest, these green lungs are essential for urban life.

Biocorridors: Highways for the Wild
Already embraced by forward-thinking cities, biocorridors provide safe passage for wildlife while enhancing air and water quality. They connect parks, forests, and rivers, allowing nature to weave its way back into urban environments.

Take Curridabat, Costa Rica, now known as "Ciudad Dulce"—Sweet City—where bees, plants, and trees have been granted symbolic citizenship, an acknowledgment of their invaluable role in the ecosystem.

Green Belts: Breathing Room for Cities
As urban sprawl accelerates, green belts serve as crucial barriers against unchecked expansion, offering protection to both nature and human well-being.

Bucharest’s long-fought campaign for a green belt has finally borne fruit, proving that persistence can lead to transformation. London, too, has long embraced this idea with its iconic Green Belt, a buffer against the encroachment of concrete.

Cities That Lead by Example

Across the world, cities are redefining what urban life can be.

Singapore: A City in a Garden
Singapore is a marvel of urban rewilding, seamlessly integrating nature into its dense metropolis. From green walls and rooftops to towering Supertrees that filter rainwater and generate solar power, it is a beacon of what is possible when nature is embraced rather than excluded.

Dublin: A Pollinator’s Paradise
By reducing mowing and pesticide use, Dublin has transformed 80% of its green spaces into pollinator-friendly zones, proving that sometimes, less intervention yields more life.

Reclaimed Wildness: From Railways to Wetlands
Frankfurt’s abandoned lots bloom into wildflower meadows, New York’s High Line—a former railway—has become a thriving urban park, and Nottingham’s forgotten shopping center is now a wetland teeming with life.

In Harbin, China, an urban stormwater park not only prevents flooding but serves as a vibrant sanctuary for both wildlife and people. And in Liuzhou, the world’s first forest city is taking shape, a vision where buildings are draped in greenery, harmonizing urban infrastructure with ecological resilience.

The London National City Park

London became the world’s first National Park City in July 2019, with the aim of creating a city where people, places and nature are better connected. The city hosts 8.4 million trees, having a cover of almost 50% of green and blue spaces. Incredible wild parks such as Richmond Park, or rewilding projects such as the reintroduction of beavers in Greenford, Ealing are a testatement to how a city as busy and big as London can also find place for nature.

Why Rewild Our Cities?

Beyond aesthetics, rewilding is a necessity. As climate change intensifies, green spaces serve as buffers against its worst effects.

• Cooling the Concrete Jungle
  Cities suffer from the ‘urban heat island’ effect, where trapped heat turns neighborhoods into sweltering ovens. Green rooftops, parks, and trees provide shade, cool the air through evapotranspiration, and filter pollutants from rainwater.

• A Sanctuary for the Mind
  Studies show that even a glimpse of green space can reduce stress, improve memory, and alleviate anxiety and depression. In an era of rising eco-anxiety, access to nature is not just a luxury—it is a fundamental need.

• Healthier Bodies, Stronger Communities
  Nature encourages movement, social interaction, and lowers risks of illnesses like high blood pressure and respiratory diseases. It also eases the burden on healthcare systems by fostering overall well-being.

What Can We Do?

Urban rewilding does not require grand gestures—it starts with small, intentional actions:

• Install bird feeders, insect hotels, and frog houses to welcome urban wildlife.

• Let wildflowers grow in your garden or balcony—pollinators will thank you.

• Advocate for your city to plant more trees and reduce pesticide use.

• Support initiatives that turn empty lots or parking lots into community gardens or mini-forests.

• Engage in guerrilla gardening, reclaiming forgotten corners of the city with plants and flowers.

Every tree planted, every park protected, every space reclaimed for nature is a step toward a more livable, breathable, and wilder city.

A Wilder, Healthier, Happier Future

As David Attenborough’s documentary The Year Earth Changed so vividly illustrated a few years ago, when given the chance, nature rebounds - even in cities.

Urban rewilding is an invitation—to rethink our cities, to mend our relationship with the wild, to shape places where both humans and nature can flourish. It is a movement both daunting and deeply hopeful, a call to action in an era that desperately needs it.

Access to nature should be a human right. The cities of the future should be greener, more resilient, and designed with life—human and non-human alike—at their core. Cities should dream of becoming a place where a child can walk to school under a canopy of trees, and where an animal finds a home amidst the urban expanse.

A city with more green and fewer cars. A city where wildness is not a thing of the past, but the pulse of the present.

That is the city we should all strive to create.

Sources & further reading 🔍

[1] - Curridabat, now known as as “Ciudad Dulce” – Sweet City – gave citizenship to bees, plants and trees.

[2] - Rewiding cities

[3] - Urban rewilding

[4] - National Park City Foundation

[5] - Oxford University

[6] - Zoological Society London

[7] - The Ealing Beaver Project

[8] - Thomas Winward’s blog, Urban Nature Diary, is a great place for urban nature inspiration.

It wasn’t the kind of day that I’d go for a ride - but I wanted to explore it.

As I was coming back, wet and muddy, just as I passed the edge of a forest, something pulled at me. An eerie feeling. A muted, foggy forest. So I decided to follow the muddy trail, slowly, listening to the silence and the occasional woodpecker, working hard in the high crowns of the trees.

I got off my bike and I walked beside it, looking closely for signs of life.

The snowdrops were brave enough to sprout between the fallen leaves. The forest it getting ready for the impending spring.

Until next time,

Leonard

There’s a quiet magic in using public transport—a moving theater of humanity. On trams, buses, and trains, we step inside as strangers, yet for a fleeting moment, our lives intertwine. We glimpse each other’s lives: a student lost in their notes, a parent soothing a restless child, a tired worker gazing at the passing scenery. For most, the journey is simply a necessity of daily life, but public transport can be a means of discovery—not just of where we live and its surroundings but of the people we share it with.

Even though working from home has limited the trips that I'm making now, taking public transport is first and foremost a lovely day out, whenever needed. Although I’d love using my bicycle, living out in the suburbs limits my choices - and I'm feeling lucky enough we at least have a bus here - which most of the suburbs do not.

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Exploring

I remember when I first moved in Constanta, which was the biggest town next to where I born: I was able to use my student pass to travel across the city in all the buses, getting to know it, and explore it, which I could have never done by foot. With a little sadness, I remember the old tram lines that I used to ride when I was a child - but which were unfortunately pulled out, as in many other cities.

Later on in life, when I moved to Bucharest, I decided to do the same: hop on the longer bus or tram routes, and get to know the city.

Although I always loved the subway train - and the idea of getting in the underground in one point of the city, and coming out the other way feels magical - I'd sometimes rather have the chance of seeing the city, than the dark tunnels. Even more so if we’re talking about train rides out of the city:

I enjoy the public transport not just as a way to explore but for the pleasure of the experience. That’s often not the case for commuters, for whom the frequent diversions and stop-start progress can be infuriating, but when you have nowhere to be, there is an almost therapeutic quality in ceding all responsibility to the driver and seeing where you end up.

Sometimes it’s the passengers themselves that lend public transport its sense of spontaneity. Although I'm not the type to seek out a conversation with a stranger - I usually have my headphones on - one of the pleasures of using public transport is that it's impossible to shut people off completely. For better or for worse. And seeing life happen around you.

I discovered so many places that I never would have known about had I not passed them on the bus, tram or train.

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Social bonding

It also speaks to the importance of public transport as a social lifeline: a space to travel together. I remember taking the "maxi taxi" bus, which was a much smaller bus that was passing the building I was living in, and I was taking it daily at least a couple of times. I knew all the drivers, and they knew me, too. It was stopping anywhere you wanted, not only in stations, and they already knew my usual stops: home, work, uni, downtown.

Controversy

Unlike cars, which isolate us in bubbles of steel and glass, public transport draws us together. It’s a shared space, a rhythm that links lives otherwise separate. We may not speak, but we share the journey, the pauses, the small human moments that remind us we are never truly alone.

Perhaps this is the quiet power of public transport: it connects us. Not just across distances, but to one another, in ways that are both fleeting and profound.

I will get into it with a later article, but for now, I just want tot say that "A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars. It's where the rich use public transportation." (Gustavo Petro)

And maybe Paul McCartney can convince you, too:

In conclusion

Public transport is more than just a means of getting from point A to point B. It is a microcosm of the world we inhabit, a space where we are reminded—if only for a moment—that we are all part of something larger. The public transport is something that we inherently share with the world. It's ours, but it’s also everyone else’s.

As our cities grow and change, as we strive to live more intentionally and sustainably, the importance of these shared spaces becomes ever clearer. So, next time you board a bus, a tram, or a train, take a moment to look around—not just at where you’re going, but at the people you’re traveling with. In these fleeting moments, there’s a quiet joy, a profound connection, and perhaps, a glimpse of the ineffable.

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PS: I hope the mighty plans of the EU will create a (better) high speed rail network in Europe. It’s time to ditch that plane.

Prompted by recently reading Meik Wiking’s book, “The art of making memories. How to create and remember happy moments”, I decided to better document my life.

Later in my life, I’ll thank myself for this.

Even now, when looking back through old photos from my childhood, I’m reliving these moments. We also have quite an extensive video archive of celebrations from when I was growing up, and watching them always brings up so many memories.

So how can we better remember?

Probably the most personal thing to do is keeping a journal with your thoughts. It can be as detailed as you want, it doesn’t necessarily have to be full of your secrets, unless, of course, you want to.

Personally, I started with this about a year ago, in a digital format. I’ve had days when I didn’t have the time to reach my laptop, or completely forgot, but it’s still amazing going back to some days from my past and reading the notes.

A journal is a great thing to have even whilst traveling. Whilst the photos can capture the visual information, a journal can contain what you were feeling and thinking. The best part is that writing in your journal can be done at the end of the day when the memory is still fresh, such that it doesn't interfere with the moment.

What should you write about?

How did you feel? What are your plans for the day? What are you grateful for that day? No matter how bored you are, or how uneventful a day may be, try to write at least a few words, until you turn it into a habit. It will soon come to you naturally.

The low hanging fruit. Your phone.

You carry it with you almost constantly, so why not use it for good? You don’t need the latest model, you don’t need a mirrorless camera or a DSLR. I promise, your phone will do just fine. Use it to take photos for yourself, not social media.

And don’t just prioritise highlights. We do not only need to remember the memorable and once in a life time events, but also the mundane things. Going to a park. A movie. Going out for an ice cream. Capture everyday moments, too. Even though the mundane might feel boring right now, in a few decades, these photos will most definitely feel like special moments.

And when you’re on a trip and want to take pics. Take them. Take a bunch of them.

But then, after taking it out of your system, enjoy the moment. Breathe it in.

Create showcases

Make some short videos, only for you, that you can rewatch later. You don’t need to post them on social media, but you can make cute reels for yourself and your gallery.

There’s no limit to this, really.

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Curating your media collection

Now that you have a solid base, it’s time to actually start going through your memories.

Choose a cloud provider, and curate your collection. I’ve been guilty of using five different ones, having photos all over the place, and a lot of duplicates.

Whilst it’s been a pain to migrate all of them on a single account, (I’m looking at you, Google Photos), having them all in a huge album makes it so much easier to get through my photos and videos.

There are tons of guides out there on how to migrate from different services. Some might export the photos without the metadata (the details about when the photo was taken, which are quite important), so make sure you pay attention before deleting them from the old provider. If any needs manual input for the time adjust, just copy it from the old one.

Print photos, highlights

That’s how we used to have them not too long ago.

Sometimes, having a physical photo feels much more authentic than watching it on a screen. Some even prefer it that way. So choose the photos you like and hang them on your walls. Or create an album that you can go through from time to time.

If before we were stuck with whatever embarrassing, weird photos our parents would’ve taken on a film camera, now we have a lot of digital photos that we can choose from and print our highlights.

Now that the technical side is set, how do we actually create moments that we remember better?

Try removing your electronics for one night.

Spend the evening with a partner, friend or family, play a board game, or just talk.

I’ll make a full list for a Digital Detox, (if you want to check it out, make sure to subscribe) but here are some highlights:

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Turn off all notifications. Start by trying the Do Not Disturb feature on your phone. Start removing notifications for anything not important: all the apps trying to grab your attention. No, you don’t need notifications from amazon telling you there’s a sale.

Remove apps. If you’re using social media and other attention grabbers on your phone, delete them from your home screen. Leave them in the app drawer, to add some friction next time you want to use them.

Even better, use the search function and type down the name of the app you want to open - sometimes, you won’t even want to go through this.

Use the greyscale/black and white mode - it will make your phone less enticing.

Being without our phones or without electricity can make us pay attention. With no phones and no TV, there are fewer sirens luring us in and grabbing our focus and we are more in control of where we place our attention.

At the end of the game or discussion, you’ll notice it was enjoyed much better when all of your focus was on it.

In conclusion…

In an era of impatience and instant gratification, one way to make things more memorable is to delay your arrival. If you have the time (not when you’re rushing to catch a train!), consider taking the long route. If you have spent five hours hiking to the peak, it makes the experience greater than if you took the fifteen minute cable car up there. For some trips, it may also make sense to take a train instead of a plane. You will get there slower, but you may have a much more enjoyable journey. Trains are the tantra of travel!

The book has a great revelation at some point: “happiness is often found when three views align: who we feel we are, who we want to be and who we really are, and when we manage to become who we know we can be, that is where we find happiness”. I love this quote.

Remember: one day your life will flash before your eyes - make sure it’s worth watching.

We’ve become adept at filling our homes with stuff. We're buying more than ever and we never seem to be satisfied with what we have.

Wouldn't it be nice, though, to live a simpler life, to reclaim time and energy, and to do the things that truly matter to us?

The single greatest benefit to overcoming consumerism is contentment.

When we decide to stop chasing more: more gadgets, more clothing, more everything, we break free from the cycle of dissatisfaction that consumerism stirs up.

To live is to consume. We need food in order to live. We need a roof over our heads. We need clothes to keep us warm. But consumerism becomes excessive when it extends beyond what it's needed. When we begin consuming more than is needed, boundaries are removed. Personal credits allow us to make purchases above our income level, advertisements reshape our desires around material possessions, and the consumption culture that surrounds us is making excessive consumption appear natural and normal. It promises happiness, but it never delivers, and instead it only creates a desire for more.

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The story of stuff begins in our imagination and in our fantasies. That's the space where we dream about all the things that we would love to have, and what a wonderful life we could have if only we could have this stuff.

In a bid for growth, capitalism has turned everything into a consumable product, by having us rapidly replace our possessions. It’s a recipe that has worked well for shareholders but less so for the environment, and for our mental health.

During the pandemic, our consumer mindset had the time to reflect and see how superficial the industry is. We were already seeing a comeback of individuals that appreciate what they own, feeling pride in where it came from and keeping it for longer. The importance of health, family and community has been reinvigorated, but a few years down the line, seems like we have already forgotten that, and we’ve succumed again to shortsighted growth and material satisfaction.

Unless our capitalistic economy is replaced by a better system where people are more able to appreciate inner-beauty and seek for inner peace, and not from new gadgets or trendy clothing, we will struggle to learn this collectively.

We cannot shop our way to sustainability. Only by reducing product output and decreasing consumption habits, can we turn this around.

Not only are companies profiting from selling goods produced irresponsibly in the global south to more privileged countries, they’re also making the waste they’re creating someone else’s problem. As a result, we are stuck in an outdated linear system; produce, use, discard. It’s time for a rethink.

There is no throwing "away". Things don't magically disappear. They go somewhere.

As owners, our relationship to the things we have or want to purchase needs to change, turning them from a mere consumable to an object with an intrinsic personal value. We need to develop a better understanding of quality, what it takes to create them, their environmental impact, and appreciate each piece for as long as possible.

To appreciate that extending a product’s lifetime slows down consumption and production, reduces waste and in turn lowers the environmental impact.

To realise that we don’t really want stuff, new clothes or food delivered to us instantly.

To understand that what we actually want is love, community, a sense of belonging and joy; but we’ve been taught the only way we achieve these essential components of life is to buy them.

Nothing you buy will transform the hole into a whole.

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And even though most of us end up in an urban environment, or were born there, we now feel more alone than ever - we barely know our neighbours, our lives feel hurried and we are constantly looking for ways to escape it.

A big(ger) city has so many things to offer. And that’s why we’re so drawn to it. But designing it should take advantage of this richness. And, rather than keeping people away from each other - it should invite them to collaboration and community.

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So what’s happening?

Cities were always built around people. The heart of the city was made up by the people living in it, and the public spaces everyone was spending their time in.

But recently, especially after WW2, we have decided to give up everything we knew. Mindless planning, bad decisions and most importantly, forgetting about the things that make us human, we ended up building these huge cities that have so much potential for everyone, but they end up isolating us from each other.

Cities are overflowing with cars, constant noise, honking, air pollution, commercials at every corner, and no sense of belonging.

It only feels like the means to an end. Just a temporary phase in one’s life. Maybe thinking this is part of the problem, too.

And most people dream of retiring far in the woods or in the country side, to escape all this.

But what if we could actually build better? What if we could build our cities for the people?

What if we felt safe when we got out of the house?

What if instead of getting fatter, sadder and sicker, we’d all benefit from a walk or a bike ride to work, school or bakery?

What if we could listen to the birds and have nature around us, without having to leave the city?

When a city is designed for people, when you have the freedom to move around by yourself, no matter of your financial situation, when there are public spaces all around you, built to make your life better, it’s easier to feel better.

My wife and I loved reading and watching videos about Amsterdam, so a few years ago we decided to visit it. We had a room in a hotel close to Vondelpark, and every morning after breakfast, we’d have our coffee on the stairs outside, watching people go by with their daily lives: to work, to school, daycare, to the market and so on. And everyone was doing this on their bicycles!

People in suits, in casual clothes, dresses, with children as passengers, and with a smile on their face. It’s impossible not to be smiling when you see this.

And I believe the impact of this goes even further: when you see everyone riding a bicycle, just as you, when everyone is sharing the same space instead of being isolated in a metal cages - you feel included.

We had the chance of exploring a lot of towns only by riding our bicycles and using public transport. That was freedom like I’ve never experienced before. And I loved it.

What if we cannot build better (yet)?

Then we should look for local actions that would improve our lives.

Unfortunately, not all of us live in a good place, nor can we move in one. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t solutions.

Meet your neighbours. Plant some trees together. Install a bench and hang out with them. Organise a community garden, or a community park.

Reach out to the local council, maybe together, and ask for things that empower you. A friendlier city.

Instead of constantly dreaming about the plot of land, isolated by everyone, I think it’s more important to start building a community.

We all deserve the right to a city that’s built for us. It shouldn’t be an option for the rich only. It should be a fundamental right.

What makes a city great is first and foremost its citizens - we’re the ones that can make a city beautiful.

So.. get out there. Meet your neighbours. Look for what could be improved, and do it. Reach out to the local council. You’d be surprised how easily you can transform the place in front of your building and its surroundings,as well as your city.

Our home (or town, for that matter) didn’t have internet until maybe 2004, but we were still able to get our hands on new music and films through “a guy” that was getting them through software like DC++.

As there was no cinema in our city, this is how my brother and I were able to watch Lord of The Rings shortly after it was launched. And I must say, this is when I was left in complete awe, through the incredible world of Tolkien illustrated by Peter Jackson’s cinematography.

I vividly remember the scene where we’re seeing Rivendell from afar, and then it zooms in. A biophilic city, within nature.

Seeing the Elves perform through the whole trilogy as nurturers of nature and its protectors made me see the world through new lens. Instead of plundering Middle Earth like the Men and other races, the Elves have chosen to be a part of nature.

Further down the line, these concepts are still the ones that inspire me in my work today: working in communities, integrating nature in our cities and nurturing it, leaving space for wilderness.