[Evan lies in his bed. Soft streetlight seeps through the slats of his blinds, dully illuminating his cramped flat in Amsterdam-Oost. Unwashed clothes are strewn across the floor. A phone glows on the nightstand. Outside, a gentle thrum rises from the city’s shallow breath.]
EVAN
I lie here, night after night, flicking through my thoughts, turning over my actions – do I do enough?
(Beat.)
I look beyond these four walls to the city’s overarching aim. To be carbon neutral by 2050. To phase out natural gas. To tile every rooftop with solar panels. To fulfil UN Goal 13. Climate action. A new pulse for Amsterdam.
(Beat.)
But the focus retreats, reflecting on my own unsung choices.
[Evan sits up, gazing at his bike leaning by the window.]
‘Swapfiets’. A simple subscription. A chain, a frame, and a front blue wheel – pristine. Green. My bike, part of the city’s cycling flow – fuelling a circular economy to keep Amsterdammers moving, aligned with UN Goal 11: eco-friendly transport.
[Evan gestures, towards the plastic bottles drying on the counter, their labels scrubbed off.]
Use. Wash. Return. The Dutch Deposit Return scheme. Slot them back in the statiegeld machine. €0.15 per bottle at Albert Heijn. A silent thank you, a simple favour returned, and a step closer to UN Goal 12, ensuring responsible consumption.
[Evan rises, padding over to the wall above his desk, eyes tracing pictures pinned in a loose collage.]
(Beat.)
First year, second year, home, friends, family, the Dales, Old College, and the Meadows basked in sunlight.
She used to live a brisk 15-minute walk across the Meadows, from Potterrow to Marchmont, in a tall Victorian house.
Now, she lives in Augsburg.
13 hours and 34 minutes. £36.98.
I take a ‘FlixBus’, usually overnight. It’s not the fastest, but it’s grounded. I watch the scenery blend from fields into suburbia and urban sprawl. My phone usually dies around Stuttgart, and I transfer in Karlsruhe. It takes a while, but I’m being responsible, accountable, and eco-friendly – less destructive than flying.
(Beat.)
When she visits, I am new to the city. A tourist.
We use a website called ‘I amsterdam’. It’s fun, guilt-free, and lists activities that don’t strain the environment, prioritising UN’s sustainable tourism goal.
[Evan returns to his desk, opens his laptop, the screen casts a dim glow.]
Some nights stretch out as I get tangled in essays, using ‘Ecosia’ to research and unknot it all. A search engine that screams environmentally clean, acting as the middleman, planting trees, and combating deforestation in-between my simple clicks and open tabs.
Approximately 1kg of CO2 is eliminated with every search. A quiet ritual that supports UN Goal 15: restoring forests and protecting the land.
[Evan closes his laptop. The city’s breath steady.]
My initial question still hangs but I’ll wring it out and chuck it over the washing line, leaving it out to dry.
[Lights fade.]
References
1.https://www.amsterdam.nl/en/policy/sustainability/
2. https://swapfiets.nl/
3. https://www.tomra.com/reverse-vending/media-center/news/2023/netherlands-expands-deposit-return-scheme
4. https://www.euronews.com/travel/2024/03/19/only-reliable-form-of-transport-how-flixbus-became-a-firm-favourite-with-budget-travellers
5. https://www.iamsterdam.com/en/see-and-do/sustainable-travel-tips-in-amsterdam
6. https://blog.ecosia.org/50-reasons-to-use-ecosia/
