A Facebook post from my Uncle Erik in Denmark today shared this photo of the new solar-operated public trash compacting stations he saw this week, while he was visiting the capital city of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, Kiel.
Photo: Erik Rønholt
What
Erik found so impressive is that the not only do the solar panels
signal when to compact the contents of the station, can hold
five times more items by volume, reducing collection requirements by up
to 80 percent. An electric eye inside detects the level of trash (or
recyclables) and triggers compactions as needed. This eye also notifies the collection agency when the box is at capacity and needs to be serviced. Pretty high tech.
What is so cool that I learned today was that the technology of these BigBelly solar-powered compactors actually comes from Massachusetts! Also, we have several of these units in Newport these days, thanks in part to funds raised during a student's Senior Project!
Very cool.
But Kiel has a major waterfront, and these boxes don't help on the water (yet). So there is a very involved program to handle waste and separate it for recycling, which I don't believe takes place in Newport, or in any USA port. Sanitize specialists, most commendably, work around the clock to catch trash -- and separate it -- before it can become an environmental problem. In particular at sea, they are always a welcome sight, since yachts can really generate a lot of trash, and where, with limited on board space, there can be considerable temptation to let trash "disappear" overboard.
Here are a photo from Kiel's magazine the Fördeflüsterer, features an employee holding one of the trash retrieval baskets with that welcoming signal, which other vessels gratefully flag down in order to take advantage of their trash removal service. A corner of the sorting station appears on the right.
Kiel is the capital city of the northernmost state of Schleswig-Holstein. Each June since 1882 it hosts an impressive, international sailing extravaganza called Kielerwoche (Kiel Week), with nearly round-the-clock cultural events of all kinds, most of which focus along its harbor and shoreline.
The ring of a ship's bell kicks the week's events off, and, once, after a long week of tight competition, and all the prizes for each sailing class have been awarded, the culminating events are the following week, with the world's largest parade of sail
Here's a 2-plus minute photo collage (by Finn Karstens and Phillip Spieck) of the build-up to the week, as well as some of the activities during the week. Keep in mind that Germany lies north of RI; there are longer days during Kieler-Woche: the sun sets at 10 pm, and rises again before 5 am.
Beginning: Staging event; shots of Kiel; inland park for hot air balloons; Ferris wheel
0:40 the harbor begins to get filled in
0:50 many non-sailing events piggy-back with the event
1:06 the look of delight
1:16 a hint of the entertainment and onshore excitement
1:28 bustling harbor; each sailing class must find its own proper start and competition buoys;
1:39 glimpses of the landscape
1:54 tidy docks late afternoon; large outdoor screen
2:00 I keep looking for the Hauptbahnhof, which
2:08 launch ramp to launch (finnless??) windsurfers
2:16 winners' podium
2:24 coordinated fireworks show begins after dark...11 pm, probably with music
This video highlights the events along the harbor. Other exhibits include the kids' favorite : Spiellinie, where there are lots of interactive adventures from around the world, as well as entertainers. I find it interesting that each year the construction of the stages and set-ups for this major attraction is part of a half-year training program (apprenticeship) for future builders, so its a practical and creative training ground, after which there's always plenty of (generally very positive) feedback.
This video shows how kids enjoy the Spiellinie during a single afternoon. (The camera crew didn't stay to watch the daily kids' concert, for example.)
Adding to the kids' platform in the park, Kiel's university also organizes daily family-friendly science exhibits. Some involve hikes. Others study nano particles. Sometimes they seek to better understand the ocean, or to solve environmental problems.
In fact, it seems as if every possible avenue becomes involved in this festival, for instance:
Yes, the theaters and operas offer (often open-air) performances.
There are puppet shows.
There's a full-blown International food market, similar to the Christmas Markets we've come to know and love.
There are even events to teach about politics.
How does all of this pull off, to bedazzle millions of people in one short week? (In 2015 nearly 4 million attended.) Part of the answer is through corporate sponsorships. But also, just like all around Germany, there are scads of clubs, or "Vereine" which are organized just for their participation in Kieler-Woche.
[The Kielerwochenvereine are similar to the clubs, which sponsor so many different cultural activities in Germany around the calendar year, such as carnival (the 5th season, from 11. November until Lent), Walpurgisnacht (end of April leading to May 1), the parades and formal dances of the May Societies, the "Schutzenfesten" or protection / shooting festivals held locally, and so many other activities.]
It seems as if everyone in Germany is an active participant in at least one such organization. Intense loyalty to these clubs helps to justify why Germans are so efficient at work. They are anxious to get their salaried job done (very rarely is there overtime), so that they can get busy supporting the organization/s of their choice. Germans are much less interested in earning more money than they are creating their active lifestyle, participating in their communities to make them special, and enjoying the quality of life that they prefer.
Kiel Week is one splendid example of Germany's active family-friendly, community health-oriented, culture!
Ein spektakulärer Fund(A spectacular find) in der Kieler Förde: Seit 1913 trieb eine
Flaschenpost durch die Ostsee, nun ist sie einem Berufsfischer ins Netz
gegangen.
Ein Berliner hatte sie einst aus Dänemark losgeschickt.
Offenbar ist es die älteste Flaschenpost der Welt.
Die bislang älteste bekannte Flaschenpost ist einem Fischer in der
Kieler Förde ins Netz gegangen. Am Dienstag habe er ein Netz an Bord
seines Kutters „Maria I“ gezogen und darin als Beifang eine Bierflasche
mit einer fast 101 Jahre alten Postkarte gefunden, bestätigte der
Fischer Konrad Fischer aus Heikendorf in Schleswig-Holstein am
Donnerstag einen Bericht der „Kieler Nachrichten“. Die Karte hat das Datum 17. Mai 1913.
Wie
er der Zeitung erzählte, wollte Fischer die mit Seepocken überwachsene
Flasche eigentlich gleich wieder ins Meer werfen, doch der Kollege des
65-Jährigen habe den Inhalt entdeckt. Mit einem Blumendraht sei es den
Berufsfischern gelungen, die Postkarte aus der Flasche zu ziehen. Ein
Mann namens Richard Platz aus Berlin hatte sie an sich selbst adressiert
und Briefmarken beigelegt. Den Finder bat er, die Postkarte
weiterzuschicken.
Postkarte aus Dänemark, Flasche aus Kiel
Während
die Postkarte offenbar aus Dänemark stammt, hatte der Berliner sie nach
Angaben der „Kieler Nachrichten“ in einer braunen Flasche mit der
Prägung „Kiel“ verstaut. Danach trieb die internationale Botschaft 100
Jahre in der Ostsee. Nun wolle Fischer den Fund einem Experten zeigen,
um die Echtheit zu überprüfen. „Wenn die Flaschenpost wirklich so alt
ist, freut sich vielleicht ein Museum darüber“, sagte er der Zeitung.
dpaEine Postkarte aus Dänemark in einer Flasche aus Kiel
