Photo: Martin Egbert
In the Netherlands, citizens regularly tear up sealed surfaces and plant flowers in an effort to combat overheating and flooding. The government not only accepts this practice, which is known as tegelwippen — it actually provides support. Tegelwippen is about more than just planting pretty flowers. As the climate crisis increases heat, drought and heavy rainfall, urban, concrete-covered areas can’t easily adapt to the changes. The more cities are paved over, the greater their need for cooling and areas where rainwater can seep away and be stored. This is why in the Netherlands, citizens are taking matters into their own hands. Tegel means tile in English. Wippen means rocking or picking up. In the last five years, Tegelwippen has developed into a mass movement across the country. The aim is to unseal as many surfaces as possible, whether in private gardens, schoolyards, driveways, public squares or sidewalks. Every citizen is allowed to clear and plant a strip of paving slabs up to 50 centimeters away from the house wall without asking the authorities. “We want as many people as possible to take responsibility for making cities greener and therefore more resilient to the climate crisis,” explains Raymond Landegent, the Tegelwippen representative for the city of Rotterdam.
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