De Fiets is Niets - The Bicycle Is Nothing

The country has more than 20,000 miles of dedicated cycling paths. International policymakers make pilgrimages to the Netherlands to learn how to create good bike infrastructure.

But none of that was inevitable. It wasn’t something that magically emerged from Dutch culture.

This podcast from 99% Invisible tells the story of how the streets of Amsterdam were saved from a future dominated by motor vehicles to one centred around bicycles and the community. A story of how people power helped shape a city.

Long before the term 'Green Urbanism' was coined the movement to create a city centred around cycling as a primary means of travel in Amsterdam satisfied one of the three pillars of what is known today as, Green Urbanism. The three pillars of Green Urbanism that interact with each other: energy and materials, water and biodiversity, and urban planning and transportation. Some of the key elements of environmentally friendly city design are electrified public transportation, energy efficient buildings, and renewable energy solutions. A simple start for a transitioning city is smart public lighting and an electrified public transport system, along with safe networks for active transport, such as cycleways and walkways.