As a Political Science student who is interested in urban form and development, Florence was an absolutely fascinating place to live. From a sustainability standpoint, Florence seemed to be a model for urban spatial organization.
For one thing, Florentines themselves seemed to be much more cognizant of waste and feel more personal responsibility to avoid it that Americans. Our CAPA guides told us that this has always been the case, but the war in Ukraine cut energy supplies and intensified this cultural tendency. Short showers are the norm, and it’s expected that lights and any other electronics are off if not in immediate use. Most Florentines also do not have air conditioners or dryers. I actually really enjoyed sleeping with the windows open because it got so cool at night (although I wasn’t a fan of the mosquitos!)
In Florence, everyone is legally required to separate their trash. Every few blocks you’ll find public disposals spots, divided into miscellaneous waste, organic material (compost), paper and cardboard, and plastic, aluminum, and glass. Every private citizens is responsible for ensuring that their household waste is divided like this, and personally must bring it out. Instead of large trash bags, most people have small ones that can be easily transported. This intimate act of personal responsibility likely contributes to the larger sense of collective welfare and community.
Furthermore, Florence is incredibly walkable. The roads are well maintained with cleaning crews working each morning, and all of the routes are accessible to pedestrians. The main streets are all pedestrian only, but even the other streets around city center are pedestrian dominated, as cars have to maneuver around the hoards of unconcerned jaywalkers. In Florence, I walked everywhere I went and probably averaged 10 miles a day. US cities should use this as a model because walkable communities are less likely to have food deserts, are more sustainable, create less air pollution, have a healthier population, and build a bigger sense of community.
The sustainability and proactive engagement of Florentine citizens is admirable, but this is not a condemnation of Americans. The infrastructure of Florence is more conducive to an environmentally sustainable life style because they have policies in place and structural circumstances that incentivize sustainable activities. The US must work to implement similar policies so that a sustainable lifestyle is convenient for citizens to choose.
Ciao,
Taya
And the voices in the waves are always whispering to Florence, in their ceaseless murmuring, of love – of love, eternal and illimitable, not bounded by the confines of this world, or by the end of time, but ranging still, beyond the sea, beyond the sky, to the invisible country far away!
Charles Dickens
