The Danes Conquer The Wasteland

While an increasing number of European countries are looking at ways to reduce food excess, here, some lessons from Copenhagen on how to eat sustainably.

- Fabiola Monteiro

In Copenhagen, solar-powered GoBoats chug along the canals. Locals paddle green kayaks, picking up bucketfuls of waste from the waters in exchange for free rides. At a café in the hip Nørrebro neighbourhood, I eat silky-smooth coffee ice-cream that’s made from excess steamed milk. During my time in Denmark’s capital city, I become acutely aware of how much the Danes care about sustainability.

For one, it’s seamlessly integrated into their lives. It’s palpable on the streets, thanks to the city’s cycling culture — in some neighbourhoods, pedestrians and bikers get priority; cars get only single-lane access. On rooftops too, green roofs with terrace gardens are common. At Grø Spiseri, an organic community-style rooftop restaurant, I walk along beds of sunflowers and other colourful blooms. There’s also Amager Bakke (or Copenhill), a one of-a-kind waste-to-energy plant that opened in 2017, with designs for a ski slope and recreation centre. Copenhagen has plans to be the first carbon-neutral capital by 2025 — and undoubtedly, it’s well on its way.

Bring this sustainability-driven living together with Copenhagen’s spot on the global food map — it’s well known as a leading culinary destination — and, apart from eating sustainably, it’s obvious that the Danes would also be making major headway with combating food waste.