Corners, Bikes, and Dishes

The world is full of wonderful things to learn. The US can learn so much from here by putting to use ideas that Barcelona, and I'm assuming Western Europe in general, already have. While here I've noticed several subtle ways in which Barcelona has taken steps to further appreciate and protect the atmosphere around here or add efficiency to almost anything. One can see this through innovative ideas in architecture, engineering, and technology that appear on city streets or within city buildings. I have listed a few below:

1. They cut corners:

One of the best ideas I think I've seen appears on the street corners of my neighborhood L'Eixample (the "x'' here is pronounced "sh"). No right angle exists when two streets meet at a corner because the corners have been chamfered or cut-off, I guess you could say. This is not only a cool visual affect but also allows for more traffic visibility, light, and parking within the intersections. At least five parking spaces fit along the chamfered portion of the corners, where none could fit on a normal right angle corner. My description probably needs a little visual help:

2. They have a bicycle-friendly community:

The way barcelona accommodates and provides such large numbers of bikes strikes me, and coming from Davis, future home of the national bike museum, I feel at home. If you are a resident of Barcelona you can purchase a card or pass that allows you to take one of the candy-apple-red bicycles from any of the several city bike dispensers, any time of the day, use it for a few hours, and return it at any other city bike dispenser around the city. If you take the bike out for more than a few hours the card simply charges you for extra time when you return it. I have heard that other larger cities in Europe offer this service as well. What a great way for residents to eliminate cars on the streets, breathe some fresh air, and get a little exercise on the way to work or the store. I wish that foreigners could join in as well. These bikers are welcomed and well accommodated by the streets as there are several "bike highways" between buildings inaccessible to cars. Unlike in the US where bikers often have to share the road with drivers to their left and parked cars to their right, bikes that do bike on the street here have a lane separated from the street by parked cars to their left or small partitions.

3. They are green goers:

Some more small yet energy efficient ideas can be seen in any of the rooms in my residencia and in several other buildings I have been in. In order to turn on lights or air conditioning, your key must be placed in the wall by the door. Obviously when you take the key as you leave the room, electricity in your room will be temporarily disabled thus making sure none is wasted in empty rooms. The air conditioning also automatically shuts of if you open a window. I must say I have seen similar things in some US hotels.

Something else kind of cool: the cabinet that store dishes over the sink in our room has no bottom and as there are dish-racks for shelves, dishes can simply be put away after washing and drip dry into the sink.