Rach & Athena: Searching for Eco-Meaning in Copenhagen

Hope you’ve been following Rachel Weil and Athena Laines – two seniors studying in the College of Arts and Sciences — in and around the UN Climate Summit and Klimaforum09, in Copenhagen, Denmark.  They represented in Hopenhagen and sent daily reflections back to Comm Ave as our guest bloggers this week.  Rach and Athena are on their way back to Beantown, but they got this post off before leaving Denmark (you can also get the rundown on Rach and Athena’s search for eco-meaning on BU Today):

Day four began as a wonderfully festive winter day in Freetown Christiania, Copenhagen’s alternative communal society. This self-proclaimed autonomous township is notorious for anarchist sentiments, squatters, and a market for cannabis. During the COP15, Christiania has been the site of the ‘Climate Bottom’ meetings, addressing the spiritual and more radical sides to the climate change movement. Intense riots have occurred here as well, notably one last night involving tear gas and a massive police presence. Today however, as fat flakes fell on the tents and reappropriated warehouses, people were calmer and spoke of ‘cradle to cradle’ design (aka C2C), designing products to follow natural processes, at the daily meeting. Soup and hot tea was offered at the people’s kitchen, and babies and older folks alike gathered together in the tent.

We wandered further down the bicycle-lined path and found the Christmas market, or Juleloses, a beautiful indoor market of handmade goods, ‘Bevar Christiania’ (save Christiania) pins, charming gnome ornaments (one of which my roommates may be getting as a present) and other holiday wares. People sat around drinking gløgg, a mulled wine that reminded me of a wintertime sangria, eating gingersnaps and listening to new agey Christmas tunes played by a bearded man on a keyboard. The number of smiling babies attached in some way to their parents would make Angelina go crazy. Even a little Jewish girl like me felt the Christmas spirit in a way only a Danish communal market would allow.

Later on we met up with Andy, a friend who has been studying in Geneva and Frederik, a Danish student activist I met also in Madrid. After Greek food (Danish food=meat, thus no sampling fromthese vegetarians) we jumped into the huge crowd at the open-frigid-air Hopenhagen-sponsored Gogol Bordello concert for awhile. We went to a café where Frederik volunteers filled with international activists sharing cups of coffee and hot soy chocolate. Patrons of the café shared their frustrations with the slow pace of the negotiations as well as their enthusiasm about the ‘Southern’ countries (the G-77 et al) really stepping up their game. The leaders and inhabitants of these countries are rising above the tide as the leaders of the climate change movement in a way no celebrity or former Vice President could. Now more than ever I believe that it will be these inspiring nations-who are ignored much too often- that will really ignite this whole climate change thing.

Rachel Weil

Day 4 – December 15, 2009

Today Rach and I decided to get insight into an alternate way of living in a city by visiting the alternative commune of Christiania bright and early in the morning. Only that turned out to be closer to noon. Once we got there though, it was unlike anything I had ever seen or experienced. The community exists semi-autonomously so they help one another out through cheap community food and a self-sustained neighborhood. It had the feeling of times past, before big central governments and the times of police. While we were there, we attended a climate bottom talk on “Cradle to Cradle” idea of building and creating products. From production to destruction, all materials for building are checked for chemical contents and ability to disassembled for future reuse. The idea is applied to create everything from office chairs to buildings. Further exploration of Christiania gave way to a view of a free community of artwork and interesting people with stories to tell. We wandered over to the Julemarked or Christmas Market and found a delightful assortment of trinkets and decorations. I had to stop myself from buying something from every stand. They had things from dinnerware to chocolates and clothing. I bought a gift for my sister and ornament for my tree back home.

Things can get quite pricey in Copenhagen, even with the 5-1 exchange rate with the Danish Kroner. Good meals here (unless you count soup or salad as a meal) on average here are usually 80 kroner or more typically. To make matters worse being a vegetarian has made it even harder. The Danish love their meats, especially herring, their national fish. Surprisingly I have eaten more Greek and Mediterranean food here than I think I have eaten in my entire life, despite being half Greek. Copenhagen is home to a wide variety of ethnic foods much to my taste buds enjoyment. I just am not able to enjoy traditional Danish meals sadly. Also there are so many babies in Copenhagen! I love how parents bring their babies out on their daily routines rather than leaving them home with a babysitter of family member. All bundled up and tucked into their carriages, the babies are the cutest things I have ever seen. Lastly, I cannot get over how friendly the Danish have been. Even though we clearly give off the vibe of tourists despite our best tries not to, we have been greeted with nothing but warm cheer and openness.

The night ended with a concert in the city center and a trip to visit a friend of Rachel’s in an all volunteer café. The band was Gogol Bordello, makers of the song “Start Wearing Purple,” and they packed in the square at Hopenhagen Live. Their infusion of gypsy punk with a violin and accordion made it easy for people to join in and dance in their own funky way. The café we went to had limited offerings but we chatted with a visitor from Germany and shared snippets of the history of each of our governments. He tried to explain their multi-party system which sounded so different. I always love a good political talk. With only one full day left I can’t believe this will all be ending so soon.

Athena Laines

We’ve also been following Rachel and Athena’s tweets.  Safe travel Rach and Athena – can’t wait to hear more about your travels and your search.

Peace.