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Berlin Is Becoming a Sponge City [video]

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Re: Berlin Is Becoming a Sponge City [video]

#12
post #8

The video only shows relatively small buildings - would that system work with high rise towers?

Not answering your main question, but the video shows relatively small buildings because that's what Berlin looks like[1]. High rise towers are not very common there.

[1] https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Berlin_P...

Re: Berlin Is Becoming a Sponge City [video]

#14
Nice project, it makes Berlin appear like a progressive, nice place to live. But actually it has so many problems that should be solved first before even thinking about things like this. For instance total failure to integrate the Muslim minority, increasing racism against Jews (Men usually wear a baseball-cap over the Kippah in public due to fear of being beaten up), prices that double each 7-10 years while salaries stay the same and an angry lower-middle class that thinks Politicians don't understand anything.

Re: Berlin Is Becoming a Sponge City [video]

#15
post #11

What happens to the plants during the summer if there is too little rain? Do they also install watering systems? That would be expensive to maintain.

The problem you are talking about is different and can be solved with traditional means (i.e. sprinklers) if needed. But due the fact the prior rain water is present on site for a longer time instead of being drained off in sewers they may not need to run the sprinklers as often (another benefit!)

Re: Berlin Is Becoming a Sponge City [video]

#16
post #14

Nice project, it makes Berlin appear like a progressive, nice place to live. But actually it has so many problems that should be solved first before even thinking about things like this. For instance total failure to integrate the Muslim minority, increasing racism against Jews (Men usually wear a baseball-cap over the Kippah in public due to fear of being beaten up), prices that double each 7-10 years while salaries…

Completely unrelated issues, it seems to me. Even unintegrated Muslims and persecuted Jews benefit from a cooler city.

Prices could probably rise even more, though, if the sponge approach makes the city more attractive.

Re: Berlin Is Becoming a Sponge City [video]

#17
post #14

Nice project, it makes Berlin appear like a progressive, nice place to live. But actually it has so many problems that should be solved first before even thinking about things like this. For instance total failure to integrate the Muslim minority, increasing racism against Jews (Men usually wear a baseball-cap over the Kippah in public due to fear of being beaten up), prices that double each 7-10 years while salaries…

> increasing racism against Jews

This is true.

> Men usually wear a baseball-cap over the Kippah in public

But this is right-wing bullshit.

The rise in anti-Semitic crimes is used by Pegida to stir up fear of refugees, Muslims, and Islam, and it's also used by Netanyahu and the Israeli / Jewish right to encourage immigration to Israel.

The reality is that the rise in anti-Semitism begins in 2014, prior to the refugee crisis. It's tracked the Europe-wide rise of the right, not anything related to "Muslim integration" (which in turn is often a code-word for not letting other people wear other kinds of head coverings). Much of it is even linked to Pegida-adjacent groups or people.

Re: Berlin Is Becoming a Sponge City [video]

#19
post #14

Nice project, it makes Berlin appear like a progressive, nice place to live. But actually it has so many problems that should be solved first before even thinking about things like this. For instance total failure to integrate the Muslim minority, increasing racism against Jews (Men usually wear a baseball-cap over the Kippah in public due to fear of being beaten up), prices that double each 7-10 years while salaries…

Your argument is a total non-sequitur. Work to make a city more ecologically friendly is completely independent from whatever social problems there are. You can use this argument to oppose literally anything except for whatever issue is from your perspective the most important. You can't govern a city this way.

Your claim about salaries staying the same is plainly false. See for instance https://tradingeconomics.com/germany/wages

For prices to double every 7 to 10 years we're talking 7% to 10% inflation year over year. In reality inflation is below 2%.

Your assertions about the Muslim community in Berlin are baseless, hateful, and totally offtopic.

Re: Berlin Is Becoming a Sponge City [video]

#20
post #14

Nice project, it makes Berlin appear like a progressive, nice place to live. But actually it has so many problems that should be solved first before even thinking about things like this. For instance total failure to integrate the Muslim minority, increasing racism against Jews (Men usually wear a baseball-cap over the Kippah in public due to fear of being beaten up), prices that double each 7-10 years while salaries…

Germany as a whole has a pathetic relationship towards cultures and religions. Due to the excessive guilt-culture it is political suicide to openly criticize some obvious problems. There is also widespread over-tolerance and leniency with regards to religious or cultural excuses and demands for privileges. Germany is currently a non-secular state with strong dogmatic public-opinion in some areas.
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