This Italian region now has Europe’s highest Tibetan bridge
It’s not for the faint-hearted
The "Duschbus" was launched last Saturday and can be spotted on the streets of Hamburg
Lack of housing has been one of Germany’s most pressing issues in recent years. With rents and prices rising, the number of homeless people has also been steadily increasing over the past decade.
While local, regional and federal governments have been busy fighting landlords and establishing stricter pricing rules, citizens are also looking for creative solution aimed at helping those who are suffering the most – more specifically, people who have been forced out of their homes and are now living on the streets.
To that end, a new initiative was launched last Saturday in the Hanseatic city of Hamburg. The travelling shower, nickname the “Duschbus” – or the shower bus, aims to help the city’s homeless stay clean.
The project was crowdfunded by locals and in just six weeks it managed to attract funding amounting 168,000 euros. The bus boasts three separate bathrooms, all equipped with toilets, sinks, toiletries and of course – showers. It carries two water tanks with the capacity of holding around 1,000 litres of water and can also be connected to the city’s hydrants and sewer systems. The water is being paid for and provided by the city of Hamburg. The local administration has taken up the task of assisting the bus’s operators in their plight of helping the local homeless.
The idea for the “Duschbus” came to a man who had been previously homeless. He believes that homelessness is a self-perpetuating cycle – the longer someone stays homeless, the harder it is for them to get out of the situation. "Anyone who feels dirty avoids contact with other people. There is a lot of shame, and it is a vicious circle. That's why the Duschbus provides a solution and builds a bridge back to society", he stated according to Deutsche Welle.
The bus can serve up to 30 people per day and will be changing up its location periodically in order to help as many as possible. According to the operators, they currently have the capacity to maintain the bus for another 6 months and will be relying on crowdfunding to keep it going in the future.
What are the reasons for that and are there any possible solutions for that problem?
Possibly making it the only legislature in the world with a religious temple on-site
It’s not for the faint-hearted
Presenting the next chapter in the Dutch capital’s ‘Stay Away’ campaign aimed at rowdy tourists
The City says this has become a necessity due to the increasing number of incidents involving these vehicles
That way you can notify a canal lock keeper to open the gates so the animals can swim through
The organizers had been considering different Parisian spots, but always with the idea of the flame being visible to the people
Electricity production in that Eastern European country will not release direct CO2 emissions anymore
Possibly making it the only legislature in the world with a religious temple on-site
A smoke-free environment has been guaranteed for years, but now the local administration is looking into further improving public health habits
This initiative is not just about making books more accessible – it has larger ambitions in its sights
We owe the unusual cultural icon to this country in Europe
Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment.
Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements.
Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces
Catch up with some recommendations for the 2024 European Capital of Culture programme from the mayor of Tartu
An interview with the ICLEI regional director for Europe аfter the close of COP28
An interview with a member of the No Hate Speech Network team