Amsterdam bans creation of new hotels
Another piece in the overall strategy to reduce tourist flows to the city
Arund 80% of young people pre-drink before going out Flemish Expertise Centre for Alcohol and Illegal Drugs , Source: Efren Barahona / Unsplash
Called ‘Sobercoins’, you can only get them if you do a breathalyzer test
This week, the so-called ‘Sobercoin’ pilot project of the Belgian city of Balen turns one year old and according to local authorities, it has been a success. Sobercoin is a local initiative aimed at tackling the phenomenon known as pre-drinking.
This includes the practice of getting drunk or tipsy before you go clubbing – commonplace among young people across the EU, pre-drinking is largely due to the fact that drinks in nightclubs tend to be extremely expensive.
Moreover, this could cause even more problems. According to the city, people who make it to the nightclubs and have pre-drinks are more likely to need medical aid or end up in fights. Sobercoin was aimed at mitigating this by offering partygoers three free drinks from the bar, on the municipality’s tab, if they come sober to the club.
The Sobercoin campaign in Balen offered citizens three free drinks per person, after they voluntarily submitted to a breathalyzer test to help determine their intoxication level as they entered the nightclubs.
Local officials claim that they have been able to distribute 1,328 Sobercoins (free drink vouchers) at 8 parties in the past year, as the VRT reports. Moreover, at parties in the latter half of the year, on-the-ground staff reported that many young people approached them in order to get the Sobercoins.
Additionally, depending on age, a Sobercoin could get you very different types of drinks. For people between 16 and 18, it was only beer and wine, while for those above 18, the whole menu was open. Despite the success of the pilot project, the City of Balen has yet to announce if the project would continue into the future.
According to research from the Flemish Expertise Centre for Alcohol and Illegal Drugs, around 80% of young people pre-drink before going out. The free drinks tokens, dubbed “Sobercoins”, are intended to provide an alternative to that behaviour and ultimately counteract binge drinking.
Silesian is spoken by about half a million people in the south of the country
Legislators and magnates have to await a preliminary ruling from the European Court of Justice
The building will then serve as the site for a new museum dedicated to Finnish-Russian relations
The tool helps identify undeclared swimming pools and garden sheds
It will serve as a virtual companion to the municipal network of libraries in the country
In addition, the federal government has launched the National Week of Action against Bicycle Theft to raise awareness of the issue and the new solution
The tests are also experimenting with a charging point that is easier to maintain
Reportedly, the aim of the local government is to curb violence and disorder among the youth
The city thinks that it’s time to update pet-related street cleanliness rules for the 21st century
Yes, you guessed it right, that also includes baguettes and cheeses
Reportedly, the aim of the local government is to curb violence and disorder among the youth
Silesian is spoken by about half a million people in the south of the country
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