never waste the netherlands!!- my solution for plastic pollution (gov)

 Cira F Garza

Professor Hall

GOVT 2305-023

8 April 2025

 

 

Never Waste Netherlands- A Proposal for the Plastic Problem

 

The Kingdom of the Netherlands. Historically recognized for its scenic fields of pastel tulips and windmills, bicycles cluttering the streets, the gorgeous night sky, and sunsets that make it a memorable ground to visitors and citizens alike. The Dutch Baroque cityscapes, with houses painted. However, what's not associated with the country is its growing plastic pollution. The Netherlands is considered a parliamentary representative democracy, which means they have a decentralized unitary state. The country is ruled under a prime minister; Dick Schoof, who has spoken about climate solutions, as it was an issue of concern when he was elected in June 2024. “All the problems caused by climate change amplify each other. So, climate change is not limited to those countries that are directly affected. In truth, every country is directly affected.” He continues with his solution. “And therein lies the key to our approach: cooperation. Of course, that means committing to the climate targets of the Paris Agreement, the SDG, and the measures we agree on at COP29. It also means using each other’s knowledge and know-how. The Netherlands has a long history of managing water. Today, we use that experience around the world. Schoof is referencing the Rijkswaterstaat or RWS, the executive branch of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, and the regional water authorities. Founded in 1798, they are a wonderful example of what the Dutch government is capable of. “We contribute our expertise on food security and countless other challenges, as they arise.”

 

To some Dutchies, Dick Schoof is not an authentic ally to the environment. Deemed playfully as “Tricky Dick” and “Dick Thunder” the 68-year-old Dutch politician has a mysterious past. He was once a chief spy for the Netherlands Intelligence agency from 1979 to 1985. Alongside criticism that his March 2024, the Dutch Newspaper NRC reported on a recent case involving fake social media accounts being created to snoop on suspects and dismissed the reports. Accountability and Transparency is a strong Value in the Netherlands, so this was not happily received.  

 

In 2024, Schoof canceled his attendance at the United Nations Climate Change Conference. This was a “een vernedering” or, to us, a “humiliation” to Dutch environmental organizations, which have been eagerly awaiting the conference to represent their Wishes for change and solutions. However, according to a Netherlands News article, “The Dutch Prime Minister flew in to Azerbaijan so he can stay in the Netherlands to deal with the fallout from assaults on fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer team in Amsterdam that authorities condemned as antisemitic”.

 

I contacted a “friend of a friend” resource, originally from Texas, who once lived in Amsterdam, Netherlands, between 2015 and 2019 as an international student and work-study through the San Antonio, Trinity University Study Abroad program. Only 5 years prior to her moving in. The Netherlands ranked 20th place globally in their plastic waste generation estimates for 2010. However, it was not remotely close to how high up the United States was on this list. I reached out to her through email with my research inquiries, and she responded thoughtfully and impressively.

 

1.     Has the Netherlands taught you at all about sustainability?

-Yes, like it was common to wear the same outfit like 3 times a week, if it was washed, who cares. But I have to say, the Netherlands is all known for its windmills and bikes but scores horribly on CO2 emissions. There are quite a few great things like bikelanes everywhere and a lot of green surface. I like to tell people, this was them embracing neoliberalism’s version of “sustainability” for a while which is not as effective.

2.     How much were you encouraged to spend money on material items in the Netherlands?

-Depends. Amsterdam for sure, there was this mall we always went to and they’e got the same brand names as we got here. But I shared my Aeropostle with the other girls, they were not afraid to ask me either!

3.     How frequently did you encounter littering?

-hardly ever where I spent most my time, but yep. Downtown Amsterdam is, just like any big city. Castricum and Bergen had plenty. They don’t take care of parking garages, and there were unhoused people and littering happening there, too. Even in the canals, there were plenty of food wrappers caught in the water. That’s the other thing, like most of europe, a lof of stuff is biodegradable disposables but not often. They still use the single-use plastic wrappers and it clogs the water system drainage too.

4.     What was the overall social consensus and attitude around recycling?

-again depends. We had to as required. My host family had bins for glass, cardboard, residual waste, bulky waste, and textile waste, we had to sort everything out, with was just as accepted as a chore as just taking out the trash like we do here.

 

At the time of my resource’s stay in Amsterdam, Mark Rutte was the Dutch Prime Minister from 2010 to 2024. He has been a member of NATO as the 14th secretary since October of 2024. He was aasocated with the Party for freedom and democracy, whereas Dick Schoof, the current prime minister refuses to associate with any party at all.

 

5.     Was there any political discussion on Mark Rutte, the Prime minister at the time you were there studying Social Work?

-Dont remember everything, positive there was. I was only 19-23 but I do remember my host family watching the NOS evening news. They are old people, they watched the news it was cute. Thre was pictures of Mark Rutte on screen and they’d talk about it between them. It’s very “foward” in Amsterdam especially to be plugged in.

6.     Were you ever involved with any political action group while living there for 4 years?

-nooo I did not have noo time!!! But my host sister and her partner did talk to me about this group they were in. I asked for you, it was the Friends of the Earth Netherlands. “Milieudefensie” they were in a few more and had to be for some credit in secondary school there, but I thought that would stand out to you.

 

Citations:

·       Schaart, Eline, and Eva Hartog. "Who Is Dick Schoof? 8 Things to Know about the New Dutch PM." Politico, 2024, https://doi.org/07/04/2024. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

·       Knapp, Alex. "Current Climate: Scientists Discover a Cheap Way to Recycle Plastic." Forbes, 2024, https://doi.org/06/13/2024. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

·       Alves, Bruna . "Current Climate: Scientists Discover a Cheap Way to Recycle Plastic." Statistica- Energy and Enviornment, 2024, https://doi.org/08/11/24. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

·       Lobelle, Delphine. "Knowns and Unknows of Plastic Waste Flow in the Netherlands." National Library of Medicine, 2023, https://doi.org/07/6/23. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.