Greenify your Dutch lifestyle

Quick tips to hack your heating and empower the green economy

Maintaining sustainable habits in a new country can be challenging. You don’t want to spend days on end creating your green routine when you’re still settling into your new Dutch lifestyle. That’s why we’re sharing our best tips to help you greenify your life in the Netherlands the easy way and do your bit to sustain a global green economy.

How to stylishly upgrade your home

What’s the quickest way to upgrade the energy in your home? Green gas is the way to go. There are several energy providers in the Netherlands that can supply green gas and green power for your home. It is easy to arrange for clean energy produced from vegetable, garden and fruit waste. A simple, fast and sustainable solution, even if you are renting your home.
How do you keep your feet warm and comfortable without using extra energy? Here are a few ways to hack your heating. Invest in nice spreads for your sofa or bed. A stylish way to keep the thermostat lower for a little longer but still keep your feet warm under the covers. But you could also use insulating curtains. Find out which window coverings offer the best insulation value, and get rid of those draughty door gaps as soon as you can. Use a doorstopper and match it with your interior. Stylishly insulate your home and jazz up your heating hacks.

How to embrace the Dutch bike culture like a pro

Of course you know there’s nothing more Dutch than cycling in the rain. But is it for you? Or are there more comfortable sustainable solutions for getting out and about? Yes, there are! The Dutch electric cargo bike, known in Dutch as a ‘bakfiets’. It won’t keep you dry, but it is very aerodynamic and fast, and it’s the best way to embrace the local bike culture. Say goodbye to your car and hello to your new healthy day-to-day life. There are various price options, ranging from simple to high-tech. Have a chat with your local bike wizard and hop on.
Okay, so if you really need a car because you’re travelling beyond the city limits, you can always use a shared car. Providers include Green Wheels, Car2Go or Share Now. After all, if you live in the city you can usually do without your own car, not least because you will never find a parking space! But even if you do, the costs are so high. Savvy city lovers share because they care.

How to painlessly eat more fair food

Healthy eating is easy in the Netherlands. Every supermarket or grocery store will help you and your loved ones eat more green, sustainable and fresh organic foods. But how do you know where to look? The sustainability labels on packaging are a good guideline. Look out for labels such as UTZ, Fairtrade, Demeter, EKO and PlanetProof. When you see these labels, you know that you are buying fair food.
Drinking water in the Netherlands is among the cleanest in Europe - no need to stock up on bottled water. However, you can still jazz it up straight from the tap with some cucumber, lemon, mint or any other happy food you can find in the fridge.
Do you have your groceries delivered? Online and bricks-and-mortar supermarkets will often let you pick a sustainable delivery time so they can plan the best possible route with minimum emissions.
Go to the market! Most cities in the Netherlands have a local market. Bring your own bag (no packaging), buy only what you need (less waste), and meet your new neighbours in the process.

What is the best way to waste a meal?

How are your kitchen skills? The Dutch way of cooking is mostly about trying new dishes and finding fancy foods to whip up tasty new and fresh flavours. But what do you do with all the leftovers? If you find yourself throwing away more than you can eat in a week, we have the best sustainable solution for you: composting! You can easily do it at home. Simply keep vegetable and other organic waste together and let it decompose. Composting is not only for those of us with backyards. Your home-made compost will make your Dutch balcony bloom like never before. Start making your DIY compost for your plants and flowers today!

Green banking

To truly empower the green economy, choose a green bank. Ethical banking ensures your money helps to fund renewable energy initiatives and projects. It’s banking you can feel good about. Not sure where to look? S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook shows the financial institutions with a high sustainability score. Did you know that ABN AMRO is already among the world’s 10% most sustainable banks?
If you’re planning to invest, choose a sustainable investment service and portfolio. ABN AMRO’s Fundseeker tool shows you how sustainable investment funds are.

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