Hedonistic Sustainability

Good News Good Planet

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* HEDONISTIC SUSTAINABILITY Skiing is big in Denmark even though the country’s landscape happens to be flatter than a pancake. Most enthusiasts travel elsewhere to enjoy their sport, but now Copenhagen offers a ‘powerful’ and unique alternative. The city’s newest powerplant doubles as a mountain climbing wall, a hiking trail and a ski slope. The designer, Danish architect Bjarke Ingels’ goal was to redefine the relationship between the waste plant and the city, providing a social as well as physical infrastructure. Hedonistic Sustainability is the idea that living sustainably should be enjoyable for all. It’s called "Copenhill", and this huge glass and mirrored structure features a 2,000-foot-long ski slope and the tallest climbing wall in the world. Construction took 8 years and cost 660 million dollars. The power plant processes 400,000 tons of waste each year using furnaces, turbines and steam, yet it can be operated by just two engineers. It runs 24 hours a day and produces enough energy to heat 160,000 homes with enough power for 60,000 more. It also uses clean emission technology so it’s safe to be around. Developers hope to see 300,000 visitors a year, turning the public utility into a popular destination that is both affordable and profitable. Access to the ski slope costs $22 an hour or $366 for a full season pass. A recreation area with water sports, soccer fields, and a go-kart track also surrounds the building. The developers went the extra mile too, covering Copenhill's ski slope with a knobby plastic grass that's coated to simulate the perfect winter conditions, allowing this "green slope" to be used year-round. And fans of Copenhill claim that the course surprisingly has the perfect friction for all levels. Copenhagen continues to work toward their ambitious goal of becoming the world’s first zero-carbon city by 2025, building in fun, along the way. #### *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.