Jessica de Heij
@jdeheij.bsky.social
15-minute cities advocacy | Urbanism | Sustainability | 🇳🇱🇳🇿
Views are my own
📍Ōtepoti Dunedin, NZ
Views are my own
📍Ōtepoti Dunedin, NZ
Reposted by Jessica de Heij
Beautiful and thoughtful writing @nzdodo.bsky.social making sense of the climate disaster, the personal tragedies and the real story behind the headlines.
Today's post: @nzdodo.bsky.social on getting beyond splashy headlines, so we can channel our attention and ingenuity towards the real story – and meaningful action: www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2026/01/28/s...
"Splashing out" on climate resilience? - Greater Auckland
On Saturday, an online
www.greaterauckland.org.nz
January 28, 2026 at 8:30 AM
Beautiful and thoughtful writing @nzdodo.bsky.social making sense of the climate disaster, the personal tragedies and the real story behind the headlines.
Most kids in the Netherlands will head to school, without parents, from 7-8 years old.
Because it’s safe to do so.
Because it’s safe to do so.
January 28, 2026 at 6:10 PM
Most kids in the Netherlands will head to school, without parents, from 7-8 years old.
Because it’s safe to do so.
Because it’s safe to do so.
That only took like 3 months. That’s super quick for Dutch standards.
The leaders of three Dutch political parties have said they agreed in principle to form a minority coalition government after months of negotiations.
Dutch parties agree on minority government with Rob Jetten as prime minister
Centrist D66 to team up with center-right and liberal parties, leaders say.
www.politico.eu
January 28, 2026 at 8:57 AM
That only took like 3 months. That’s super quick for Dutch standards.
Reposted by Jessica de Heij
For those of you who watch Shrinking, season 3 is up. No spoilers, but there's a very interesting guest star in episode 1.
January 28, 2026 at 3:36 AM
For those of you who watch Shrinking, season 3 is up. No spoilers, but there's a very interesting guest star in episode 1.
Love walkable cities. Ran into a colleague from our media agency during lunch, and she suggested to have a “meeting” at a bar the end of the day. Hard to say no to that obviously. 😋
Still greyish, but the sun is trying to poke through. ⛅️😎
Still greyish, but the sun is trying to poke through. ⛅️😎
January 28, 2026 at 4:52 AM
Love walkable cities. Ran into a colleague from our media agency during lunch, and she suggested to have a “meeting” at a bar the end of the day. Hard to say no to that obviously. 😋
Still greyish, but the sun is trying to poke through. ⛅️😎
Still greyish, but the sun is trying to poke through. ⛅️😎
Reposted by Jessica de Heij
Drove from Ōtepoti Dunedin to Tokatā Nugget Point Lighthouse to escape the clouds...
45mins before dark & Tahu-nui-a-rangi #Aurora Australis already glowing strong behind the clouds.
Te Tai-o-Ārai-te-uru, Caitlins, New Zealand
Nikon Z7ii 20mmS F/1.8 6sec ISO800 X5 frame pano
20/1/26 9:50pm
45mins before dark & Tahu-nui-a-rangi #Aurora Australis already glowing strong behind the clouds.
Te Tai-o-Ārai-te-uru, Caitlins, New Zealand
Nikon Z7ii 20mmS F/1.8 6sec ISO800 X5 frame pano
20/1/26 9:50pm
January 27, 2026 at 11:51 PM
Drove from Ōtepoti Dunedin to Tokatā Nugget Point Lighthouse to escape the clouds...
45mins before dark & Tahu-nui-a-rangi #Aurora Australis already glowing strong behind the clouds.
Te Tai-o-Ārai-te-uru, Caitlins, New Zealand
Nikon Z7ii 20mmS F/1.8 6sec ISO800 X5 frame pano
20/1/26 9:50pm
45mins before dark & Tahu-nui-a-rangi #Aurora Australis already glowing strong behind the clouds.
Te Tai-o-Ārai-te-uru, Caitlins, New Zealand
Nikon Z7ii 20mmS F/1.8 6sec ISO800 X5 frame pano
20/1/26 9:50pm
Reposted by Jessica de Heij
On the day a motorist pulled across my path sending me flying over the bonnet (whilst travelling in a segregated cycle lane), I was wearing a neon yellow jersey.
On that day I was wearing kit that anti-cyclist policymakers insist on.
To the motorist it was irrelevant because he didn’t look.
On that day I was wearing kit that anti-cyclist policymakers insist on.
To the motorist it was irrelevant because he didn’t look.
“Where the built environment separates human skin and bone from lorries, cars, and buses, there is no need for our frantic striving to make fragile bodies hyper-visible”
“Anyone who thinks cyclists ‘come out of nowhere’ should not be in control of a vehicle”: Author slams ‘be safe, be seen’ hi-vis cycling campaigns, calls for ‘Look, don’t kill’ slogan; TT tinkering; V...
January is never going to end, is it? And on that cheery note, Ryan Mallon’s back for another cold, wet, and very windy shift rounding up all the latest cycling news on the Tuesday live blog
road.cc
January 27, 2026 at 2:07 PM
On the day a motorist pulled across my path sending me flying over the bonnet (whilst travelling in a segregated cycle lane), I was wearing a neon yellow jersey.
On that day I was wearing kit that anti-cyclist policymakers insist on.
To the motorist it was irrelevant because he didn’t look.
On that day I was wearing kit that anti-cyclist policymakers insist on.
To the motorist it was irrelevant because he didn’t look.
Reposted by Jessica de Heij
I feel the clearer air already with the reduction in cars in Tāmaka=i Makaurau city centre; though over Hopetown bridge, alas, all hope is lost. So, #auckland, more of this pls, further, sooner.
Get cars out of your city and stop seeing the air you breathe
January 27, 2026 at 8:14 AM
I feel the clearer air already with the reduction in cars in Tāmaka=i Makaurau city centre; though over Hopetown bridge, alas, all hope is lost. So, #auckland, more of this pls, further, sooner.
Reposted by Jessica de Heij
Actually lots of extra help in this guidance with more nuance around different conditions and much of this should be standard practice anyway.
It won't change the minds of the folks who are against floating bus stops and it still leaves us with the edge cases of shared use bus boarders plus
It won't change the minds of the folks who are against floating bus stops and it still leaves us with the edge cases of shared use bus boarders plus
January 27, 2026 at 6:52 AM
Actually lots of extra help in this guidance with more nuance around different conditions and much of this should be standard practice anyway.
It won't change the minds of the folks who are against floating bus stops and it still leaves us with the edge cases of shared use bus boarders plus
It won't change the minds of the folks who are against floating bus stops and it still leaves us with the edge cases of shared use bus boarders plus
Reposted by Jessica de Heij
New guidance from the UK on floating bus stops. As cycling becomes more mainstream, safe separation between buses, bus passengers, people on foot and people on bikes becomes ever more important.
Actually lots of extra help in this guidance with more nuance around different conditions and much of this should be standard practice anyway.
It won't change the minds of the folks who are against floating bus stops and it still leaves us with the edge cases of shared use bus boarders plus
It won't change the minds of the folks who are against floating bus stops and it still leaves us with the edge cases of shared use bus boarders plus
January 27, 2026 at 8:15 AM
New guidance from the UK on floating bus stops. As cycling becomes more mainstream, safe separation between buses, bus passengers, people on foot and people on bikes becomes ever more important.
Reposted by Jessica de Heij
“Air pollution fell substantially as Paris restricted car traffic and made way for parks, people-streets and bike-lanes.”
Better for the climate, better for health, better for livability and quality of life.
Common sense.
Such a no-brainer, it’s remarkable that more cities HAVEN’T done the same.
Better for the climate, better for health, better for livability and quality of life.
Common sense.
Such a no-brainer, it’s remarkable that more cities HAVEN’T done the same.
Paris said au revoir to cars. Air pollution maps reveal a dramatic change.
Air pollution fell substantially as the city restricted car traffic and made way for parks and bike lanes.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 27, 2026 at 5:16 AM
“Air pollution fell substantially as Paris restricted car traffic and made way for parks, people-streets and bike-lanes.”
Better for the climate, better for health, better for livability and quality of life.
Common sense.
Such a no-brainer, it’s remarkable that more cities HAVEN’T done the same.
Better for the climate, better for health, better for livability and quality of life.
Common sense.
Such a no-brainer, it’s remarkable that more cities HAVEN’T done the same.
Great to see this is going ahead. Closed to cars, but open to people. 👏🎉
FYI the town belt is a section between the city and the hilly suburbs with curvy roads.
FYI the town belt is a section between the city and the hilly suburbs with curvy roads.
January 27, 2026 at 5:44 AM
Great to see this is going ahead. Closed to cars, but open to people. 👏🎉
FYI the town belt is a section between the city and the hilly suburbs with curvy roads.
FYI the town belt is a section between the city and the hilly suburbs with curvy roads.
Reposted by Jessica de Heij
Reposted by Jessica de Heij
Imagine Grant Robertson penned this article without the slightest hint of irony?
www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin...
www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin...
Vice-chancellor takes aim at ‘unsustainable’ funding model
A radical shake-up of how universities are funded is desperately needed, the University of Otago vice-chancellor says. Grant Robertson told the...
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/vice-chancellor-takes-aim-‘unsustainable’-funding-model?fbclid=IwY2xjawPk261leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFteEVjU0tYdG80bWZFd0Izc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHsZUDhT6TnedZml4jq0K6948SQhYrLrTk4jSbriKGo1TV40KivsC0wfs6W08_aem_SXXGhgoxebPY4aYu5bT0Iw
January 26, 2026 at 11:45 PM
Imagine Grant Robertson penned this article without the slightest hint of irony?
www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin...
www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin...
“Mouldy flats aren’t the only reason people leave. They leave because homes and rent are unaffordable. They leave because of long commutes. They leave because they can’t access the jobs and lifestyles they want.“
“Last year, 200 people packed a town hall in Mt Eden to protest apartment buildings being constructed near train stations – and therefore their house.
Last year, 72,500 Kiwis left NZ. That’s nearly a whole Mt Eden town hall per day.”
A @scootfoundation.bsky.social op-ed on the power of yes. #YIMBY
Last year, 72,500 Kiwis left NZ. That’s nearly a whole Mt Eden town hall per day.”
A @scootfoundation.bsky.social op-ed on the power of yes. #YIMBY
The promise of PC120: saying yes to more homes - Greater Auckland
This piece originally ran as an
www.greaterauckland.org.nz
January 26, 2026 at 11:48 PM
“Mouldy flats aren’t the only reason people leave. They leave because homes and rent are unaffordable. They leave because of long commutes. They leave because they can’t access the jobs and lifestyles they want.“
Reposted by Jessica de Heij
“If everyone…drove their car one day less a week—or something like that—that would reduce our emissions a huge amount.
People have a lot of power. I don't think we realise how much power we do have.”
@cubaraglanguy.bsky.social on climate risks - and opportunities! 🌏✊
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
People have a lot of power. I don't think we realise how much power we do have.”
@cubaraglanguy.bsky.social on climate risks - and opportunities! 🌏✊
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Climate change making storms 'more intense'
Extreme storms bear out decades of warnings but it's not too late for people to reduce emissions and slow the effects of climate change, a scientist says.
www.rnz.co.nz
January 26, 2026 at 9:37 PM
“If everyone…drove their car one day less a week—or something like that—that would reduce our emissions a huge amount.
People have a lot of power. I don't think we realise how much power we do have.”
@cubaraglanguy.bsky.social on climate risks - and opportunities! 🌏✊
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
People have a lot of power. I don't think we realise how much power we do have.”
@cubaraglanguy.bsky.social on climate risks - and opportunities! 🌏✊
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
And it’s raining again. 🫣
January 26, 2026 at 11:16 PM
And it’s raining again. 🫣
Reposted by Jessica de Heij
Halvemaansteeg, Amsterdam in 1979 and today.
From being dominated by cars with barely any space for people to a car-free area with cafés and cycleways.
Nothing natural about car dominance - it was a choice, and so was undoing it
From being dominated by cars with barely any space for people to a car-free area with cafés and cycleways.
Nothing natural about car dominance - it was a choice, and so was undoing it
January 26, 2026 at 6:45 PM
Halvemaansteeg, Amsterdam in 1979 and today.
From being dominated by cars with barely any space for people to a car-free area with cafés and cycleways.
Nothing natural about car dominance - it was a choice, and so was undoing it
From being dominated by cars with barely any space for people to a car-free area with cafés and cycleways.
Nothing natural about car dominance - it was a choice, and so was undoing it
Reposted by Jessica de Heij
In case you missed it, Utrecht, Netherlands has begun building the largest Dutch “car-free” neighbourhood.
12K people
6K homes
1.8K social rental homes
1.5 mid-range rental & affordable owner-occupied homes
21.5K bike parking spaces
250 shared cars
2 parcel hubs
Parking structures on the edge.
12K people
6K homes
1.8K social rental homes
1.5 mid-range rental & affordable owner-occupied homes
21.5K bike parking spaces
250 shared cars
2 parcel hubs
Parking structures on the edge.
Utrecht to start construction on largest car-free neighborhood in the country next week
Construction of a new neighborhood is set to begin in Utrecht next week. The neighborhood, called Merwede, is scheduled to be the largest car-free district in the Netherlands, with 6,000 homes. The ar...
nltimes.nl
January 26, 2026 at 8:17 AM
In case you missed it, Utrecht, Netherlands has begun building the largest Dutch “car-free” neighbourhood.
12K people
6K homes
1.8K social rental homes
1.5 mid-range rental & affordable owner-occupied homes
21.5K bike parking spaces
250 shared cars
2 parcel hubs
Parking structures on the edge.
12K people
6K homes
1.8K social rental homes
1.5 mid-range rental & affordable owner-occupied homes
21.5K bike parking spaces
250 shared cars
2 parcel hubs
Parking structures on the edge.
Reposted by Jessica de Heij
clearly basic Dutch rowhouses are unacceptable inhuman, bulky domineering blights on the landscape rather than just regular looking normal homes.
January 26, 2026 at 2:20 AM
clearly basic Dutch rowhouses are unacceptable inhuman, bulky domineering blights on the landscape rather than just regular looking normal homes.
Reposted by Jessica de Heij
bonus from Whangarei Council: "you should make your homes more complicated shapes, increasing the cost of design, construction and consenting, while simultaneously increasing the number of junctions and materials to make it more likely to leak. Because a two story building isn't 'human scale'"
January 26, 2026 at 2:20 AM
bonus from Whangarei Council: "you should make your homes more complicated shapes, increasing the cost of design, construction and consenting, while simultaneously increasing the number of junctions and materials to make it more likely to leak. Because a two story building isn't 'human scale'"
Reposted by Jessica de Heij
Cities became much worse when they started agreeing with this diagram:
January 24, 2026 at 10:11 PM
Cities became much worse when they started agreeing with this diagram: