July 2008
EDITORIAL
Dear Reader,
For years, we have faced the ultimate exhaustion of fossil fuels. Though it sometimes sounded like science fiction when scientists or members of the Green Parties warned of a severe energy shortage, these futuristic prognoses have become our sad reality. A quick glance at the continuous rise of gas prices is just one sign, but activities in the United Arab Emirates are also worth a minute of consideration. In my opinion, it speaks volumes when Abu Dhabi—a country whose enormous wealth is solely based on the oil troves of the past 50 years—suddenly plans the world’s first entirely self-sustaining city based on a photovoltaic power plant. Masdar City, which will be created by British star architect Norman Foster, will be a car-free zone with zero carbon dioxide emissions. While many of the ecologic devices of this future green polis also sound like science fiction coming to reality, other strategies to create eco-friendly urban surroundings should sound quite familiar to Munich residents: a compact network of streets and shops that encourage walking, a seamless infrastructure of public transportation and the introduction of a recycling system to reduce waste.
Indeed, taking a closer look at our hometown, we see that Münchner are fortunate to have access to many ecological and energy-saving measures that are convenient and even enjoyable. For example, this issue of MUNICH FOUND contains a number of suggestions for great leisure and culinary destinations that can be easily reached by bicycle or public transportation. Further topics include the packed schedule of open-air events and recommendations on beach bars in the city. They may not make a flight (or car-ride) to Mediterranean regions obsolete, but these innovative outdoor bars will certainly add to the many reasons why staying in Munich during the summer can be just as eventful and exhilarating as a holiday trip.
The MUNICH FOUND team wishes you a wonderful summer!
Sincerely,
Katharina Adler
Managing Editor
