Heroes Not Zombies

I’ve visited Copenhagen a number of times, but always in November or December. It’s cold at that time of year. One thing that really strikes me is how every cafe you see has some outdoor seating and on the seats they have blankets for the customers to use to keep them warm.

I don’t see that in France. At least, hardly ever. I’m not sure if it’s still the case, but it used to be that you were more likely to see outdoor heaters blasting over the heads of customers sitting at tables outside in the winter, but, not so much blankets. I don’t remember seeing it in Scotland either, but in Scotland there isn’t such a street cafe culture as there is on mainland Europe.

It seems to me that this is an excellent example of cultural adaptation to weather conditions. There’s that famous old saying that there is no such thing as bad weather, just inadequate clothing. Blankets fall into that category of the right clothing for the weather, even if you only wear them while sitting sipping your street coffee.

But there’s something else about the virtually universal outdoor seating with blankets in Copenhagen. People must really like to be outdoors. I don’t know what the smoking rules are in Denmark, but I’m guessing it’s not just smokers who like to take their coffee outside in all seasons. I admire that desire for fresh air.

And there’s a third thing – beauty – these blankets are often brightly coloured and patterned. They make the seats seem even more inviting, don’t they?

So, three things impress me about this phenomenon – adaptation to weather conditions, a preference for fresh air, and a desire to see beauty. It works!

I wonder how we will adapt to the changes in the climate. Will habits change to be a better fit with the weather? What will we prioritise?