The Netherlands ditches paving stones to make country spongey

The Dutch do love their paving stones, or tiles, as they call them. They keep shoes away from the mud from backyards to schoolyards. But as rainfall and flooding intensify, due to global warming, people are now competing to rip the tiles out as fast as possible, and to plant plants in the newly uncovered earth. “Tile Flipping” has become nearly a sport, as The World’s Gerry Hadden reports.

Will you support The World?

The story you just read is not locked behind a paywall because listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Now more than ever, we need your help to support our global reporting work and power the future of The World. Can we count on you?