Freedom is feeling unrestricted, of not depending on something or someone.
At Linky Innovation we like to see freedom as an energy that speaks to us of a different way of living, of a new man, who seeks freedom every single day, hour, and instant, like a flower pursuing the light.
A freedom that is above all a mental state, a condition that can be summed up in the possibility we give ourselves every day to discover a new side of ourselves, without judgment, insecurity, and preconceptions guiding our actions.
Often, today, the most common forms of slavery are self-induced and without real chains. Slavery is hidden in vices, habits, appearances…
Freedom is a pleasant feeling that we would all like to experience in every action we take: from choosing how to dress without being afraid of the judgments of others, to being able to express our opinions or to move freely from one place to another.
Every day we move to get to work or to meet friends. How many times have you experienced commuting as a stressful and unpleasant experience, because of external factors such as traffic, or the deficits of public transport in the city where you live? Having to wait for a bus that never arrives, driving hours to find a parking space, and so on.
What could you do with that time? Maybe spend it with friends, loved ones, or on the couch reading a book.
Urban Freedom
When we talk about the freedom of being able to move around the city we need to mention the concept of micro-mobility, a new and very often used term to define the freedom to travel small distances.
Short-distance travel can be made fun, affordable, and convenient again.
Short trips are the most common ones, and with micro-mobility, you can make them more enjoyable. We can enjoy the freedom to take a walk around town without restrictions.
Imagine for a moment: instead of waiting for a crowded bus to get to your place of work, you could use a folding bike or a Linky, thus becoming more autonomous and independent. Or you could leave your car outside the city center where it’s easier to park and then you could reach your destination on an electric skateboard, making those few miles an opportunity to have fun.
Using green and personal vehicles means an increase in personal freedom, generating a sense of well-being and serenity that affects us and those around us.
If more people ditched or reduced car use at least for short trips, our cities would have more space for green areas, and we very well know how much being in touch with nature has a positive impact on our mental health.
How we imagine the cities of the future
During the long lockdown periods due to the Covid-19 pandemic, one of the habits assumed by many people living in cities has been an increased frequentation of urban green spaces. The sound of trees in the wind, the smell of nature, and even the rain on our faces became restorative moments during a time of restrictions that drastically affected our daily lives… These moments made us realize how important green and public spaces are for our mental and physical well-being. However, we also realized that the accessibility and availability of adequate green and public spaces are poor in most of our cities. Urban areas are not always as pleasant as we would like them to be.
Cities provide access to hospital and healthcare infrastructure that treats and improves our lives, but at the same time, the urban environment exposes us to risks that negatively impact our health: air pollution, traffic, stress, loneliness, and isolation.
A green, walkable city is hardly a new or revolutionary idea, but the pandemic has made this need more evident than ever. For the first time, globally, we have rediscovered our innate tendency to seek a connection with nature and collectively expatiate on the feelings of well-being we experience when surrounded by natural environments.
The challenge, for us at Linky Innovation, is to develop and implement solutions that allow people to feel free, to be able to enjoy as much as possible every moment of their day, from going to work, shopping, or meeting with loved ones, improving the overall well-being of the planet that hosts us.
Change is a phenomenon that happens gradually, but there has to be a beginning. Your choice today will contribute to a more sustainable, respectful, peaceful future for us and the generations to come.
