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Comment by Fatboyrunning | Hacker News Reader

After visiting Venice a week ago I say do whatever it takes! Save the city! It's a floating wonderland, even though its a bit stinky.

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Seriously, one of the true wonders of the world. It is amazing it was not fully ruined in XX century with cars and advertisements and "modern" architecture. I feel like all of the western civilisation should be spending money on saving Venice, considering its historic influence as well.

A friend of mine, Venetian by birth, says that he thinks Venice is the "city of the future", even more than a city of the past.

I agree 100%. If every city had vehicle traffic fully grade-separated from pedestrians the way the Venice does, they would be much more livable and safe.

We got enough debt and unfilled payments to go around already. Let those who want to save it spend their own personal money by donating it to certain accounts. And do not shoulder everyone with stupid waste of money.

And why pick only it to save? Don't any dying city build in 1900s deserve to be saved too?

It's a global problem, and tourism is part of it, overconsumerism, high-polluting lifestyles

Let's stop acting short-term

It's a modern problem. Below the current city are the remains of several other cities that previously sank into the muck. The problem only became difficult to manage when we stopped rebuilding over sunken structures and started continually investing in extremely complex and heavy structures that we are hesitant to write off.

Problem is that without those old buildings there are no real practical reasons to live in Venice or build anything on top.

Let’s stop corporations and governments from acting short-term.

it's 50% governments, 50% individual actions

the rest follows

I’m sure if we compare governments and corporations with impact of individuals it’s not 50/50. Govs and corporations have much bigger chance at changing large scale factors, quite obviously. Even individual behaviour is in the hands of the governments – see France banning short flights as example.

the same could be said on the power of people above all with inflation, drought, heat waves, pollution waves, mindsets change slowly but surely, it'll become shameful to have noisy and polluting vehicles. I can see some environmental revolution in the future, environmental migrants, environment will be problem number 1, far ahead of minor things like covid. Government often follow and react. I'm french and this law is a bit of an experiment, very minor https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/24/world/europe/france-short... I live near Nice, a plane landing every minute, at least 6 planes trail visible in the sky, when there's not too much pollution, the government is still subsidising airplane companies, airports etc. It's not enough, we need quotas of a few air flights in our lives, no more

the smell is part of the "experience" of Venice ;) like McDonald's

I visited Venice for the first time last August, and did not really smell anything stinky.

My wife is extremely sensitive to smells. Neither did she.

Is there a particular time when it’s stinkier?

Also always confused by this - been there 5 times over the years in different seasons and never had any issues with it

I've been there once, also didn't notice any stink. Maybe it's a seasonal thing?

Yep, raising a hand ... we were there in March/April ... no smell.

I'd grown up thinking of Venice as the stinky city of Europe, lol

It's a magical city.

Soso smelly.

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