good ideas for Czech Republic

Why should state holidays be moved to the weekend?

State holidays are days when we commemorate important events from our history, culture or religion. They are also days when we can rest from work and school and devote ourselves to our interests, family or friends. But what if they fall on Wednesday or Thursday? Then our rhythm of the week is disrupted, we have to adapt to the work pace again and we do not have enough time for relaxation or fun. Therefore, it would be better if state holidays, which are not associated with traditional celebrations, were moved to the weekend, for example to Friday or Monday. This way we would gain several advantages, which would benefit not only us, but also the whole society. Let’s look at some of them:

Benefits for citizens

• Longer weekends. Who wouldn’t want to have four days off instead of two? Longer weekends would allow us to plan our free time better, devote ourselves to our hobbies, sports, reading, learning or anything else that we enjoy. We would also have more time to visit our relatives or friends, whom we do not have time to see during the week. And what about making a trip to nature or to another city? Longer weekends would give us more opportunities to discover new places and experiences.

• Better health and mood. We all know that stress and fatigue are harmful to our body and mind. When we have only one day off in the middle of the week, we do not have enough time to regenerate and gain new energy. On the contrary, when we have longer weekends, we can afford more rest, sleep, relaxation or meditation. This way we would reduce the risk of various health problems, such as headaches, muscle, back, digestive problems, high blood pressure, depression or anxiety. We would also feel happier, more satisfied and optimistic, which would also reflect on our relationships with others.

Benefits for businesses

• Higher productivity and quality of work. It might seem that when we have fewer working days, we will also have less work. But the opposite is true. Studies show that when people work fewer hours or days, they are more efficient, creative and reliable. This is because they are more motivated, focused and enthusiastic about what they do. They also make fewer mistakes, do not have to work overtime and do not get sick as much. All this reflects on the results and profit of businesses, which can compete in the market and grow.

• Lower costs and higher revenues. When businesses have fewer working days, they save on costs associated with operation, energy, material or transportation. They will also have lower costs for wages, social and health insurance or rewards for employees. On the other hand, they will have higher revenues from selling their products or services, because their customers will have more time and money for shopping. This means that businesses will have higher profitability and profitability, which will also be reflected in the taxes they will pay to the state.

Benefits for domestic tourism

• Greater demand for travel. When people have longer weekends, they will have more desire and opportunity to travel somewhere outside their residence. Whether it is to a cottage, to the mountains, to the sea, to a spa or to cultural monuments, people will want to discover new places, enjoy nature, relax or learn something. This will increase the demand for travel services, such as accommodation, catering, transportation, guiding, entertainment or tickets.

• Greater supply of travel services. When there is greater demand for travel, there will also be greater supply of travel services. This means that new hotels, restaurants, cafes, shops, museums, galleries, theaters, parks or sports facilities will open. The quality and diversity of these services will also improve to meet the needs and preferences of different travelers. This will create more jobs, support local entrepreneurs and increase the attractiveness of regions.

Proposal of specific suitable days

5.7. - Day of the Slavic Apostles Cyril and Methodius
6.7. - Day of the burning of Master Jan Hus
28.9. - Day of Czech statehood
28.10. - Day of the establishment of independent Czechoslovakia
17.11. - Day of the fight for freedom and democracy

Other holidays would remain unchanged.

How would South City change if the panel houses were rebuilt?

South City is the largest housing estate in Prague and one of the largest in Europe. It was built in the 70s and 80s of the last century as a solution to the shortage of apartments for the growing population. Today, over 100,000 people live here, occupying thousands of panel apartments in dozens of panel houses. However, these houses are outdated, energy-intensive, poorly insulated and often need repairs. In addition, they are surrounded by a gray and uninviting environment, where there is a lack of greenery, parks, sports facilities, cultural facilities or shops. Therefore, it would be appropriate to rebuild these houses into modern, low-energy, comfortable and aesthetic houses, which would improve the quality of life of their inhabitants and the whole South City. How could it be done?

Plan for the reconstruction of South City

The reconstruction of South City would be a large and long-term project, which would require cooperation between the city management, architects, construction companies, apartment owners and civic associations. The goal would be to gradually replace the old panel houses with new houses, which would be environmentally friendly, safe, comfortable and attractive. The plan would proceed as follows:

• First, a space for a new house would be allocated, which would be built on a vacant space in the South City area. This house would serve to accommodate tenants of the house, which is being rebuilt.

• Then, the owners of the apartments from another house, which would be designated for reconstruction, would move to this house. These owners would get new apartments of the same size as they had in the old house, but with the advantages of the new house. At the same time, their rent and operating costs would be reduced.

• Subsequently, the old house would be demolished and a new house with underground parking and cellars would be built in its place. This house would be slightly wider, so that one small apartment could be added in each entrance and it would be built with one or two extra floors. This would increase the capacity of the house and create an offer of new apartments for sale, which would finance the construction of the house.

• This process would be repeated until all the panel houses in South City were rebuilt. In total, the number of apartments in South City would increase by several thousand, which would help solve the problem of housing shortage in Prague.

Financing the reconstruction of South City

The reconstruction of South City would be costly, but also self-sufficient. The source of financing would be the sale of new apartments, which would be created by adding one apartment in each entrance and two extra floors in each new house. These apartments would be offered at market prices, which would reflect the high quality and attractiveness of the new housing. At an average price of e.g. 7 million crowns per apartment, about 1.2 billion crowns could be obtained from the sale of 171 apartments in one house. This amount would cover the costs of building a new house, including underground parking, cellars, photovoltaics, batteries, heat pumps and other technologies. This would ensure that the reconstruction of South City would be self-sufficient and independent of subsidies or loans

Benefits for the inhabitants of South City

The reconstruction of South City would have many benefits for the inhabitants, who would get:

• New modern apartments. New houses would be built from quality and durable materials, which would ensure thermal and sound insulation, fire protection, barrier-free access and high standard of equipment. The apartments would be spacious, bright, airy and cozy, with the possibility of individual furnishing and adjustment. The apartments would also be equipped with intelligent systems, which would allow to control heating, lighting, ventilation, security or communication with other inhabitants of the house.

• Low-energy apartments. New houses would be designed to minimize energy consumption and use renewable sources. The houses would be equipped with photovoltaic panels and battery storage, which would cover most of the need for electricity for households and common areas. The houses would also use heat pumps, heat recovery, solar water heating. This would reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality and save on energy costs.

• Comfortable parking. New houses would be equipped with underground parking spaces, which would be available for all inhabitants of the house. The parking spaces would be prepared for charging electric cars from photovoltaics or the grid. Parking would be safe, comfortable and cheap, because there would be no parking zones. There would also be no long search for a place on the surface, which would save time and nerves. Elevators would lead from the parking lot directly to the apartments.

• Beautiful outdoor environment. New houses would be surrounded by greenery, flowers, trees and shrubs, which would create a pleasant atmosphere and increase biodiversity. Between the houses, parks, playgrounds, sports facilities, benches, fountains or statues would be created, which would offer opportunities for rest, fun, sport or culture. Some roads would also be abolished, which would be replaced by pedestrian zones, cycle paths or tram tracks. This would increase safety, reduce noise and dust load and improve traffic situation.

Why build noise barriers and photovoltaics on highways?

Highways are essential for fast and comfortable transport between cities and regions. They provide connections between business, industrial, cultural and tourist centers. At the same time, they are also a source of noise, dust, exhaust and other negative impacts on the environment and human health. Therefore, it would be appropriate to build noise barriers and photovoltaic panels on highways, which would reduce these negative impacts and increase the benefits of highways. How would it work and what would be gained by it?

How would noise barriers and photovoltaics be built on highways?

Noise barriers are structures that are built along highways to reduce noise from traffic and protect the surrounding inhabitants, animals and plants. Noise barriers can have different shapes, materials, colors and heights, depending on the need and possibility. Noise barriers can also be combined with photovoltaic panels, which use solar energy to produce electricity. Photovoltaic panels can be placed on the top, on the side or on the front of the noise barriers, depending on the orientation and availability of sunlight. Photovoltaic panels can also be installed on free areas along highways, for example up to 70 meters from the highway, if they are not used for agriculture or other purposes.

What would be gained by building noise barriers and photovoltaics on highways?

Building noise barriers and photovoltaics on highways would have many benefits for the environment, health, economy and society. These benefits include:

• Lower noise load. Noise barriers would reduce the noise level from traffic, which is often above the limit values for health and well-being of people. Noise from traffic can cause stress, insomnia, irritability, headaches, impaired concentration, memory and learning, increased blood pressure, heart disease and other problems. Noise barriers would thus improve the quality of life and health of people who live or work near highways.

• Lower food pollution. Noise barriers and photovoltaics in the strip of e.g. 70 meters from the highway would ensure that agricultural crops are not grown in close proximity to the highway. This way they would not be exposed to exhaust from personal and freight transport.

• Greater production of renewable energy. Photovoltaic panels would use solar energy to produce electricity, which could be used for lighting, signaling, charging electric cars or supplied to the grid. Photovoltaic panels would thus contribute to green and sustainable energy, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions, dependence on fossil fuels and energy costs.