Leave space for the soil to be healthy and let water through, to seep into the soil and contribute to a healthy soil-below-the-surface environment. 

 

It means:

Less road surfaces: a lessening of actual % hardened, not-letting-moisture-through surface. 

 

Either by using tiles with holes, or using different road building materials, 

which also can be more sparsely used (for example only for the tracks of the wheels). 

 

Sidewalks can be bark-paved-paths or earthen paths with plants and grass alongside them.

Soft surfaces, letting water through to the lower soil layers and groundwater.

Making heavy rain a lesser problem, also in cities.  

 

This petition pleads for:

1. A more pragmatic approach on the choice of closing off, hardening a surface.
2. More carefull choices in this: 'less is perhaps more'.
3. Sanctions or taxes for hardened surfaces (or quota in %, for example).

 

Petition to the Dutch government.