Tegelwippen: The Netherlands' Great Tile-Flipping Movement

Stichting Steenbreek (born from Operatie Steenbreek, launched by urban ecologists in 2015) runs campaigns and the annual NK Tegelwippen (Dutch Tile-Flipping Championship) that challenge Dutch municipalities to remove as many garden and pavement tiles as possible and replace them with greenery. The 2025 edition set a new record, with residents in 328 participating municipalities flipping nearly 5.9 million tiles in a single year, and roughly 20 million tiles removed nationwide since the competition began in 2020. Greener, unpaved gardens absorb rainwater instead of flooding drains and measurably cool streets during heatwaves, with a green garden running about 7°C cooler than a paved one.