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Greensburg is going to great lengths to ensure that when it emerges as brand new community it'll be an example to green cities everywhere. So what, exactly, makes a city green? We’ve come up with a list of five basic aspects that make a city lean green (though some might not apply to Greensburg, which only has a couple thousand residents, after all):
- Public Transportation—We'll start the list off with a big one. As most of us know, automobile usage is a leading contributor to environmentally-unfriendly greenhouse gas emissions. Pushing cars as far out of the picture as possible is a big factor in going green. And to do that, you need alternative transportation. Cities like New York, Boston, and Chicago all have excellent subway systems, San Francisco has a dependable bus system, and Portland has all that and an extensive bike lane circuit to boot. Los Angeles is the big loser here, and consequently maybe the most polluted city in the U.S., thanks to sprawling highways, a thriving SUV culture, and an ineffective subway system.
- Electricity—You may not be entirely sure how your city gets its power, but chances are, unless you live in Eugene, Oregon, it's not from windmills. Windmills give the city nearly ten percent of its power, and much of the rest comes from hydroelectric dams—another clean source. Other electric winners are San Francisco, which turns unused roof space into solar power.
- Actual Green—Things like tree-lined streets and abundant parks actually do make a difference. And we don't just mean aesthetically. The more green you see, the more you breathe—parks and trees can improve air quality and bolster public health. Chicago, Ill. may be the leader of the pack here, with 12,000 acres devoted to parks and beaches.
- Recycling—Another staple of green urban living is an effective recycling system. It might be hard to tell how well your city's works exactly, but a weekly pickup for glass and plastics is a good start.
- Green Events/Attitude—Does your city care? Check your local newspaper events listings to determine just how bent on going green the good people of your metropolis are. Community awareness is an absolutely necessary ingredient in creating a green city, so if you find that yours is lacking in the areas above, this is a fine category to get started on making some improvements.
This post was inspired by Greensburg.
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