Bright Lights, Big (Green) City

• Posted by Cristina Foung
• On August 26, 2008


• Interests: Environment and Climate Change

When conjuring up an image of city living, people sometimes think of noise, trash, congested streets, miles and miles of concrete, and skyscrapers.  However, what if there was a city with great air quality, lots of green space, and innovative ways of dealing with urban issues?  Well, not only is there one city like this, there are several and the numbers are growing.  Cities all across America are taking steps to improve their environments and the lives of their residents.  Here are three cities, from west coast to east coast, that are leading the way.

San Francisco, CA:

The city by the bay has long had a reputation of valuing sustainability.  Well, the reputation is deserved.  San Francisco is a nationwide leader in renewable energy generation.  In 2001, voters passed a $100 million solar bond measure.  The city has installed large solar systems on top of the city’s wastewater plant and convention center.  Also, in March 2007, the Giants’ major league ballpark announced that they would be the first to bring solar panels and 120 kilowatts of clean energy to San Francisco residents.  There is even an effort underway to investigate tidal power generation from the ocean and the San Francisco Bay. 

Along these lines, Mayor Gavin Newsom has put clean technology business development on the city’s to-do list.  But the city already has a variety of green business ranging from environmentally-friendly dry cleaning to electronics recycling to green architecture (San Francisco has more than 20 building projects registered for LEED certification).  Also, 29.6% of residents commute via public transportation (such as the Bay Area Rapid Transit rail system, a hard rail system that connects other Bay Area cities to San Francisco, and a regional ferry system) and with the addition of the Third Street Light Rail Line, San Francisco expects this figure to increase.   Walking or bicycling to work is also a frequent choice for many residents. 

A lot of the city is green in color too: it's 20% parkland with the rolling expanses of Golden Gate Park, Ocean Beach, and the Presidio National Park among others.  San Francisco also tops the list with a large offering of local food (and many restaurants that showcase that food) and a municipal composting system (equipped with biodegradable bags too).  This weekend, San Francisco will be hosting Slow Food Nation, a celebration of delicious, sustainable, and just food.

Austin, TX:

As the home of the first Whole Foods Market and 205 parks, 25 greenbelts, and 14 nature preserves, Austin is the green gem of all of Texas.  By 2020, the city plans on meeting 20% of its energy needs with renewable sources.  By the same year, as part of the Austin Climate Protection Plan, all facilities, operations, and fleets will be carbon neutral and city facilities will be entirely powered with renewable energy by 2012.  The city already leads the country in wind power and biodiesel production. 

Its Smart Growth Initiative was designed with sustainability in mind – it aims to ensure clean water, wide spread mass transit, and a pedestrian-friendly city.  Austin has established minimal requirements for energy efficiency in its central district and is planning on revamping building codes to call for the most energy efficient residential and commercial structures (by 2015, all new construction would be 75% more energy efficient).  Also, its Green Builder program provides homeowners, renters, and design professionals alike with information about energy efficiency and sustainable design.  Beyond this, the city has protections of natural watershed area and multiple farmers markets.

New York, NY:

That’s right.  The city that never sleeps is among the greenest in the country.  To start, the city’s density (which makes many a suburbanite cringe) is the trick.  The high population density keeps the use of fossil fuels (and pesticides) low.  In fact, residents of New York use gasoline at the rate United States citizens did in the 1920s.  82% of Manhattan residents also commute by public transit (New York has an extensive and storied subway system), by bicycle, or on foot – that’s ten times more than the average. 

New York also offers one of the best water filters.  The Catskill and Croton area watershed is one of the largest protected urban watersheds and serves as the city’s natural filtration and water source.  Central Park is the wilderness among the skyscrapers and offers residents a place to jog, fly kites, or take in some sun.  But many of the skyscrapers (and apartment blocks and schools and mixed-use buildings) are green too!  With a large number of certified sustainable buildings, many skyscrapers are undergoing development of green roofs (or roof top gardens) which help to reintroduce foliage to the city. 

Other green industries, ranging from clothing design to media to architecture to furniture making, are blossoming in New York as well.  Food is greening up too!  In all five of the boroughs, residents have access to farmers markets (there are a total of 72) and the city has the biggest urban gardening program in the United States (the Green Thumb program supports over 700 gardens).  What’s more, Mayor Michael Bloomberg put sustainability on the city’s agenda in a big way with PlaNYC2030.  The plan took input from the community to develop strategies to make land, air, water, energy, and transportation in the city sustainable with 30% reductions in carbon dioxide emissions and ensure a healthier environment for New Yorkers.  Thanks to these efforts and many others, the Big Apple is a beautiful shade of green.

Cristina Foung is the Green Community Lead at Huddler.com, a research and review site for all things green from electric cars to organic toothpaste.  With collaborative wiki articles, discussion forums, image hosting, product reviews, and more, the Green Home Huddle offers something for everyone, from the deep green eco-warrior to the eco-newbie.

Vote and let your voice be heard!
YES	NO
Click to Vote Yes	Click to Vote No

• Comments (2)
• Email This
•