Top 10 green U.S. cities
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1. Portland, Ore.
The city of microbrewery mania and home to megastore Powell's Books — one of the few remaining independent booksellers in the country — is No. 1 in sustainability. Declared the most bikeable city in the United States for its 200 miles of dedicated bike lanes, Portland certainly makes forgoing gas-powered travel easy. And for lessons in DIY sustainable food sources, classes are available for container gardening and cheese making, or beekeeping and chicken keeping.
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Portland is the greenest city because of me and my bicycle. Don't forget the Portland Nude Bicycle Parade is coming up on June 2nd. To show our determination to save the planet, we veteran cyclists often remove the seats from our bikes during this event.
If you dare to join us, you can obtain post lube and a Portland Bumpy Roads Map at any of the area cycling specialty shops.
So, according to all of you, what then, should be done? Other than taking steps to attempt to minimize our carbon footprints as individuals and as communities, all we can do is decrease the world population. I agree with the statement that urban sprawl and cities are playing gigantic parts in the demise of our environment and I am often sickened by the lack of disrespect with which our earth is all too often treated, but I can't control the rest of the world. All I can do is my part and try to.... More
Boulder? They listed chicago but not Boulder? Flawed
I've recently visited the city of Boulder; beautiful as it is, and I am a Chicagoan that feels the city is not as bad as you may think. However they probably rated on more than just scenic beauty, and Chicago is a scenic city; just man-made. I'm sure laws, and incentives are the main reason. I also gather population could play a part in the list as well. You could add a few cities in Colorado together and still not have as high a population. Also at the top of the blurb for Chicago it mentions.... More
Kinda like listing the top most democratic cities in China. All US cities have a long ways to go before becoming truly sustainable. Glad they are at least trying though.
Oh and by the way, in general cities are greener than small towns and suburbs. Density reduces people's environmental footprint.
...in terms of low carbon use. Living in the country and driving 10 miles to get groceries twice a week etc is no match for a DENSE downtown where you are forced to take public transit and walk. Also the sprawling estate with 15 rooms uses more resources than a small condo downtown, Etc.
Read 'Green Metropolis: Why Living Smaller, Living Closer, and Driving Less are the Keys to Sustainability' by David Owen.
It may not be as nice for the humans, who love open space and nature.... More
It may give politicians and developers a warm fuzzy feeling inside when they see a LEED-certified building being erected, but the truth of the matter is that cities are not green no matter how many energy efficient buildings they boast, or what catchphrases they may claim: cities are the gray of concrete, and the brown of smog. The bigger a city gets (growth is undeniably good, no?), the more impactful it is on the environment. Sure, some cities are less polluting than others. Some cities.... More
Read da book.
Of course slowing population growth is what will have to ultimately happen in order to coexist on Earth...but....well....just read the book.
http://www.amazon.com/Green-Metropolis-Smaller-Driving-Sustainability/dp...
Interview with David Owen:
.... More
Do I have to spell it out for you? Economic growth is not "green." Cities are growth machines; they expand upwards and outwards; they require exorbitant resources. I am not pitting dense living space versus open living space. I am pointing out that a city labeled "green" is only less damaging than one that carries no such label.
The point? "Green" is a euphemism that makes people feel good; but in the end, 10, 20, or 30 new "green" housing developments or LEED-certified buildings.... More
You are probably a very environmentally minded person who is very frustrated and angry at what you see happening to the planet. I have to agree with your frustration. Humans are not environmental, cities are not environmental. But if we consider that humans have very likely evolved several times before and each time we have self destructed. But it is also believed that each time we have come a little bit further towards "not self destructing". We all know that the US government is not going to.... More
America really "Wonderful" All of them complain against US is not siginatory to "Kyotprotcol treaty", look at the initiatives taken by individual states are simply "laudable".
best regards
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