The greenest cities on the planet
Town called concrete jungle, contrasting their nature. But many Western populations, even very large ones, have long ceased to be just a natural opposites: their inhabitants live amidst greenery and breathe clean air. And many of these cities.
Hard to believe, but this destructive creature as a man, under certain circumstances, more than capable of living in harmony with nature and yourself. Civilization accumulated knowledge and technology already enough for you to create complex technological ecosystem where possible full symbiosis between man and nature without the oppression of the last and the ruthless exploitation of non-renewable energy sources. Perhaps if every inhabitant of our planet visited (at least virtually) in one of these “smart” cities and the ideas of energy self-sufficiency and environmental cleanliness own environment, then our lives would be a little better and easier.
Reykjavik, Iceland
In Iceland, the majority of the population lives in the capital. With a relatively large number of citizens (about 300,000 people), the space is organized in such a way that people feel as comfortable and at ease.
There is no oppressive architecture gigantism, skyscrapers, traffic jams and noise. Even in the heart of the cozy and quiet: the sidewalks sun loungers where you can feel free to seal collapse and lie a few hours after a long walk around the city.
Needless to say that the capital trying to maximize plant trees and gardens: flowers and trees here grow along the roads, sidewalks, on private land. Town planning is that every square meter of asphalt is diluted three square meters of green space, allowing a bird’s-eye Reykjavik rather like a big village than to the city, to which we are accustomed.
Citizens try to make maximum use of environmentally friendly vehicles: electric cars, bicycles, or even a small car. To see in the city pickup or powerful “BMW” is almost impossible.
Malmo, Sweden
At the end of the last century, Malmö had not the best of times – there are several large factories closed, followed by mass layoffs and the outflow from the workforce. It seemed that this was once a thriving and bustling city life and fade away empty.
But Malmo was destined to a different fate – now is the city of the future, one of the most comfortable accommodation and the greenest on the planet. This required several billion euro investment, the opening of the university and the construction of a giant bridge, which connects Malmö and Copenhagen.
After Malmo goodbye to their factory last, the city began to turn from the industrial to the cloaca in the place where you want to live today Malmo self-sufficient energy taken from renewable sources on the street a lot of electric and greens seated not only the streets but rooftops. And Malmo – a paradise for cyclists. There are about fifty kilometers of bicycle paths though the city itself is located on the plains – it makes the bike ideal means of transportation.
Vancouver, Canada
Vancouver – another dream city where organized ecosystem in which there is a place and a tree, and animal and man. Energy saving, saving, cleanliness, green – these words describe exhaustively government initiative to transform Vancouver the greenest city in the world in terms of the development of urban infrastructure.
Authorities are trying to test and implement innovative technology that can make people’s lives better and simpler way of recycled plastic, vertical gardens on the walls of buildings, widespread charging for electric vehicles, instead of the usual mall sidewalks and roads and more. Sometimes designers so flirts with the idea of landscaping that blends in with the city’s real forest with wild animals, mosquitoes and clean air.
Parks in Vancouver located in the most expensive places (for example, Queen Elizabeth Park), and instead of mansions and palaces here build benches and gazebos. But do not think that all of the local population is all intelligent and cleanly: locals litter too, but clean qualitatively here, so the streets are clean and well maintained in all areas.
Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador
Bahia de Caraquez, perhaps not so well off and raduzhen like Vancouver or Reykjavik, but, nevertheless, what little big city will be able to compete with him in the amount of green space. Designers and developers Bahia de Caraquez izgalyatsya not much with the form, leaving the idea of vertical gardens and other delights, but take the soul of the content: a huge number of gardens, parks, lawns and all that can make concrete thickets of modern cities a little less stuffy and cramped.
Interestingly, the Bahia de Caraquez became transformed after the earthquake in 1990 that destroyed the town infrastructure. He rose from the ruins, becoming more beautiful and more attractive for tourists.
Today it introduced programs to conserve biological diversity and operates the world’s only farm, raising shrimp.
Austin, USA
Despite the fact that the history of Austin related to the oil industry, this garden city in the near future to meet domestic demand for energy exclusively from renewable alternative sources. Today it is one of the cleanest and greenest cities in North America, so that makes it stand out against other in Texas.
About 20 percent of the city is occupied by green spaces, here the infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians. At any point in the city can be easily reached by bicycle. Not surprisingly, Austin became a magnet for artists and students, so that the population here has a more liberal and progressive views compared to neighboring towns, which opens up new opportunities for innovation in the life of the city and its citizens.
