Treehugger has compiled a nice list of their favorite “7 Hidden Eco-Gems” – below-the-radar cities that stand out for their sustainable urban development and effectiveness as emerging ‘greening cities’. They’re quick to admit their ranking was subjective, but they did take into account these elements in deciding whether or not a city was truly ‘greening’ (no city, in their opinion, has earned the title of being really ‘Green’):
- Good streets for bike and pedestrian traffic
- Robust transit
- Lots of green canopy
- Expanding and connecting of open spaces
- Natural storm water management techniques
- Renewable energy for metropolitan power generation
Their Top 7:
Malmö, Sweden
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Singapore
Bahía de Caráquez, Ecuador
Cape Town, South Africa
Brighton, United Kingdom
Seattle, Washington
What city would you add to the list? (Our thoughts: Philadelphia, PA; Oakland, CA; Austin, TX…)
[via Treehugger]
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Monocle did a great piece on best 20 places to live in around the world.
well worth a read.
November 6th, 2008 at 3:15 am
If there were a second tier I’d add Bogota, Colombia Here’s an interesting documentary on how the city has been revitalized: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1493018781552435759
The focus in Bogota has been on creating a civic-minded urban culture and a more live-able city. A positive side effect is that the city’s environmental conditions have improved as a result of smart urban planning.
November 6th, 2008 at 1:20 pm