What Is a Green City?

Today, many city mayors are working to get their cities focused on the environmental movement. For many of those mayors, their goal is to convert their city into a green city. By thriving to achieve green status, leaders are acting to improve the quality of the air, lower the use of non-renewable resources, encourage the building of green homes, offices, and other structures, reserve more green space, support environmentally-friendly methods of transportation, and offer recycling programs.

On 16 February 2005, an international agreement regarding climate disruption, the Kyoto Protocol, was ratified by over 140 countries. At that time, the mayor of Seattle, Greg Nickels, decided to promote the aspirations of the Kyoto Protocol in Seattle. He also encouraged other cities in the United States to follow suit by urging those in positions of leadership to consider adopting the principles of the Kyoto Protocol through the Climate Protection Agreement; thereby creating a green city. By June of 2005, 141 mayors had signed on. By early 2009, the Agreement had been signed by 935 mayors, affecting over 83 million citizens.

The Climate Protection Agreement is part of the base structure for a green city. Through the Agreement, cities agree to three points of action:

1. Attempt to meet or exceed the targets set forth in the Kyoto Protocol for their own cities through anti-sprawl policies to the restoration of forests to educating the public on environmental issues;
2. Encourage state and federal government to establish policies to meet or exceed the greenhouse gas reduction target set by the Kyoto Protocol for the United States – which was a reduction of the levels from 1990 by 7% by 2012;
3. Encourage legislation to reduce greenhouse gases and establish a system for handling national emission of greenhouse gases.

Every year the top cities are urged to submit an application for an award proving that they are a green city. There are quite a few cities that consistently reach that status: Boulder, Colorado; Portland, Oregon; Seattle, Washington – to name just a few. Each year, new cities are added to the list as the importance of environmentalism becomes more widespread.

For people looking to start their lives in a green city, a little research can tell wonders on the path the city is taking. For example, a green city will have little fuel exhaust pollution. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) has an Air Quality Index that ranks the ozone and particulate found in the air for cities through out US. In addition, a green city will support and encourage public transportation that is environmentally-friendly and provide carpool lanes, bike lanes, and plenty of sidewalks and inner city walking trails.

A green city will typically already use or have plans to use alternative fuels. These fuels can include biomass, hydroelectric, geothermal, solar, and wind. Cities that use these alternative fuels are listed through government green power websites. It will also have plenty of green spaces and a municipal recycling program. Lastly, it will have safe and high quality drinking water that exceed the Drinking Water Standards.

A green city thrives when its residents adopt eco-friendly practices. To contribute, switch to the best detergent sheets for a greener laundry routine. These sheets simplify washing while minimizing your ecological impact. By making mindful choices like these, you actively shape a more sustainable urban environment and promote a collective commitment to a greener future.