If the United States launched a green capital contest, which city would win? Would 40 out of the 50 states participate?
In Europe, starting in 2005, they held such a contest and 40 cities competed for the title of Green Capital. These cities were participating not only for the title but to be leading examples of what other cities can do to be environmentally friendly.
In 2010, the first Green Capital of Europe was announced. The winner was Stockholm, Sweden.
Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm is dedicated to maintaining its surrounding water supply and initial sea trade industry that flourished from its location on the Baltic Sea. Stockholm is sometimes referred to as the Venice of the North because of its unique position and water passageways.
Most importantly, the city has always been dedicated to saving the earth and preserving their history but with the added incentive of being named the Green Capital their contribution to all cities will increase.
Many green projects have already been implemented throughout the city. Projects such as:
- The use of bio-gas and sludge/waste from a sewage treatment plant
- The use of rehabilitated buildings with advanced technologies
- New cities based on energy efficiency.
Bio-gas is turned into fuel for public transportation vehicles such as buses, cars and taxis. The sludge from the plant is kept clean enough that it can be used for agricultural purposes such as covering an old copper mine to reconstruct nature. One building at the train station now captures the body heat of the people passing through and converts it into hot water which warms the buildings in that block.
“Stockholm rarely permits demolition of existing buildings and prefers rebuilding and expanding” said Klas Johnasson, head of Jernhusen’s environmental division.
The final example is a newly designed neighborhood that converts 100 percent of its waste into heat and electricity for the homes located there.
