In 2007, a TV documentary produced by the British Broadcasting Corporation judged Vaxjo, Sweden to be the greenest city in Europe. Vaxjo adopted that title as its brand and made...
Category - Ecocity Snapshots
Ecocity Snapshots, Chapter 22: Leuven, Belgium: Water-friendly city
The Dyle River winds though the City of Leuven and flows into three other rivers, eventually reaching the major seaport of Antwerp and the North Sea. Once important to trade and...
Ecocity Snapshots, Chapter 21: Galway, Ireland: Greening the Emerald Isle
Galway, population 80,000, lies on the west coast of Ireland on Galway Bay, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, at the mouth of the Corrib River. It is recognized internationally as a...
Ecocity Snapshots, Chapter 1: Europe’s Greenest Places
Cities are key to our planet’s future. Over half of us now live in cities and an estimated 70 percent of the world’s total population will be urban by 2050 — over six...
Ecocity Snapshots, Chapter 20 – Heidelberg, Germany: Higher degrees of sustainability
Heidelberg is famous for its prestigious university, historic monuments and cultural achievements. But this city of 150,000 people in south-western Germany also won the European...
Ecocity Snapshots, Chapter 19 – Salzburg, Austria: Walkability never gets old
Salzburg has earned worldwide recognition largely by keeping its Baroque historic center remarkably intact since the time of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, its most famous son. But the...
Ecocity Snapshots, Chapter 18: Munich, Germany: Compact – Urban – Green
In 1998, Munich adopted Perspective Munich, a new general plan with a promising ecocity mantra: compact – urban – green. To reach that goal, the City has been fighting...
Ecocity Snapshots, Chapter 17: Barcelona, Spain – Olympics as catalyst
Since the dawn of tourism, Barcelona has lured travelers with its vibrant culture and historic urban character. In the past few decades, this coastal city of 1.6 million has also...
Ecocity Snapshots, Chapter 16: Helsinki, Finland – Planned for implementation
Helsinki is transforming its docklands and industrial centers into compact multi-use neighborhoods, promoting efficient, energy-saving infrastructure and accommodating a swelling...
Ecocity Snapshots, Chapter 15- Mollet del Valles, Spain: Agriculture as Recreation
Mollet del Valles has beautifully merged conservation, local sustainable agriculture, historic preservation, environmental education and recreational open space in Gallecs, a...