We just spent a few days visiting Portland, Oregon, which is ranked #1 in several lists of Top 10 Green Cities in America.
Here is what SustainLane wrote about why Portland gets top honors:
"Portland's support of local farmers and farmers' markets; its explosion of green buildings and commitment to renewable energy, and its emphasis on mass transportation, including light rail and bicycles, shows that a city can not only be kind to the earth, but also flourish economically and grow by being green.
America’s top green city has it all: Half its power comes from renewable sources, a quarter of the workforce commutes by bike, carpool or public transportation, and it has 35 buildings certified by the U.S. Green Building Council."
One of the things that was most evident in driving through Portland is the bike lanes everywhere and the separate bus and train lanes throughout the streets. According to the city's sustainable development director, Portland aims to be a "20 Minute City" -- where residents spend 20 or less minutes traveling from home to work, shop or play. Portland also ranks as the #1 best biking and #1 best walking city in the U.S.
Portland also has many, many parks throughout the city. Our host in Portland told us an apt quote "New York is a city with a park in the middle, and Portland is a park with a city in the middle". We visited Forest Park on the west side of Portland, with 5,156 acres, one of the largest urban forests in the U.S. On the other end of the size spectrum we visited Mill Ends Park, which is the smallest park in the world measuring just 24 inches in diameter. It was created as a park for leprechauns and snail races!
It was great to see such a vibrant, green city!
Be well,
Colin
www.OurRenewableNation.org
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