| As we see more eco-developments and retrofits | | | | forward thinking on this front from as early as 1930. |
| popping up in our towns and cities; making offices, | | | | Even back then hot water was drawn from natural |
| homes and all other buildings more environmentally | | | | springs to the city's buildings and since then the use |
| friendly and energy efficient is ever more prominent. | | | | of this natural resource has only increased as |
| But which cities around the world have and continue | | | | technology has developed. The city has the ability to |
| do it the best? | | | | be powered solely by geothermal energy and its |
| Copenhagen, Denmark | | | | electricity network draws in 750 megawatts of |
| Denmark's capital Copenhagen largely has its | | | | power from natural steam as well as utilising a hot |
| residents to thank for being one of the greenest | | | | water distribution system generating 60 million cubic |
| cities on the globe. Compared to other populations | | | | metres of hot water a year! Estimates show that |
| they really do some extremely environmentally | | | | this use of geothermal power saved the environment |
| conscious with 36% cycling to work and school | | | | from around 110 million tons of CO2 emissions |
| making Copenhagen Europe's second largest cycling | | | | between 1944 and 1996 alone! |
| city. Carbon emissions have been reduced by 20 per | | | | Portland, USA |
| cent since 1990, mainly due to the enormous wind | | | | Consistently ranked as the most sustainable city in |
| farm off the city's harbour that supplies it with | | | | the USA, Portland in Oregon has been thinking about |
| energy equivalent to the amount needed to supply | | | | its impact on the environment since the 1970s. Long |
| 32,000 homes. Copenhagen is also home to the | | | | before anyone else the city had enacted strict |
| world's biggest district heating system that supplies | | | | land-use regulations, an urban growth boundary and |
| 97 per cent of the city's homes. On top of this, | | | | began plans for sustainable development. Even 30 |
| Copenhagen's advanced waste management system | | | | years ago Portland was thinking green, the fact they |
| allows for 90 per cent of building waste to be | | | | demolished a huge highway in order to build a |
| recycled. Sound like a lot? Well, the city plans to | | | | waterfront park proves it! Portland's forward thinking |
| reduce its carbon emissions by another 20 per cent | | | | is renowned worldwide and the city have produced |
| by 2015! | | | | the '20 Minute City' plan aiming to provide residents |
| Reykjavik, Iceland | | | | with everything including school, shops and work |
| Using what the environment supplies us is the | | | | within a 20 minute walk of home. Through such |
| essence of green living and Reykjavik does exactly | | | | initiatives, Portland plans to fulfill all its energy |
| that! This city is history's largest and most | | | | requirements with renewable sources by the end of |
| complicated geothermal heating user and has been | | | | this year! |