Now that we’ve sorted out which country ranks first as the greenest nation, according to the 2010 EPI, how do individual Canadian cities fare?
The Canadian Press reports that in the area of urban sustainability, Vancouver, Toronto and Yellowknife are leaders in each of their respective categories: big cities with a population over 700,000, medium cities with a population over 250,000 and small cities with a population under 250,000.
According to the fourth annual study by the independent Corporate Knights group, Yellowknife has done a 3-peat and come in first again in the small cities category, thanks largely to its extensive trail system that allows many residents to walk to work, as well as using public transit.
In the medium cities category, Vancouver beat out two-time winner Halifax, due in part to stricter GHG reduction plans, an increase of bike paths and green spaces, and a penchant for local produce.
Toronto took first place from Edmonton in the big cities category with statistics on their side. Apparently, greenhouse gas emissions are 40 percent lower than 1990 levels. Also, more Torontonians prefer green commuting options and conserve energy at home.
For the purposes of the report, Corporate Knights define sustainability as the “ability of individuals and communities to flourish without contributing to the progressive degradation of the human and natural systems on which we depend.”
To rate 16 different cities, researchers used five areas of study: ecological integrity, which includes things like air quality, water use, waste diversion, green spaces, and bans on insecticides, etc; economic security, including that which comes from an abundance of green collar jobs and incentives to attract green businesses; governance and empowerment; infrastructure and built environment, including supporting LEED certified buildings and implementing bike paths and car sharing; and social well-being.
So, from the world-renowned title of Greenest Nation, to cities with first-place urban sustainability awards, it all really comes down to people. Green people, or citizens, who walk more, waste less and do their part to improve the area they call home.
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In the context of today’s world, ‘consuming’ and ‘balance’ in the same sentence seems to be an oxymoron.
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