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Sustainable City is a dedicated initiative to achieve the long-term sustainability of San Francisco's built and natural environment. It includes city-wide and neighborhood-scale efforts addressing classically environmental sustainability categories: climate protection, energy, water, waste and materials, air quality, ecology and resilience.

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Sustainable City is a dedicated initiative to achieve the long-term sustainability of San Francisco's built and natural environment. It includes city-wide and neighborhood-scale efforts addressing classically environmental sustainability categories: climate protection, energy, water, waste and materials, air quality, ecology and resilience.

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Widely revered as a global powerhouse on the eco-scene, the Golden City of San Francisco is spearheading environmental leadership and sustainability in the United States. Environmental accountability is interwoven in the fabric of the Bay Area city as sustainability practices in San Francisco continue to be record breaking. Frontrunners in innovation and green initiatives, this Golden City leads the way when it comes to proper waste disposal, eco-friendly buildings, air quality, carbon emissions, and many other areas. With such inspiring and effective practices, these community-led movements are encouraging residents to protect and promote green measures, successfully incentivising more than 43,000 residents to swap their cars for bicycles as their primary means of commuting. Sustainability in San Francisco is setting a stellar example for the rest of the world, read on the find out more about this shining city's sustainability successes.

Transport

The San Francisco cable car is the world's last manually operated cable car system and an icon for the city

San Francisco has a goal that by 2030, 80% of trips will be taken by low-carbon modes of transport such as walking, cycling, and public transit. Standing at nearly 50% of total city emissions, the transportation system will be reduced and transformed to minimise reliance on cars; instead it will equitably and efficiently connect people to where they want to go. While these investments will increase the quality-of-life benefits for the city, they won't adequately cut all emissions so a shift from remaining cars to renewable vehicles will be necessary to meet future goals for the city. As electric cars exert zero emissions when on the road, this will help to significantly reduce CO2 and other harmful greenhouse gases from polluting the sustainable city of San Francisco.

Recycling

San Francisco was the first city to pass a public Zero Waste resolution where policies would be enacted to ensure that no materials ended in landfill

Environmental practices are increasingly becoming the norm and standardised within industries. Currently, the United States is ranked 35th out of 162 countries for sustainable development and on top of being one of the most beautiful American cities, sustainability in San Francisco is 6 th in the country. Having enforced a strict recycling and composting mandate, 80% of the rubbish in the Golden City is diverted from landfills and instead, recycled, or composted. San Francisco was the first city in the US to prohibit the use of plastic bags and alongside this, promoted the mass-use of reusable tote bags to reduce annual wastage. This environmentally friendly effort has reduced wastage to landfills by over 1.6 million tons which, as a visual equivalent, amounts to the weight of two Golden Gate bridges. Striving for zero waste, San Francisco Environment continues to advocate for updates to state legislation, partnering with producers to develop a producer responsible system where producers take responsibility for the entire life cycle of a product.

Energy

1,300 solar panels sit atop the cellhouse in Alcatraz, generating nearly 400,000 kilowatt-hours of energy annually

With ambitious climate action goals, including the aim for net-zero emissions by 2040, the Golden City of San Francisco is introducing a range of new programmes that will reduce carbon emissions and promote equitable access to clean energy. The initiatives feature discounts for 100% renewable energy for low-income customers, rebates to replace fossil fuel powered appliances, and incentives to promote the installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. In 2021, the Mayor and Public Utilities Commission announced that CleanPowerSF will provide all customers with 100% renewable electricity by 2025, five years ahead of schedule and twenty years ahead of the State's goal of 2045. San Francisco's sustainable city initiatives will see the introduction of more diverse and cleaner energy supplies while simultaneously reducing dependence on imported fuels.

Nature

Encompassing almost 16 acres, Mission Dolores Park is a firm San Francisco favourite

As the global population continues to increase drastically per annum, and more people migrate to or are born in large cities, urban green spaces provide a much-needed respite from city life. The United Nations predict that 68% of the global population will live in urban areas by 2050, therefore developing our understanding of the impact and benefit urban green spaces provide. Regarding the impact on the sustainability of San Francisco, these green spaces provide valuable ecosystem services which can improve air quality, reduce pollution, filtrate water, and reduce noise pollution, allowing citizens and visitors to escape the hustle and bustle when necessary. In recent years, the Trust for Public Land achieved a monumental goal whereby all San Francisco residents are located within a ten-minute walk of the nearest green space, enabling and encouraging access for all cultures and communities.

Save The Bay

San Francisco Bay consists of three main bays - San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisan

Working to educate, protect, and restore the San Francisco Bay area, Save The Bay is responsible for a plethora of initiatives that aim to make the San Francisco region more sustainable for future generations. As the adverse effects of climate change continue to threaten the planet, restorative missions such as these work to unite people with their surroundings and produce collaborative and caring communities. Reliant upon donations from individuals, foundations, corporations, and government agencies, Save The Bay aims to mitigate the impacts of climate change through urban green infrastructure, wetland restoration, pollution prevention, and the advancement of environmental justice. In doing so, Save The Bay hopes to inspire future generations to care for sustainability in San Francisco and protect the Golden City for years to come.

Are you planning on visiting sustainable San Francisco? Check out our portfolio of serviced apartments here!

If searching for things to do throughout your stay in this conscientious city, have a read of our blog, The Top 16 Things to Do In San Francisco Bay When on A Business Trip.

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Sustainability in San Francisco - The leading Golden City

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Jetting off on a business trip to San Francisco? Read on to find out how this Golden City is paving the way for sustainability in the United States

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San Francisco's Yes SF Challenge unites innovators and businesses to create a more sustainable, equitable future. Image: Pexels/Brett Sayles

Alison Hagan

San Francisco Managing Principal, Deloitte LLP

Despite being an innovation hub, San Francisco's downtown struggles post-pandemic with low occupancy rates.

Launched in 2023, Yes SF invited entrepreneurs to tackle sustainability challenges and revitalize the city.

From green energy to waste management, exceptional ideas from 14 innovators offer solutions for a more sustainable San Francisco.

Yes SF fosters social equity and economic growth, emerging as a model for global change for tackling urban challenges.

For decades, San Francisco has served as the flagship hub for innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship. The big ideas and bold thinking that have shaped the city's reputation are led by innovators trailblazing new forms of technology that have changed the way we do business and how we connect with one another.

However, despite being the epicentre of innovation, the city has faced stagnant recovery downtown since the COVID-19 pandemic, with occupancy at roughly one-third of pre-pandemic levels. As the city bounces back to its roots of innovation, the innovators who built it are the key to helping revitalize it.

Just who are these innovators and how do we support them? Enter the Yes San Francisco (Yes SF), Urban Sustainability Challenge, a collaboration between Deloitte, Salesforce, World Economic Forum, Citi, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, and more than 20 other organizations focused on revitalizing our city by the Bay.

Launched in June 2023, Yes SF is the first location-based UpLink Challenge created in direct response to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 11 of making cities more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. Yes SF invited entrepreneurs to submit their revolutionary ideas and bold solutions aimed at the sustainable revival of downtown San Francisco - and innovators rose to the challenge.

Discover

How is the World Economic Forum supporting the development of cities and communities globally?

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The Data for the City of Tomorrow report highlighted that in 2023, around 56% of the world is urbanized. Almost 65% of people use the internet. Soon, 75% of the world's jobs will require digital skills.

The World Economic Forum's Centre for Urban Transformation is at the forefront of advancing public-private collaboration in cities. It enables more resilient and future-ready communities and local economies through green initiatives and the ethical use of data.

Learn more about our impact:

Net Zero Carbon Cities: Through this initiative, we are sharing more than 200 leading practices to promote sustainability and reducing emissions in urban settings and empower cities to take bold action towards achieving carbon neutrality.

G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance: We are dedicated to establishing norms and policy standards for the safe and ethical use of data in smart cities, leading smart city governance initiatives in more than 36 cities around the world.

Empowering Brazilian SMEs with IoT adoption: We are removing barriers to IoT adoption for small and medium-sized enterprises in Brazil - with participating companies seeing a 192% return on investment.

IoT security: Our Council on the Connected World established IoT security requirements for consumer-facing devices. It engages over 100 organizations to safeguard consumers against cyber threats.

Healthy Cities and Communities: Through partnerships in Jersey City and Austin, USA, as well as Mumbai, India, this initiative focuses on enhancing citizens' lives by promoting better nutritional choices, physical activity, and sanitation practices.

Want to know more about our centre's impact or get involved? Contact us.

Innovating for impact

Out of a competitive field of nearly 150 entrants, 14 Top Innovators were selected by a committee of reviewers (philanthropists, practitioners, and industry experts) brought together by UpLink, the open innovation platform of the World Economic Forum.

These visionaries brought diverse innovations to sustainable construction, green energy, water conservation, waste management, vertical farming, and urban forest management, and are now in the process of deploying these solutions as part of San Francisco's ecological and urban metamorphosis.

Each Top Innovator is supported by a unique cohort of businesses, community leaders, nonprofits, city residents and other stakeholders who have created an ecosystem where innovation can flourish.

We can already begin to see the potential speed and scale of positive social, economic, and environmental impacts - from job creation to emissions and water reduction - that these solutions will have in San Francisco once fully deployed. For example:

They're smaller than the size of a pickup truck, but Moxion's all-electric, mobile power generators reduce diesel fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by replacing traditional diesel generators to power construction sites, film sets, and even support disaster relief efforts throughout the region.

itselectric is working to provide off-the-grid electric vehicle charging to 240,000 San Francisco drivers and new revenue streams to commercial building owners in downtown. Their goal is for San Francisco to achieve 100% emission-free transportation by 2024.

And Zauben is reimagining what green roofs can do for commercial buildings to support the return to office and reduce energy bills for property owners.

These are just a few examples, but the potential collective impact of all 14 Top Innovator solutions from this cohort could be astounding. It would mean a much-needed expansion in green jobs, equitable economic growth, and sustainability outcomes for San Francisco and toward more sustainable cities and communities globally.

The significance of Yes SF is more than the obvious environmental benefits. It is a driving force for economic renewal and social equity. The solutions can help create employment opportunities, help make city living more affordable, and foster community engagement.

But they can't do it in a vacuum, which is what makes this model of place-based change so critical. Yes SF engages the specialized expertise of local organizations to provide equal access to opportunity, ultimately creating an ecosystem that strengthens the impact of the innovators' work and helps create lasting change for San Francisco.

And this blueprint for collective action is making a new name for the city of San Francisco on a global scale.

Yes SF takes the world stage

The challenge showed up in force at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos - driving global attention and demonstrating that San Francisco is still a leader in urban transformation, despite headlines that may try to say otherwise.

By building an ecosystem of entrepreneurs, businesses, nonprofits, and community members through this challenge, Yes SF has shown how to drive systemic change in San Francisco.

Ultimately, the hope is to apply this model of collective action and place-based change to other challenges and cities, as the World Economic Forum announced recently at Davos. Given the impact this initiative will have on San Francisco, its potential to transform other urban centres worldwide is a development we eagerly anticipate.

The Yes SF Urban Sustainability Challenge is more than an initiative; it offers a brighter, more sustainable future for San Francisco and beyond. It embodies the power of collective effort in addressing complex urban challenges, transforming cities into vibrant ecosystems that can equally support their inhabitants and the environment.

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San Francisco leads the way in sustainable urban development with Yes SF

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San Francisco's Yes SF Challenge is more than just sustainability. It's a model for collective action to address complex urban challenges. This article explores how Yes SF fosters innovation, economic growth, & social equity. Can this model be replicated in other cities? #YesSF #SustainableDevelopment

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How San Francisco is becoming a Zero Waste City

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How San Francisco is becoming a Zero Waste City

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How San Francisco Is Becoming A Zero Waste City

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Restaurants that take sustainability to another level

Organic produce is not enough if restaurants want to minimize their carbon footprint. Growing their own veggies, re-using resources and re-thinking energy consumption into all processes are all green initiatives that set these super sustainable (and really delicious) restaurants apart.

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A sustainability guide to Copenhagen | VisitCopenhagen

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Guiding you to eco-friendly experiences in a city with a strong focus on sustainability.

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How Copenhagen is leading the world in sustainability

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How Copenhagen is leading the world in sustainability

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The Urbanist - Examining urban policy to improve cities and quality of life.

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How Copenhagen is Leading the World in Sustainability - The Urbanist

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Denmark’s capital city is committed to curbing pollution and making it easier and safer to get around by bike or foot. Copenhagen’s success has made it a global climate leader with countless accolades for sustainability and livability.

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8 reasons why Copenhagen is the World’s Greenest City

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8 reasons why Copenhagen is the World’s Greenest City

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What do you think is the greenest city on Earth? The answer might surprise you, but experts and the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group agree that Copenhagen currently owns this title. That's no mean feat for this Scandinavian city, which that has transformed itself from being Denmark's traditional hub of maritime trade to the world's leading model of urban sustainability.

But this change didn't come about overnight. In fact, Copenhagen used to be just like any other city - polluted and fully dependent on fossil fuels. But when the 1973 Oil Crisis happened, its leaders sought to change the city's environmental policies.

What happened next was a total transformation, turning Copenhagen into a sustainable city that decreased its water and energy consumption without sacrificing economic growth. As a result, Copenhagen has become the holy grail for urban planners and policy makers - proof that a vibrant green economy is possible and sustainable.

For the latest in our ' Green City Goals ' series, let's take a look at eight initiatives Copenhagen has undertaken to become the world's greenest city.
See also: 10 Most Eco-Friendly Cities in the World
BIKES > EVs

Another misconception to clear up: while the Netherlands is the country with the most cyclists per capita, the city with the greatest number of cyclists is Copenhagen! 62 percent of Copenhageners commute to work or school using the 675,000 bicycles in the city. By 2050, it is estimated that half of all journeys across Copenhagen will be made on a bike.

While Copenhagen does view electric vehicles as another viable solution for transportation, the government has chosen to focus on bicycles by prioritising funding of the city's cycling infrastructure.

CHARGING UP

That doesn't mean that they've totally forgotten about cars though! In fact, Copenhagen is heavily investing in electric and hydrogen-powered cars too, with the local government aiming for 85 percent of the city's fleet to comprise of these green vehicles.

It's not the government alone that's enamoured with EVs; residents have been making the change as well, with sales of EVs doubling in 2020 alone. To further encourage ownership of EVs or hybrids, the city is aiming that by 2025, a charging point will be available no more than 250m away from any multistorey building, guaranteeing charging accessibility throughout Copenhagen.

DECARBONISATION THROUGH RENEWABLES

With its green credentials, it's no surprise that Copenhagen is a leading proponent of renewable energy. With the city mainly powered by wind and solar energy, its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2025 is firmly on track.

But the city also generates power from another renewable source - biomass. The city uses discarded wood, straw and refuse, along with human and animal waste to produce heat, electricity and biofuel. As an example, Copenhagen's CopenHill power plant turns waste to energy, generating up to 57MW of electricity and 190MW of heat for tens of thousands of homes and businesses.

OUTSIDE-THE-BOX THINKING

In addition to being one of the symbols of Copenhagen's green initiatives, CopenHill is also notable for another thing - it's an activity destination for adrenaline junkies, with a year-round artificial ski slope, hiking slope and climbing wall. This outside-the-box thinking proves that public infrastructure need not be only for a single purpose; a little daring and imagination can change the landscape and add to the city's urban design.

And if those weren't enough accolades for CopenHill, its cutting-edge filtration technology means that it produces more clean water than it uses!

CAPTURING HEAT AND COLD

Copenhagen has also invested in the efficient distribution of energy throughout its network - meaning that heat, which is otherwise dissipated when generating electricity, is captured and re-used through redistribution. Meanwhile, chilled water is partly cooled through the use of cold seawater, reducing demand on the electricity grid.

BIG DATA, GREEN DATA

But what truly sets Copenhagen apart is its use of data, thanks to the city's extensive and sophisticated network of sensors that monitor energy and water consumption. This means more resources can be allocated towards generation when necessary and adjusted to minimise waste, reducing carbon emissions.

The use of water is another particular focus. Acoustic leak sensors, intelligent valves and pumps, smart water meters and software modelling have all been implemented to create an efficient water management system.

INNOVATING WASTE COLLECTION

As part of its mission to be a carbon neutral city, Copenhagen has taken a leading position in circular economics too. It has mounted an aggressive campaign for residents to separate their rubbish, as well as recycle and reuse products - which the city hopes will lead to a reduction of 59,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.

What's even more interesting is the way Copenhagen manages waste; it is pilot-testing a robotics-based facility to sort plastic. The city also currently uses waste trucks that run on biogas, but these will soon be replaced with autonomous vehicles and small EVs - reducing noise and carbon emissions.

THE OVAL GARDENS OF COPENHAGEN

"Urban garden" has become a trendy phrase in this age of sustainability - and whether its vertical farming, rooftop gardens or hydroponic systems, every city seems to have some kind of urban garden in their green strategy. But Copenhagen has another type of garden in its arsenal - one that dates back to 1948.

In the suburban district of Naerum, you'll find 40 plots of land designed by famed landscape artist Søren Carl Theodor Marius Sørensen. Known as one of the world's most visually appealing allotment gardens, these 'Oval Gardens' are meant to not only add to the overall aesthetic of the district, but also to impress upon owners the importance of nature and greenery.
See also: All Green City Goals articles
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Green City Goals: 8 Reasons Why Copenhagen Is The World's Greenest City - 8Shades

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What do you think is the greenest city on Earth? The answer might surprise you, but experts and the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group agree that Copenhagen currently owns this title. That's no mean feat for this Scandinavian city, which that has transformed itself from being Denmark's traditional hub of maritime trade to the world's leading model of urban sustainability.

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Is Copenhagen the most sustainable city in the world?

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Is Copenhagen the most sustainable city in the world?

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Is Copenhagen the World's Most Sustainable City?

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Home to just under 1.9 million people, the southern city of Curitiba in Brazil is a beacon of sustainability that cities all over the world can take notes from. It has faced and overcome challenges that many cities now are dealing with, and it has emerged as a city that works with the environment, has a strong social core, and is focused on developing a green economy (and has been sucessful in doing so!).

In the 1970s, Curitiba was like most other Brazilian cities: developing at a fast rate whilst dealing with a population explosion. Many Brazilian politicians wanted the country's cities to follow the Brasilia example; a modern metropolis to fit the growing demand for development. That's where an architectural student (who would later be mayor of Curitiba) came in, turning Curitiba in a direction of sustainability.

The Greenest City in the World

Curitiba has 52 suqare metres of green space per person making it one of the greenest cities in the world. Not only that, the huge number of green spaces act as a natural stormwater management system and is very successful. Many other Brazilian cities choose to channel river systems with concrete walls and barriers, but Curitiba idealises the more natural form of management that preserves the natural course of the Iguacu river.

Getting Around

Curitiba is famous for pioneering the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT). Beginning in 1974, it was the first of its kind and is the basis for BRT systems in over 300 countries. In the 70s, the city played with the costly idea of an underground system but decided on the BRT system that satisfies between 70-80% of daily trips from the local population.

And it's incredibly efficient! Buses can arrive up to every 90 seconds and because of their format on the roads are unaffected by car traffic. It is also designed to give people who live outside of the city an easier way in and reduce people's commutes by around half an hour.

On top of the pioneering BRT system in Curitiba, there are over 90 miles of bike lanes throughout the city making it a safe environment for cyclists. Much of the city is also pedestrianised; a move that was first heavily criticised, but eventually widely accepted once business owners were aware of the benefits pedestrianising parts of the city centre.

Turning Rubbish into Cash

There are a number of cities, states, and countries around the world that are implementing waste-for-cash programmes (or similar projects) in an attempt to reduce the amount of waste created by the city's population. Around 90% of people in Curitiba take part in their own version that trade four pounds of waste for tokens that can be traded for a pound of produce. By simply caring about where their waste goes, people living in Curitiba can save themselves money on their next food shop.

70% of Curitiba's waste is recycled. That figure massively dwarfs any city around the world in what is recycled and it's something that is so critical in our cities with growing environmental and social pressures. Other cities need to look at what Curitiba is doing and find ways to reduce the amount of waste that comes from our cities.

Curitiba Today

The picture painted above is a very pretty one of Curitiba. It sounds like an environmentalists dream city, and whilst it's pretty great, there are still a number of challenges. As Brazil has developed and many of its population can afford cars and other private transport, people living Curitiba have moved away from the BRT and towards car-use. Having said that, it still remains well below the national average.

There are still favelas on the city's outskirts and there is a unsettling growth towards private vehicle use, but what Curitiba achieved at a time when the rest of Brazil was putting economic development above all else is remarkable and can be an example for many cities in the developing world, as well as those already developed.

Cities are expected to receive the majority of the billions that are projected to be added to the global population over the next few decades and they can no longer solely push economic development. Sustainability must be pushed within our cities if we are able to deal with climate change and deal with the projected population increases.

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Home to just under 1.9 million people, the southern city of Curitiba in Brazil is a beacon of sustainability that cities all over the world can take notes from. It has faced and overcome challenges that many cities now are dealing with, and it has emerged as a city that works with the environment, has...

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How Curitiba, Brazil Became One of the Most Sustainable Cities on Earth

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How Curitiba, Brazil Became One of the Most Sustainable Cities on Earth

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By Andrew Krosofsky

Mar. 19 2021, Published 4:43 p.m. ET

If you were to walk down the street in the city of Curitiba, Brazil, you might notice that it feels different from other cities. With a population of 1.9 million people, Curitiba isn't Brazil's largest city, though it is the greenest. The remarkable metropolis has become world-renowned for its creative and environmentally-conscious solutions to urban planning, but how is Curitiba sustainable, and how can other cities profit from its example?

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What is Curitiba?

Curitiba wasn't always destined to be the green city that it is today. According to The Guardian, Curitiba was meant to be like Brasília, Brazil's capital city. In the 1960s, Brazil's former president wanted to build a new capital city that would represent Brazil, so he chose a city 1,000 miles away, in the middle of the agricultural state of Paraná.

Urban planners began work on rebuilding Curitiba to be a new Brasília, but Jaime Lerner, the former mayor of Curitiba, spoke out and stopped it from happening. It wasn't until 1972 that Lerner instituted his initial plans to transform Curitiba into a truly sustainable city.

How is Curitiba sustainable?

According to The Borgen Project, Curitiba's environmentally-friendly solutions run the gamut from reducing pollution through citywide recycling programs, to maintaining biodiversity in the region by planting 1.5 million trees. Curitiba's waste removal program is so efficient that it is able to recycle 70 percent of all its garbage. That program also enables citizens to exchange their recycling for bus tokens, notebooks, and even food.

Speaking of buses, the city also features a phenomenal rapid transit system with elements that are baked into the buses, ticket prices, and the roads themselves. The buses are custom made and designed for quick boarding, bus ticket prices are uniform for everyone, and the roads are lined with express lanes specifically designed to maintain the efficiency of the system and lower carbon emissions. In addition to the bus lanes, there are bike lanes and pedestrian-only streets all across the city.

Curitiba is big on environmental education, as well, and its Free University of Environment is designed to teach every citizen about the value of sustainability, ecology, and the environment. The school is free for everyone, and its location, right in the middle of Zaninelli's woods, is in line with Curitiba's overall aesthetic. There are additional signs and information panels posted all over the city that explain its inherently green designs.

Curitiba is also sustainable in terms of its botanical spaces. According to The Borgen Project, the city planners have built 28 public parks and surrounded all of the urban areas of the city with fields of grass in order to combat flooding. Those fields are maintained using sheep rather than gas-powered lawnmowers. As a result, the "bio-mowers" offset the use of gasoline and provide manure and wool for the city and surrounding farms.

What makes a city sustainable?

According to The Zebra, a sustainable city is defined as one that addresses not only the environmental concerns of the city but the social and economic ones as well. Cities achieve this by building eco-friendly programs and initiatives into the city infrastructure or by making environmentally-conscious, physical alterations to streets, parks, or buildings themselves.

These are other sustainable cities:

Curitiba isn't the only sustainable city in the world today. It stands among several in South America including Santiago and São Paulo. According to National Geographic, London, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Berlin, and Madrid represent a handful of Europe's most sustainable places to live.

In North America, Toronto is at the top, as are many other Canadian cities. San Francisco is the most sustainable in the U.S., while New Delhi, Wuhan, Mumbai, Manila, Seoul, and Jakarta are the best in Asia. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are top in the Middle East.

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How Curitiba, Brazil Became One of the Most Sustainable Cities on Earth

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By Andrew Krosofsky Mar. 19 2021, Published 4:43 p.m. ET If you were to walk down the street in the city of Curitiba, Brazil, you might notice that it feels different from other cities. With a population of 1.9 million people, Curitiba isn't Brazil's largest city, though it is the greenest.

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LESSONS FROM CURITIBA: HOW TRANSIT-ORIENTED PLANNING CAN MAKE CITIES MORE SUSTAINABLE

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LESSONS FROM CURITIBA: HOW TRANSIT-ORIENTED PLANNING CAN MAKE CITIES MORE SUSTAINABLE

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What would happen if we put architects in charge instead of politicians?

This is the question that the Brazilian city of Curitiba asked itself in the 1960s and 70s. The answer would radically reshape the city and catapult Curitiba into the limelight as the "ecological capital of the world."

Branded as one of the world's first and most influential green cities, Curitiba became a model of sustainability in a time when that word was just beginning to enter people's vocabulary. The echo of its contributions to public transit, urban planning, and environmental restoration can be heard in cities all over the world to this day.

The rise and decline of Curitiba is a paradoxical tale of concentric rings and radiating lines, accordion buses and verdant parkways, powerful visionaries and harsh realities.

Like all cities that survive into the future, it is a story of growth.

What makes Curitiba's story unique is what it decided to do about that growth.

The history of Curitiba

The capital of the state of Paraná in southern Brazil, Curitiba (pronounced "kur-uh-cheeba ") is the nation's seventh largest city. The name comes from the words curiy ("pine") and tiba ("abundance") in guarani, the language spoken by the indigenous peoples of the region.

The city was founded in 1693 by Portuguese and Spanish colonists who came to the area in search of gold. Settlers from all over the world began trickling in, but mass-urbanization would remain a distant glimmer on the horizon for many years to come, with the first census in 1872 putting the population at around 13,0000 souls.

Things began to change, however, when a railroad built in the 1850s connected Curitiba to São Paulo in the north and the Port of Paranaguá in the east, transforming this once sleepy hamlet of cattle farmers into a popular regional trading post. The first major growing pains came in the middle of the 20th Century, as Curitiba began transitioning away from agriculture towards an industrialized urban economy. Within the span of 50 years, the number of citizens ballooned from about 50,000 to 360,000 by the 1960s, putting the city on track for meteoric growth in the decades to follow (Macedo 2013).

By the 2000s, the population would surpass 1 million. Today, Curitiba is home to about 1.9 million people-3.8 million if you include the 26 municipalities in its ever-expanding metropolitan area.
As cars and people continued to pile into its narrow streets, Curitiba's leaders began to wonder: How were they going to keep the city from collapsing under the weight of its own rapid growth?

How Curitiba became a sustainable city: a tale of two plans

The answer came in the form of two master plans, both of which played a role in elevating this inconspicuous Brazilian city as one of the earliest and most influential models of sustainable urban planning.

The Agache Plan

Curitiba's first master plan was authored in 1943 by French urbanist Donat-Alfred Agache, who had also planned Rio de Janeiro a little more than a decade earlier.

The Agache Plan laid out a radial design to accommodate the growth of the city in all directions: Like ripples in a pond, Curitiba's streets would flow outward from its center in a sweeping pattern of concentric rings, linking the city's heart to its periphery and opening up space for new housing and transportation corridors.

The Agache Plan ( Gazette de Povo)

The Agache Plan was never fully realized as the city didn't have enough funds, but its design continued to guide urban development well into the 1960s, leading to the creation of separated residential and commercial zones, widened boulevards, and improved stormwater systems.

The Agache Plan envisioned a city dominated by cars. It was in opposition to this vision that Curitaba's second master plan was born.

The Wilheim Plan

The Agache Plan had been a good start, but Curitiba was still bursting at the seams. As the city's population grew, traffic congestion, crime, and housing shortages climbed right along with it. Feeling the pressure, mayor Ivo Arzua Pereira had an idea: In 1964, he invited six companies to submit entries for a new master plan to address the city's mounting growth problem.

The winning submission was authored by architect Jorge Wilheim and a team of urban planners from the Federal University of Paraná. This new plan wove green spaces throughout the city, protected historic sites, and picked up where Agache left off: layering amidst the rings a set of axial roadways that fanned out from downtown like spokes on a bicycle, directing growth outward along their linear paths.

A A sketch of the Wilheim Plan (Macedo 2013)

With this new master plan came a marked departure in philosophy about land use and transportation. Agache's vision had created segregated residential and commercial zones. Wilheim, on the other hand, called for the intermingling of homes and businesses in high-density and mixed-use configurations. The Wilheim, or Curitiba Master Plan, also set the stage for the city's crowning achievement: a radical shift away from cars and towards public transportation (Macedo 2013).

Designing Curitiba: Jaime Lerner and the IPPUC

The story of Curitiba's bold urban planning cannot be told without acknowledging the influence of its most famous mayor: Jaime Lerner.

Wilheim had drafted a winning master plan that held up mass-transit and land integration as solutions to Curitiba's growth crisis. It fell to Lerner, a fellow architect and urban planner, to translate that vision into a reality.

First appointed in 1971 at the age of 33, Lerner served three terms as Curitiba's mayor (1971-1975; 1979-1984; and 1989-1992) and twice as the governor of Paraná before his death at 83 in the spring of 2021. By the end of his life, he would be recognized as an urban planner of legendary and international renown.

Jaime Lerner, the architect-mayor of Curitiba ( Instituto Jaime Lerner)

Before occupying the mayor's office, he served as the director of the Institute of Research and Urban Planning of Curitiba ( its Portuguese acronym is IPPUC), a taskforce created to execute the city's new master plan. With Lerner at the helm, this scrappy team of architects, urban planners, and engineers, ushered in a host of revolutionary citywide reforms (Larbi 2022).

Their biggest target was the car.

Lerner despised cars, deriding them once as the "cigarette[s] of the future." He saw it as his mission to take back Curitiba's streets for human beings, and the young architect-mayor was willing to do everything in his power to accomplish it.

In an infamous episode during his first term as mayor in 1972, Lerner ordered a " lightning transformation " of six blocks of one of the city's busiest streets into a pedestrian mall. Brushing off the protests of area shop owners concerned that the move would hurt their businesses, he commanded city workers to complete the retrofit over the weekend, before anyone could file a court injunction to stop it.

When motorists threatened to drive through the brand new plaza the following week, Lerner is said to have assembled a gathering of hundreds of teachers and children to paint the street in their path. The motorists turned away and to the surprise of many, foot traffic to area businesses actually increased. The Rua das Flores pedestrian mall has been an icon of Curitiba ever since and has expanded from six blocks to fifteen (Macedo 2013).

The Rua das Flores in Curitiba, Brazil

"It was to say, 'This is being done for children and their parents - don't even think of putting cars there,'" Lerner said in a 2007 interview with the New York Times.

"We were trying to say, 'This city is not for cars.'"

Lerner would go on to oversee many other successful "urban acupunctures," as he called them, breathing new life into key points of the city with creative panache. Seeking to raise consciousness about the environment, his administration also introduced a forward-thinking recycling program; built a Free Environmental University; and wove hundreds of square meters of green space, forests, lakes, and public parks into the fabric of the city.

These and other actions served to boost the city's profile as "the ecological capital of the world" (Macedo 2013).

The reform that Lerner is most well known for, however, is Curitiba's innovative public transit system: the Rede Integrada de Transporte.

Curitiba's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system

I n most cities, public transit is an afterthought that follows already ingrained street patterns. In Curitiba, it's the other way around. The physical layout of the city as it exists today grew from the routes of its ground-breaking bus rapid transit system.

A bus rapid transit system (BRT) is a form of public transportation that features fast, efficient, comfortable, and low-cost buses, often kept in dedicated lanes. Launched in the 1970s, the Rede Integrada de Transporte in Curitiba was the very first one ever built (Lindau 2010).

A map of the Rede de Integrada de Transporte's routes (Wikimedia Commons)

The IPPUC had initially considered a subway system, but it ended up being too expensive. According to one estimate, a subway would cost roughly $60 to $70 million per kilometer of track to build. A bus system, on the other hand, would cost much less at about $200,000 per kilometer (Rabinovich 1996). Buses, Lerner insisted, were the way to go.

The Rede Integrada de Transporte was the Wilheim Plan come to life: The structural axes of the updated street layout divided the city into five transit corridors, with public buses as the dominant form of traffic. In a major departure from most city streets, each axis was built as a trinary road system, with two dedicated bus lanes running down the center and higher speed lanes along the edges for cars and other vehicles. The routes sculpted the city's skyline, with mixed use high-density blocks hugging the axial arteries, while lower density blocks clustered along the fringes.

This unique configuration positioned Curitiba as one of the forerunners of transit-oriented development, a New Urbanist approach to sustainable city planning that emphasizes compact, mixed-use urban environments built around robust public transit systems (Lindau 2010).

An illustration of how Curitiba's trinary road system directs the flow of bus traffic and shapes the layout of the city. (Pierer 2019)

The trinary road system was ingenious for another reason: separating the different types of traffic reduced congestion and made for faster, more reliable buses. High efficiency combined with a low fare made the Rede Integrada de Transporte increasingly attractive to city residents. Why drive to work when you can skip the traffic jams and get a faster, cheaper ride on the bus?

The strategy paid off. About 54,000 passengers took the bus every day upon the system's launch in the 1970s. By 2007, the Rede Integrada de Transporte's fleet had grown to about 2,200, and was totalling more than 2 million passenger trips per day (Lindau 2010). At its height, according to the Guardian, roughly 85 percent of Curitiba's population rode the city's buses as their exclusive form of long-range transportation.

Lerner and his team at the IPPUC were winning the war against the car.

Together, they continued to finetune the Rede Integrada de Transporte throughout the 1980s and '90s. Futuristic tube stations provided shelter and a quicker, more efficient method for passengers to board and exit buses. Innovative waste management programs incentivized citizens to recycle in exchange for fresh produce and free bus tickets. Other improvements included the introduction of bi-articulated accordion-style buses that could fit 250 passengers instead of the standard 120 and ran on biodiesel fuel, which emitted 70 percent less carbon dioxide than traditional buses (Lindau).

Lerner's prioritization of the environment, public-transit, high-density, and mixed-use development revolutionized the city seemingly overnight. Finally, after decades of planning, Curitiba had succeeded at channeling its growth and secured its destiny as a model of bold, low-cost, and sustainable urban planning.

Criticism of Curitiba

Despite its storied ascent, Curitiba's status as a green city has grown somewhat tarnished in recent years.

Today, Curitiba's carbon footprint is double that of its larger neighbor, São Paulo, and ridership on the Rede Integrada de Transporte has declined by nearly 14 million passengers (Larbi 2022). Ironically, it also now has more cars per resident than any other city in Brazil (Lindau 2010).

The reason why is the same as it ever was: growth. Wilheim based his vision on a city of 500,000 . Today, the population has swelled to nearly 2 million, with an additional 3 million or so in the outlying metropolitan region. As one critic has pointed out, the Rede Integrada de Transporte terminates at the city limits, leaving scant transportation options for workers who live farther from the heart of Curitiba. Curitiba's master plan may have done a good job of managing growth within its urban core, but it completely failed to address suburban sprawl in its ever-expanding periphery.

The city's much lauded reforms also came at a cost that often goes unmentioned: Mass urban restructuring led to the demolition of favelas and the forced relocation of entire neighborhoods (Larbi), contributing to the city's current shortage of affordable housing (Duarte 2012). For these and other reasons, some detractors have questioned if Curitiba was ever truly a sustainable city to begin with, chalking up its reputation to clever " greenwashed " branding by Lerner and others (Macedo 2013).

Finally, it's impossible to ignore the political realities that shaped Curitiba's radical transformation. In the 1970s, Brazil was under the repressive regime of a military dictatorship that tortured and executed political dissidents. It was this dictatorship that appointed Lerner as mayor in 1971 (Macedo 2013).

Granted, Lerner's administration ultimately proved a popular one, enough so that he went on to be democratically elected in his third and final term as mayor following the dissolution of the military government. Still, Lerner and his collaborators at the IPPUC maintained virtually complete control of Curitiba's political and urban destiny for the better part of 50 years, shutting out participation from anyone who didn't agree with their vision. And as evidenced by his clandestine conversion of the Rua das Flores, Lerner was prone to undemocratic methods of his own, often taking decisive action without waiting for anyone else's approval.

Takeaways: Leaving Curitiba

Curitiba's green image is more shot through with gray than what first meets the eye.

And yet the power of its example cannot be denied.

Curitiba set the bar for what it means to be a green city decades before the concept of sustainability was fully understood and embraced in the mainstream. It pioneered an innovative approach to public transit that cut carbon emissions, thinned traffic, channeled growth, and provided affordable rides to millions of city residents. The runaway success of the Rede Integrada de Transporte has inspired an estimated 160 cities around the world to create bus rapid transit systems of their own; including the TransMilenio BRT in Bogotá, Columbia, which has drawn the envious gaze of many cities in the US.

While not beyond reproach, Curitiba's leaders boldly pursued an imaginative and holistic vision that privileged people over cars and the environment over unchecked development. Ever the optimist, Lerner believed in the power of cities to solve society's problems, if only we'd design them with thought and care. Before he took the reins, Curitiba had one public park . Today it has dozens and boasts more than 64 square meters of green space per resident, all of which serves to make the city more livable, walkable, and resilient in the face of flooding and the other caprices of climate change (Gustafsson 2016).

Curitiba isn't the sustainable city it once was, but it continues to evolve . The municipal government has invested $247 million to open up new transit corridors for the Rede Integrada de Transporte, which has integrated electric buses into its fleet . Leadership has also begun to explore the creation of a light-rail subway to supplement its workhorse BRT system.

In the end, no city is perfect. Even one run by architects.

Nevertheless, the city of abundant pines still has many lessons to teach for those who can hear its song.

References

Duarte, F., & Ultramari, C. (2012). Making public transport and housing match: accomplishments and failures of Curitiba's BRT. Journal of Urban Planning and Development , 138 (2).

Gustafsson , H.-R., & Kelly, E. A. (2016). Ch.5 Developing the Sustainable City: Curitiba, Brazil, as a Case Study. In HOW CITIES WILL SAVE THE WORLD: urban innovation in the face of population flows, climate change ... and economic inequality (pp. 81-94). essay, ROUTLEDGE.

Larbi, M., Kellett, J., & Palazzo, E. (2022, June). Urban sustainability transitions in the Global South: A case study of Curitiba and Accra. In Urban Forum (Vol. 33, No. 2, pp. 223-244). Springer Netherlands.

Lindau, L. A., Hidalgo, D., & Facchini, D. (2010). Curitiba, the cradle of bus rapid transit. Built Environment , 36 (3), 274-282. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2328971

Macedo, J. (2013). (4), 334-353.Planning a sustainable city: The making of Curitiba, Brazil. Journal of Planning History , 12

Pierer, C., & Creutzig, F. (2019). Star-shaped cities alleviate trade-off between climate change mitigation and adaptation. Environmental Research Letters, 14(8), 085011.

Rabinovich, J., & Leitmann, J. (2019). "Urban Planning in Curitiba" from Scientiﬁc American (1996). In Sustainable Urban Development Reader (pp. 429-439). Routledge.

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Lessons from Sustainable Curitiba: Transit-oriented City Planning

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This is the story of how a city in Brazil became a model of sustainability decades before that word had entered into people's vocabulary.

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Tokyo wants to build a future-proof city. Here’s how

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Tokyo wants to build a future-proof city. Here’s how

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Climate Change

The Tokyo eSG plans also envisage zero-emission buildings and public transport systems. Image: Unsplash/ Jezael Melgoza

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Tokyo wants to build a future-proof city. Here's how

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Climate Change The Tokyo eSG plans also envisage zero-emission buildings and public transport systems. Image: Unsplash/ Jezael Melgoza Senior Writer, Formative Content Stay up to date: Climate Change Follow An artist's impression of the eSG Tokyo Bay Project. Image: Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Discover How is the World Economic Forum improving the future of cities?

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Tokyo's Environmental Policy

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The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has compiled a booklet titled CREATING A SUSTAINABLE CITY: Tokyo's Environmental Policy. It showcases Tokyo's main environmental initiatives and policy targets to realize a world-leading, environment-conscious city positioned to develop and grow in the future.

FULL TEXT IN ENGLISH(PDF:73,525KB)
FULL TEXT IN JAPANESE

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CREATING A SUSTAINABLE CITY Tokyo's Environmental Policy

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The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has compiled a booklet titled CREATING A SUSTAINABLE CITY: Tokyo's Environmental Policy. It showcases Tokyo's main environmental initiatives and policy targets to realize a world-leading, environment-conscious city positioned to develop and grow in the future. FULL TEXT IN ENGLISH(PDF:73,525KB) FULL TEXT IN JAPANESE

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TOKYO'S
NEW Sustainability

Sustainability: this ubiquitous term has become interwoven in everyday life, spurring conversations among businesses and individuals alike. What is sustainability? In simple terms, sustainability is a concept that refers to environmental, social, and economic practices that maintain present day needs without compromising the needs of future generations. This philosophy can be applied to many facets of life but recently has emerged as an important trend in the travel industry. Sustainable actions are imperative not only to maintain the wondrous diversity of the world, but to build a global community that lives in harmony with the environment and each other. In 2015, the United Nations created a list of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to guide nations to a better future.Surprisingly, Japan has not been known for its sustainable tourism-a preconceived notion that persists to this day despite the country's long-rooted history in sustainability and its present day implementation of numerous sustainable practices. In fact, Tokyo provides the perfect snapshot of Japan's dedication to future harmony. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has set numerous goals for 2030 to become a leader in sustainability such as lowering emissions, increasing renewable energy usage, and reducing food waste. By 2050, Tokyo aims to become a zero emission city with a net zero carbon goal. Thanks to these future initiatives, sustainable changes are becoming commonplace. While these "big picture" plans are crucial for directing us toward a sustainable future, the smaller changes are just as important. These "little" practices are often more tangible on an individual level and can send ripples of change through a community. Journey with us through a relatively unknown side of Tokyo and discover the blooming community.

Lodge Sustainably
in Tokyo's Hotels

Lodge Sustainably
in Tokyo's Hotels

Honeybees and
Rooftop Gardens in Tokyo

Ginza, a district located in Tokyo's central Chuo Ward, is renowned for its upscale shopping, fine dining, and high-end atmosphere. However, above the classy skyscrapers and bars, you may be surprised to find a thriving bee community. In 2006, about 10 volunteers collaborated to launch the Ginza Honey Bee Project and brought 30,000 bees to Ginza to establish a beekeeping operation on the rooftop of Pulp and Paper Hall. Now, the project has nearly 500 members and harvests about 2,000 kilograms of honey per year!

One of the main pillars of sustainability is the environment, with bees an integral part of a healthy ecosystem. These pollinators are catalysts for plant life as well as biodiversity. When we spoke with the project's vice president, Atsuo Tanaka, he stressed the importance of bees. "Since starting the Ginza Honey Bee Project, I became more aware of how everything is connected in the ecosystem." Bees pollinate flowers, which attract insects and wildlife, and act as a food source for birds.

Bees are pollinators of life, not only for plants, but also for people. They can connect us to one another, as well as nature, Tanaka shared. Ginza Honey Bee Project's influence has touched numerous people, both in the local Tokyo community and those overseas. The initiative has also extended its outreach to young students. Through bees, the project teaches children to treasure nature by explaining the interconnectedness of everything. With education and raised awareness, Tanaka hopes Tokyo can bloom into a green city of the future, and in recent years he has seen more initiatives throughout Japan like the Ginza Honey Bee Project fulfilling this dream. In fact, the number of apiaries in Ginza have increased to three-illustrating Tokyo's movement to this new chapter.

In addition to the environmental implications of the Ginza Honey Bee Project, it also supports a sustainable economy built on local production and consumption. The project works with a number of companies and individuals, including restaurants, bars, cafes, and even geisha, and distributes its honey to be further developed and sold by local businesses. For instance, the honey they sell is further processed into cosmetics, soap, and lip balm, and the wax is used to make school backpacks and candles. These local products not only support the community, but are also a great option for sustainable travel since tourists' spending fuels the local economy.

In Tanaka's words, "Bees can change the world."

Lodge Sustainably
in Tokyo's Hotels

Lodge Sustainably
in Tokyo's Hotels

Selection

SUSTAINABLE Let's Travel Sustainably in Tokyo! Article Movie Read More

SUSTAINABLE Let's Travel Sustainably in Tokyo! Article Movie Read More

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TOKYO'S NEW Sustainability | Sustainable | Tokyo Tokyo Official Website

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Journey with us through a relatively unknown side of Tokyo and discover the blooming community.

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Cape Town: the next frontier for sustainable investment

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Cape Town: the next frontier for sustainable investment

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Cape Town: the next frontier for sustainable investment

7 December 2023

Known as the Mother City, the Tavern of the Seas, or simply Cape Town, this spectacular coastal city is on track to earn itself a new reputation as the green-economy hub of South Africa. With its commitment to sustainability, favourable business environment, and its position as the gateway to the rest of Africa, the City is the ideal springboard for sustainable investment throughout the continent.

Located close to the southernmost tip of the African continent, Cape Town is South Africa's second-largest city - boasting world-class infrastructure, top universities and an excellent governance record. What's more, the city is firmly positioned in the country's most energy-secure province.

Despite being recognised as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Cape Town has had to contend with severe environmental crises , such as water and energy shortages. These have encouraged the city to recognise the importance of prioritising a green economy, giving rise to new opportunities such as aquaculture and renewable energy.
Green economy
At the heart of Cape Town's robust green economy lies a range of sectors and practices aimed at promoting sustainable development, while minimising environmental impact. These include renewable energy, water management, waste management, sustainable agriculture and eco-tourism, to name a few.

By supporting these industries, Cape Town is spearheading a transition towards a more sustainable future. It is also cementing its position as a cleantech hub and a great green investment destinatoin , in an industry expected to grow to as much as R110,5 billion (US$7,8 billion) by 2035.
Catalyst for innovation
One key development in Cape Town's green economy is the Atlantis GreenTech Special Economic Zone (SEZ). This initiative, supported by both the government and the private sector, has transformed the area into a vibrant hub for renewable industries.

The SEZ is the ideal location for businesses involved in renewable energy, from where they can compete in Africa's energy markets. By creating a dedicated space for these industries, Cape Town has become an epicentre for innovation and investment in the green economy.

Strategically located near renewable-energy projects, the SEZ offers access to key resources, attractive investment incentives, and modern infrastructure- including a well-functioning harbour. This favourable business environment has attracted numerous companies, both local and international, seeking to capitalise on the potential of the green economy.
Thriving ecosystem
Cape Town's green economy extends beyond the Atlantis SEZ. The city boasts a diverse and thriving ecosystem of green industries and governance principles, supported by organisations such as GreenCape - a special-purpose vehicle (SPV) designed for the clean-energy industry.

Beyond this, Cape Town's municipality has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050. To do this, local government will continue incentivising green industries, ensuring procurement is green, and generating or purchasing renewable energy.

Moreover, the city's commitment to sustainability aligns with global trends and investor priorities. As the world grapples with the urgency of climate change, sustainable investments have gained significant momentum.

Today, responsible investors seek opportunities that not only yield financial returns, but also contribute to a greener future. Cape Town's green economy offers a fertile ground for such investments, with the potential for both financial and environmental benefits.

The Mother City is building an environment ripe for innovation and growth. With its vibrant ecosystem, strategic location and development-ready infrastructure, it is truly the next frontier for sustainable investment in South Africa.

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Cape Town: the next frontier for sustainable investment - Destination Cape Town

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Known as the Mother City, the Tavern of the Seas, or simply Cape Town, this spectacular coastal city is on track to earn itself a new reputation as the green-economy hub of South Africa. With its commitment to sustainability, favourable business environment, and its position as the gateway to the rest of Africa, the City [...]

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Guide To Living Sustainably In Cape Town

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Guide To Living Sustainably In Cape Town

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While living sustainably as an individual doesn't affect much of the big picture stuff, like carbon emissions, it can still do a lot of good. To live in a way that supports local small businesses and local ecologically sustainable farming practices, that saves our limited water sources, and that limits the amount of plastic going into our oceans, dumping sites, streets and incomplete recycling plants - this is no small thing. You're doing real good. Good that each of us can do, without spending loads of time and effort trying to get it right.

Making change in our daily lives can be challenging, particularly for those of us who live on a tight budget. But it is possible, to greater and lesser extents for each of us. You can't tick everything off, but small shifts are still shifts!

So, let's get into the various areas where you can make change towards a more sustainable lifestyle.

Food & Diet

This is an area we can make some really substantial change! If you shop at supermarkets you'll know that the fresh fruit and veg usually comes in plastic - and many of the other products have been transported from all over the world.

Since we have to do it three times daily, we tend to be pretty stuck in our eating habits. It simply takes a lot less time and thought to do what we already know.

But making changes in our food habits is not only helpful, it's also quite exciting and rewarding! So what exactly can you do?

Plastic-free fruit and veg delivery from Lippy's

Use reusable bags instead of getting plastic ones every time. If you fold them up tight they pack easily into even a very small handbag, and they're a whole lot sturdier - no more split bags and dropped groceries!

Buy reusable mesh bags for your fresh produce, and then remember to actually bring them with you (I forgot mine consistently for about three months before I finally got into a groove)

Better yet, buy your produce from a local small business like Muizenberg Kitchen

Consider overhauling all of your food shopping (not just the produce), and shop at an online grocery store like Think Organic - that way you know everything's local

Eat less meat - it's best to have smaller portions of meat, and some meat-free days. In addition to its environmental impact, including meat in every meal really does block off a whole lot of very interesting and tasty meals that simply don't go very well with meat. Try some Mediterranean cuisine!

Don't buy takeaways - unfortunately, most places use tons of plastic packaging; we buy frozen pizza bases and frozen dumplings instead (two favourites) for when we're really not in the mood to make a whole meal but still want a treat

Eat local and green-listed fish like Angelfish, Cape Hake, and Dorado

Grow your own herbs - they're super apartment-friendly

If you have a garden, consider growing more of your own food

Learn to preserve your food before it goes off - we don't all have the time to do much preserving, but I always freeze any fruit that I'm not going to get to in time, and later make smoothies and sorbets with them!

Shopping

This is one of the most important areas you can make change in - with, of course, a lot of overlap with other categories!

Exploring Hout Bay in my mum's old skirt, and a top and hat from local small brands, Titch and Solrise

Buy local wherever possible

As with food, bring reusable bags whenever you go shopping to avoid single-use plastic bags

Buy fewer clothes - this is a really important one; fast fashion is a totally unsustainable and very damaging practice, and we simply don't need the amount of clothes we're buying

Buy from local businesses - we have a lot of local sustainable brands doing great work. By buying from them, you get something beautiful, durable and well-made, and support Capetonian artisans, seamstresses, and even textile manufacturers (an industry that took a massive knock with the introduction of international brands and their cheap textiles). You're also not supporting exploitative practices!

Buy second-hand - we have fantastic monthly second-hand markets, along with second-hand stores dotted around the city

Energy

Energy is a resource we clearly don't have enough of in South Africa, considering all the power outages! I'd recommend you get the EskomSePush app to always know when the next loadshedding is going to strike, and to follow the tips below!
Read next: Local business' guide to going green

Wash only full loads of laundry and at colder temperatures

In summer, use a fan instead of an air conditioner. Cape Town's weather is some of the best in the world, and there are very few days where an air conditioner is 'necessary'

Switch your geyser off when you're not using it - we switch ours on for about an hour a day and it's plenty for two people. You may need it on a little longer for a larger family, but not much more

Turn off lights and electronics when not in use

If you have the finances, consider investing in renewable energy systems - it helps you avoid the inconvenience of power outages, increases the share of renewables in our power generation, and reduces the load on the national grid!

Transportation

Transportation produces a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions and contributes a lot to Cape Town's air pollution (so noticeable on a windless day!). Unfortunately, Cape Town is a city largely designed for cars, with sprawling neighbourhoods and an incomplete, sometimes dangerous public transport sector. So, what can you do?
The MyCiti bus, one of our main forms of public transport

Walk wherever possible - I've never had my own car before (and don't have a license) so I'm used to doing a lot of walking. And it's a great option in much of the city!

Take the MyCiti bus where you can - it's an excellent service in all the areas it covers

Use a bicycle for smaller trips

Catch the train when you're travelling during the day and not in a hurry - the train timetable is not often adhered to, but trains are a good way to get around a large part of the city. As long as you're travelling during the day and there are other people in the train car with you, it's a safe and good option. I took it for years!

Catch a minibus taxi - this is another form of public transport I've used for years, even to get to Cape Town from Oudtshoorn! It's cheap and efficient, although taxi drivers aren't always the most careful road users.

You can read more safety tips for Cape Town here

Personal Care

Personal care products often come with excess packaging and contain harsh and harmful chemicals. They're also disproportionately animal-tested. Thankfully, Cape Town has a lot of entrepreneurs with their minds on better alternatives.
A few of my favourite local personal care and cleaning products

Buy reusable, package-free or bulk-packaged products where possible

Buy local and gentle care products from places like Nudefoods - these include creams, shampoo and conditioner bars (which my husband and I use), soaps, etc.

You can even learn to make your own

Buy cruelty-free products and check the back for harmful chemicals

Cleaning

Your daily chores and household tasks have an environmental impact of their own, particularly because of the harmful chemicals they commonly use.

Replace paper towels with reusable and washable towels

Hang wet clothes rather than tumble-drying them - the African sun should do the trick!

Buy cleaning products that use natural, non-harmful ingredients - EarthSap is a great South African brand

You can also make your own cleaning products

Waste Diversion

Of the famous reduce, reuse, recycle slogan, 'recycle' is by far the least effective. It's the last thing you should do once the lifecycle of your things has reached its absolute end. This is particularly important in South Africa, where our recycling plants have limited capacity and efficiency.

Donate unwanted clothes and other items - even torn or holed clothes are sold on as rags for builders and mechanics

If you have a garden, start composting

Check what plastics can actually be recycled (it's not very many) and avoid throwing others into the recycling bins, to reduce bin contamination and sorting time

Wash and save jars rather than throwing them away or recycling them. If there's one thing a house always seems to need, it's more storage space! Plus, if you shop at a place like Nudefoods, you can actually reuse those jars directly to bring home foodstuffs

Get crafty!

Waste Reduction

Reducing the amount of waste you and your household produces is one of the most important things you can do to live more sustainably.

By reducing your consumption, you take a little piece out of the whole supply chain from extraction, to manufacturing, to shipping, to sale. And of course, reducing consumption this way also greatly reduces how much you're sending down the waste stream. On top of all that, buying less means spending less - no matter what sharky advertisers try to tell you!

By following what you can of the tips above, you'll already be reducing your waste. But here are some additional tips for the dedicated:

Use a reusable water bottle and coffee mug/thermos (if you buy coffee on the go)

Upcycle old clothing into new and useful things - like fun braided dog toys - instead of buying those things new

Use reusable shopping bags - seriously, they're better in every way

Buy refills where you can - places like Nudefoods has vats of laundry detergent, hand soap, olive oil, and a bunch of other things, so that's a great place to source refillable products. They're also not at all overpriced, despite looking a bit intimidatingly gentrified

Water

Anyone who lived in Cape Town during the 2018 drought will know how much we can reduce our water consumption when we really need to - and also how kak it can be when a shortage of something so fundamental happens.

Water is also one of those scary things that we'll face regular shortages of as global climate change speeds up. So building a community that is conscious and careful with the water we have is really important.

I might be preaching to the choir here, but here are some valuable tips for reducing your water consumption.

Turn the tap off when you're brushing your teeth, washing your hands, or shaving

Turn the shower water off while you wash your hair, and then again for conditioning - since the drought, I even turn it off when soaping up

Use captured rainwater or greywater to water the plants

Consider investing in a Jojo tank - or if you rent a house, ask your landlord if they'd invest in one. My parents have one and the landlord is happy to buy a second, so it's definitely worth checking

Only do full loads of laundry and dishes - if you have a dishwasher, fill it up all the way before turning it on and use the slower eco-friendly setting

What you can do within your community or friend group

Community - whether friends, family or peers - is important to a sustainable, low-impact life. Particularly one that is achievable without focused sacrifice and expense. Give some thought to what your friend group or community can do together, to reduce your dependence on commercial products, and shift towards a better lifestyle.

Every community is different, and many will already be working together sustainably. Particularly among poorer South African communities, where a lack of access has led to creative and communal solutions. But here are a few ideas you can consider.

Do a clothes swap - we tend to get bored of (or outgrow) our clothes long before they're damaged or ruined. So, arrange a clothes swap with your friends, and give your garments a new life! Add some wine and a potjiekos or braai, and it's a fantastic Saturday.

Try a gear swap - everyone posts what they need for a new project on a whatsapp group for the purpose, and friends can respond if they have it available. It should be a relatively small group, and one where friends feel accountable for returning the gear; otherwise you might end up with a few problems!

Consider project days - everyone gets together to make preserves, soap, plant propagations, etc. (basically, anything that requires quite a lot of resources and work); this way you can all learn together, make a fun day of it, and be ready for the apocalypse (jk!)

Drive together when you can

Arrange a skill swap - leading on from the gear swap, you might find a skill swap to be a natural progression. Swap a hole fix of your favourite jersey for a haircut, or a shelf put together for help painting a room. These kinds of things can be great ways to bond and get to know sides of each other you might not normally come into contact with. They're also fun!

Living an environmentally friendly lifestyle in Cape Town

There you have it, my top recommendations for living sustainably in Cape Town. Most of these apply generally, but I've tried to include city-specific information where it's helpful.

Of course, you'll find that some of these tips apply to you, and some of them really don't. Maybe you don't live in a pedestrian-friendly area, or local brands that can't price their products to compete with cheap foreign goods are out of your budget, even when you're reducing your intake. Maybe pickling food and making shampoo sound like a waking nightmare to you! But while some tips will be out of reach, there are sure to be others you can put to good use.

It's easy to get disheartened looking at the monolithic sets of lifestyle changes that articles like this tend to put out, and the doomed "we all need to do all of this all at once right now or we all DIE" language that often accompanies them. But any one thing you can do is a good thing. Any difference is a worthwhile one.

I hope you've enjoyed the read, and if I've missed any great tips that you swear by, please let me know!

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Sustainable Living in Cape Town | A Practical Guide | Wander Cape Town

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Learn how to live sustainably in Cape Town, supporting local businesses, reducing waste, and conserving resources, one step at a time.

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Cape Town Sustainability: Circular Economy Solutions

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Cape Town Sustainability: Circular Economy Solutions

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Cape Town Sustainability: Circular Economy Solutions

In 2017, Cape Town witnessed its worst drought of the century, having received the lowest rainfall since 1933.

Day Zero had arrived, with water levels in dams at less than 10%. By February 2018, increased restrictions limited daily water usage to 50 litres per person.

The city of Cape Town, legislative capital of South Africa witnessed a population growth of 71% in the two decades from 1995. At present, it is the second most populous city in South Africa with 4.1 million residents.

Cape Town's years-long drought has been a lesson to water-intensive cities across the world, to utilize resources efficiently.
CAPE TOWN'S WATER WOES
The water scarcity observed in Cape town is only the tip of the iceberg; an effect of the poor water management and water pollution issues that the city already faces.
FRESHWATER POLLUTION
Organic and inorganic pollution and littering of Cape Town's storm and freshwater systems pose a threat to its biodiversity and human health.
Cape Town's freshwater system (State of the Environment Report 2018)
Factors such as bacterial contamination, inadequate wastewater treatment, sewage overflows, illegal disposal of industrial chemicals and agricultural runoff are responsible for contamination of freshwater bodies.

In 2016, 10 out of 14 river systems and 9 out of 13 wetlands exhibited eutrophic or hypertrophic characteristics.
Trophic tendencies in Cape Town rivers (State of the Environment Report 2018)

Less than half of all rivers had achieved 80% adherence to the intermediate contact guideline by the Department of Water and Sanitation.
COASTAL WATER POLLUTION
Coastal water quality is impacted by several sources of bacterial pollution such as E. Coli, mainly from overflows in the sewage reticulation network, wastewater discharge from wastewater treatment works, and stormwater contaminated with household waste and animal faeces.

31 out of 90 sampling sites along Cape Town's 307 km long coastline were found to be polluted. 11 of these spots were found to be chronically polluted, having had poor water quality for the past five years.

45% of the 49 testing sites along False bay failed to meet the water standards. Pharmaceutical compounds and industrial chemicals were found in the bodies of fish.

6 out of 15 sampling sites along the Atlantic coast were found with poor water quality.
WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT
The State of the Environment report of 2016 reports on 17 of the 26 wastewater treatment plants in Cape Town, achieving an overall compliance of 85% with DWS standards.

In spite of this data, it is suspected that millions of litres of sewage are being dumped into the ocean from pipelines at Camps Bay, Hout Bay and Mouille Point.

According to a report, the sewage only undergoes a preliminary treatment where it is passed through a sieve to remove solid objects.

As of 2016:

The Camps Bay sewage outfall spews out 2.4 million litres of sewage every day.

The Mouille point releases 28.4 million litres of sewage in a year.

The Hout Bay outfall spews 5.7 million litres of sewage per day.
WATER SCARCITY
Cape Town, with its Mediterranean climate, has a history of water scarcity in the early 2000s.

The city began experiencing poor rainfall in 2015, following good rainfall in the previous years, possible onset by the El-Nino patterns and climate change. Water levels in the City's dams hit 50%.

By May 2017, even with increasing restrictions on water consumption, water levels in the dam had hit a record 10%, with the arrival of Day Zero. By 2018, water consumption restrictions had gone from 100 to 87 to 50 litres per capita per day.

The reasons for the water crisis are attributed to drought conditions, poor water management, and failure of the administration to set up proper water related infrastructure.
BIODIVERSITY
Cape Town is home to 9,600 species of flora, out of which 70% is endemic.

At present, over two-thirds of the natural vegetation is classified as endangered or critically endangered, 300 of which are threatened with global extinction.
CLIMATE CHANGE
The city does not yet have a climate change monitoring system in place. However, it does have a GHG inventory.

Cape Town's carbon footprint was found to be 5.1 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2015.

Coal-based electricity generation represents a disproportionate 64% of the carbon emissions of the city, followed by petrol and diesel making up 30%.
POVERTY
Khayelitsha, situated in Cape Town, is one of the largest slums in the world with a population of 391,749, living on an average income of R20,000 ($1872) per family a year.

Cape Town is also home to a large number of destitute illegal immigrants from neighbouring African countries, plagued by limited education, unemployment and substance abuse.

Social inequalities are very prominent in this city, with separate upmarket neighbourhoods and slums like Santini and Flamingo Crescent.
GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES
The City of Cape Town's administration has attempted to incorporate resource management by introducing new strategies and linking residents to private organizations.
Coastal Waters Electricity Consumption

A reduction in electricity consumption due to rising electricity costs and energy efficiency campaigns have resulted in 4.11% lower carbon emissions from 2012-15.

To enable consumption of sustainable energy, the city allows residential and commercial consumers to sell electricity through small-scale embedded solar energy generation programs.

The city also runs an Electricity Savings Campaign to reduce city wide electricity consumption.

Wastewater Management

The Fisantekraal treatment works' installation in 2012 introduced the ultraviolet disinfection and a zero-discharge policy, where all the recycled water was used in agriculture, schools, sports clubs, farms, industries and commercial developments.

The Water Conservation and Water Demand Management Strategy involved public awareness, stepped water tariffs to encourage savings, free-of-charge plumbing in poor households, training of unemployed individuals as community plumbers, and technical interventions to minimise water losses.
Reuse and Recycle

GreenCape is a sector development organization focused on stimulating the green economy, a part of the Wastern Cape Industrial Symbiosis waste exchange program. It hosts a network of home composting programs, recycling bins for lease, waste education in schools, waste-to-art markets and a waste Education and Recycling Program.

Since the City does not offer a recycling service, private recyclers are promoted.

At present, 64% of the Biodiversity network of Cape Town has been conserved.
NGOs
Mvula Trust is the largest Non-Governmental Organisation supporting Water and Sanitation Development in South Africa. It works with underprivileged communities and facilitates service delivery partnerships between these communities and their municipalities.

The Haven Night Shelter provides temporary shelter, physical care, social welfare and family

reunification services to adult homeless persons in the Western Cape.
CSR INTERVENTIONS
Companies spent an estimated R10.2 billion on corporate social investment (CSI) in South Africa in 2019, with an emphasis on education, food security, health and community development.

Woolworths Holdings Limited is a South Africa-based multinational retail company that owns the South African retail chain Woolworths, and Australian retailers David Jones and Country Road Group. It spent a total of R1,669 million on CSI in the period 2017-19, emphasising on education and food security.

Anglo American plc is a South African multinational mining company, It spent a total of R2,256 million on corporate social investments from 2017-19, in education, water and sanitation, health, environment, disaster management, and community development.
BENEFITS OF A CIRCULAR ECONOMY
Globally, the economy would benefit $2 trillion a year from a circularity.
1. Economic Benefits

Substantial Resource Savings

Innovation Stimulus

Economic Growth

Growth of Employment

2. Environmental Benefits

Less greenhouse gases

Vital air, soil and water bodies

Conservation of nature reserves

HOW WILL THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY BENEFIT CAPE TOWN?
The Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Program (WISP) is a circular economy model that connects companies with businesses and unused or residual resources, such as water, logistics, expertise and materials.

In five years of its operation, it was able to:

Divert 27,436 tonnes of waste from landfills.

Reduce GHG emissions by 46,700 tonnes.

Generate R43.0.8 million as financial benefits through additional revenue, cost savings and private investments.

Create 143 jobs in the economy.

Over the following three years, it is expected to generate 64,500 metric tonnes of CO2 savings. The WISP has catalysed the development of more programs in the region, hence promising greater employment, environmental benefits and revenue.
COMMUNITY INITIATIVES ACT Powai: Making a Zero Waste Economy
The Earth5R team has successfully implemented circular economy solutions to return plastic waste back into the economy.
Cleanup at Powai Lake, Earth5R

Ragpickers were employed to collect waste from the buildings in Mumbai.

The plastic waste was sent to a community waste recycling centre, where it was shredded into tiny bits which was later on converted into pellets.

The pellets were used to make benches and toys, which went back into the circular economy.

In addition to plastic, cloth waste was donated to nearby informal settlements to make dolls. Domestic waste was converted into compost to be used in plantations. With this program, 250 Mumbai buildings were converted into absolute Zero Waste.
ABOUT EARTH5R
Earth5R is an environmental organization from India with its head office at Mumbai. It works with the NGO sector, Companies and helps them conduct environmental corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs across India. Earth5R specializes in circular economy based projects. Earth5R also offers short term and long term environmental courses.
Earth5R's Global Sustainability Hub is a cross-sector and cross-country collaboration in pursuit of UN Sustainable Development Goals. It is an excellent opportunity for governments and the private sector to engage with communities, use Sustainability-based models to drive economic changes and create social and environmental impact. Reported by Ankita Nambiar, edited by Aastha Dewan

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Cape Town Sustainability: Circular Economy Solutions - Earth5R

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Cape Town Sustainability: Circular Economy Solutions In 2017, Cape Town witnessed its worst drought of the century, having received the lowest rainfall since 1933. Day Zero had arrived, with water levels in dams at less than 10%. By February 2018, increased restrictions limited daily water usage to 50 litres per person.

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South Africa's Cape Town on sustainability drive

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South Africa's Cape Town on sustainability drive

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South Africa's Cape Town on sustainability drive

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Learn Sustainable City Planning, Case Study - Vancouver, Canada

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Learn Sustainable City Planning, Case Study - Vancouver, Canada

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Learn Sustainable City Planning, Case Study - Vancouver, Canada

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Green City: Vancouver, Canada | Green City Times

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Vancouver has the lowest per capita greenhouse gas emissions of any major city in North America. Vancouver plans to try and become the world’s greenest city.

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There's no better example to illustrate Vancouver's reputation as a forward-looking and sustainable city than the success story that is the Green Economy

A sector that has grown exponentially in less than a decade, Vancouver's Green Economy includes seven sub-sectors:

Local food

Green building design and construction

Clean technology, alternative energy and green building products

Green infrastructure, transportation and planning

Sustainability services and education

Land and water remediation and environmental consulting

Materials management and recycling

Vancouver's burgeoning success across these diverse areas ties directly into the City of Vancouver's world-leading sustainability strategy, the Greenest City 2020 Action Plan. It calls for doubling the number of green and local food jobs, and for doubling the number of businesses greening their operations, both as part of an overall vision to see Vancouver become the greenest city in the world by 2020. The Vancouver Economic Commission is empowered within the Greenest City Action Plan to act on these two goals, and since 2010 the VEC has pioneered not only one of the world's most robust green jobs counting systems, but has built out numerous programs to help achieve a doubling of green jobs and greening operations by 2020.

State of Vancouver's Green Economy 2018

Today, one in 15 Vancouverites works in the green economy. In VEC's State of Vancouver's Green Economy 2018 report, you can read about over 200 leading green businesses making great strides in innovation and the development of low-carbon solutions to traditional and contemporary problems in buildings, energy, mobility and resource management.

Read the 2018 Green Economy Report

Notable Highlights

In total, 15,885 new green and local food jobs were added to the city over the last 10 years, an increase of 87% since 2010.

Based on employment estimates for Vancouver, green and local food jobs represent roughly 10 per cent of all jobs in Vancouver, increasing from 4.2 per cent of jobs in 2010.

Local food is the second largest subsector of Vancouver's green economy. Success has been driven by strong demand from consumers, public sector procurement policies and new supply sources. By way of example, today's greatly expanded network of local farmers' markets now provides a $15 million benefit to the local economy, a significant jump over sales in 1994, the first year of operation, when markets earned $40,000 over 11 weeks.

Green building design and construction is the largest sector, which grew 146% since 2010. Vancouver's world-leading regulations, like green rezoning policy, and the Zero Emissions Building Bylaw, often referred to as "the greenest building code in the world," are driving growth in this sector and making Vancouver businesses global exporters of green building practice and green building technology.

25% of Canada's cleantech companies are based in Vancouver, which is also home the BC Cleantech CEO Alliance, the province's industry association. Cleantech companies are working in all sectors of the economy, like Loop Energy in alternate transportation fuels, Saltworks in industrial wastewater treatment, Awesense in smart grids and energy analytics, and Teramerra in bio-pesticides and agri-tech. Vancouver's startup ecosystem is incredibly robust and filled with innovators to watch: Sensible Build Science in advanced building control system, Nano-lit in smart, human-centric lighting systems, and Portable Electric for portable renewable energy systems.

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Vancouver's Green Economy | Vancouver Economic Commission

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The 3rd greenest city in the world, Vancouver is set on becoming #1 through its pioneering Greenest City Action Plan

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Case study: Vancouver becoming world's greenest city

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Case study: Vancouver becoming world's greenest city

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Case study: Vancouver becoming world’s greenest city

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Already known for environmental sustainability, the City of Vancouver has adopted a plan to become the world’s greenest city by 2020.