The World’s Cleanest Cities

Last week we posted an article on the world’s dirtiest cities. A couple of high-flying African cities including Port Harcourt, Nigeria made that list. Today we will be doing the opposite of what we had last week. Let’s see ten of the world’s cleanest cities.

All human beings want to live in a clean and green environment but not all people are committed to taking actions to make this a reality. Slowly but surely, the Earth’s health is degrading and the quality of human life is degrading with it.

Though climate change deniers continue to thrive and sometimes make catastrophic decisions, all hope is not lost. Some cities and countries are taking efforts to keep their environment clean by reducing carbon emissions, preventing public littering and cutting down on pollution levels.

Here is a list of the 10 cleanest cities in the world.

 

1. HAMBURG, GERMANY

Hamburg is the cleanest and one of the most environmentally friendly cities in the world. It has set an ambitious target for itself promising to reduce its carbon emission by 80% by 2050. Citizens are encouraged to sue public transport and extensive funds are being channeled into developing clean technology.

2. CHICAGO, USA

Chicago may seem an unlikely candidate for being one of the cleanest cities in the world but it has adopted an innovative approach to reducing pollution and littering. There are more than 2 million square feet of rooftop gardens and a well-developed network of public transport that help reduce pollution.

3. COPENHAGEN, DENMARK

Copenhagen is a colorful city in Denmark that is widely accepted as the most environmentally friendly city in the world. The administration has invested heavily in maintaining the water quality and reducing air and water pollution. It is so effective that the area surrounding the harbor can be used for swimming without fear of pollutants.

4. HONOLULU, USA

This island city is one of the most remote major cities in the world and has very few polluting industries. It has an abundance of green spaces and no public littering. Because it is a major tourist attraction, beautification and maintenance of public spaces are a high priority for the government.

5. HELSINKI, FINLAND

Helsinki is one of the many Nordic cities to make it to the list of the cleanest cities in the world. The residents of the city are very committed to preserving the environment and prevent littering. The government has also devised a complex and energy efficient system of heating that helps it cut down on electricity consumption.

6. REYKJAVIK, ICELAND

The capital of one of the cleanest cities the world. It is the capital of Iceland. Reykjavik not only ranks highly on sustainability, recycling, use of public transport and green spaces but also has a high overall human development index with people who are very environmentally conscious.

7. VIENNA, AUSTRIA

Vienna is the capital of Austria and is also the largest Austrian city. A lot of money has been invested in designing and maintaining an effective garbage disposal system and most of the waste generated by this city is recycled, thus reducing pollution levels.

8. GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

It is no surprise that Geneva has made it to the list of the cleanest cities in the world. It is at the helm of the movement promoting sustainable development and also has very low pollution levels.

9. CURITIBA, BRAZIL

Brazil may not be one of the cleanest countries in the world but the unique system designed by the city of Curitiba to ensure recycling of waste is responsible for its place among the cleanest cities in the world. Here, sorted waste can be exchanged for coupons of food or public transport which incentivises people to sort their waste enabling better recycling.

10. SINGAPORE

Singapore is one of the most visited country in the world but has managed to maintain its standards of cleanliness despite the large influx of tourists. There are very strict laws equally applicable to citizens and foreigners to ensure cleanliness. This includes heavy fines for littering, a ban on chewing gum and a ban on cutting trees from protected areas. The city is an Island country