Happy Earth Day! On this day of all things green, let’s think about ways that we can reduce our carbon footprint with a trip around the world. Some countries are making green innovations of mind-blowing proportions, cutting their ecological footprint in half. By learning about these foreign initiatives to save the environment, we might be able to develop solutions at home to contribute to the effort.
Costa Rica and Nicaragua
Recently in the news, Costa Rica and Nicaragua have made headlines for their significant increase in renewable energy use. Costa Rica ran on 100% renewable energy for the first few months of 2015, while Nicaragua has set a 94% renewable energy goal for 2017. For two countries not usually in the running when it comes to technological innovation and its funding, this feat is impressive, but not surprising. As Nicaragua and Costa Rica are situated in the midst of a tropical rainforest, they have a front row seat to witness the effects of deforestation and global warming. Fortunately, the region also has a number of natural energy options, like geothermal energy from volcanoes, that can help to transform the process of energy consumption and save the rainforest before it’s too late. If you visit for yourself, you can see just how fascinating the green energy transformation of Costa Rica and Nicaragua can be.
Stockholm and Copenhagen
Stockholm and Copenhagen are two of the most environmentally conscious cities in the world, full of windfarms, green housing communities, and other renewable energy intiatives. See Stockholm’s Hammarby Sjöstad, a 25,000-resident community designed to halve the environmental impact of urban housing and house, or take a solar-powered boat tour of Middelgrunden, Copenhagen’s largest offshore wind farm. Learn about all these green innovations and more when you visit these beautiful, environmentally friendly Scandinavian cities.
Panama
Panama is brimming with lessons about organic, sustainable farming and biodiversity. Panama City is home to a number of zoological museums, including the Punta Culebra Nature Center, an open-air museum dedicated to marine science and conservation. Or you can get out into the wild and see nature up close and personal, with a visit to Chagres National Park. Home to 900 native plant species, 114 mammal species and 396 bird species, Panama abounds with subject matter for your environmental and zoological studies.
Germany and France
Germany and France are pretty popular places to visit, but these industrious European countries are at the forefront of green innovation, too. In Germany, the energy-efficient Solar Settlement uses the Plusenergiehaus®, a home engineered to generate more energy than it consumes. The remaining power is then distributed amongst other homes in the area. In France, you can visit the hometown of the Smart Car, now called “Smartville.”
What are you doing for Earth Day 2015?