Top Green Cities

Our Green Cities along with Corporate Knights has issued its list of the greenest cities in the United States.  The good news for El Paso is that it has made great strides and is one of the cities that has “exhibited the most changes”. Still El Paso is ranked 33^rd in a list of 54 major cities.  Several southwestern cities ranked above El Paso – Denver (4), Albuquerque (5), Phoenix (8) and Tucson, tied with Austin, Dallas and Fort Worth (17). The methodology (criteria) for determining the rankings includes smart growth activities; land-use planning, programs, policies and zoning; transportation planning programs and policies; pollution prevention, reduction and remediation, efficiency and sustainability projects and administration. We are on the right track – but there is more to do. Grow but grow smart.

El Pasoans deserve the pats on the back for conserving water in 2011. But what more is being done to conserve water, recycle water, utilize rainwater? Whenever I discuss rain and water conservation, I get email reminding me of the programs by the City of Tucson which has a number of web pages devoted to rainwater harvesting. Their online publications are instructive. A leading El Paso LEED designer especially recommends the Water Harvesting Guidance Manual.

It’s often thought that a “green” house is quite expensive. However, read about this Washington D.C. empower house that produces all of its own energy and harvests rainwater too.

By an overwhelming 70% El Pasoans said “yes” to investing in projects that will make our great city greater. Among the projects to be financed is the Interactive Digital Wall at the El Paso Museum of History. Exactly what is a digital wall? There’s one in Copenhagen and here is the description.  Also watch this short video.  Pretty cool technology indeed. The question some ask is: Will our wall display El Paso history and culture or be a mere PR piece such as this video recently presented by the Museum of History?  The video is good PR (a savvy friend of mine in New York City liked it), but is short in substance when it comes to El Paso, its neighborhoods, history and culture. It makes me wonder what will be displayed on the Digital Wall. What can be displayed is prehistory, geological history, history of the indigenous, the Spaniards, the Mexicans, the Gringos, railroads, cattle, gunfighters and outlaws – all tied into events, tours, reenactments and more. Like ecotourism, heritage tourism can be a multi-million (some say billion) dollar industry for El Paso. Relish and take pride in what has made us El Paso and El Pasoans. That is why, for example, it was good to see that the City decided to refurbish our old street cars rather than buying replicas. Will the City also refurbish the old trolley barn or a build a new one for $4 million? Will a trolley system provide access for tourists to historical treasures such as the Magoffin Home, a Texas State Historic Site? By the way, streetcars have helped to revitalize city transit in Portland, Oregon, number one on the Greenest Cities list.  Elpasonaturally will be talking more about heritage tourism in 2013.

Finally, get away from electronics (the computer, your cell phone, iPad and so forth) and go backpacking or just take a hike. A recent study indicates that nature nurtures creativity. Of course, creativity can lead to better productivity and efficiency. Hmmm . . . keeping that open space natural may just mean more economic wealth – a tangible metric many can get their arms around and embrace.