An Eco-Friendly City Moving Up During the Green Renaissance
Named as one of the most ecofriendly cities in February 2010, but forty years ago Chattanooga had a reputation as being the most polluted city. Several areas were rehabilitated and have become usable again due to land reclamation activities carried out by the city.
Several projects were undertaken to revamp the city. Now it is nothing short of a model tourist attraction spot!
Keeping Downtown Green
As a step towards making the city greener the electric shuttle is operated connecting the length and breadth of the downtown area. This emission free shuttle service is operated at no cost to the passengers.
It is easily accessible and connects most of the tourist attraction spots, shopping malls and hotels. It is operated once every five minutes, and has now become the most used public transportation in downtown Chattanooga.
The new theater in the heart of the city has got certification from LEED which is the yardstick for measuring environmental initiatives. The Carmike Cinemas have a white roof to reflect sunlight to help cut down energy bills. The construction itself was monitored closely to pick up recyclable garbage for reuse! This has led to reuse of 1.5 million pounds of debris. The building materials are also made out of recycled contents. Further to minimize energy consumption the theater uses LED lights and fluorescent lamps. Low VOC is achieved by specially designed carpets. The HVAC system is specifically manufactured to reduce energy consumption.
Bike Lanes .. The Easy Way to Travel
The city has also come up with the bicycle lane for promoting bicycling which directly affects the fuel emissions in a positive way. There are several communities set up across the city by volunteers which encourage biking for both tourists and city dwellers. It is also an initiative to reduce the traffic congestion in the city!
The outdoor Chattanooga project is a great way to entertain people without spending a dime on energy bills. It is a way to enjoy the natural beauty of the city and a safe place for kayaking, paddling and swimming! The fireball initiative in Chattanooga is another example of the energy conservative ideology of the city.
Electric Shuttles Made Here
The city also boasts the manufacturing unit where electric shuttles are being made. This is the largest in the country. The electric shuttles help to transport a substantial amount of the population. With a free ride given to the passengers to encourage the use of private transportation a large amount of pollution is being controlled.
If you are planning for a green vacation you can choose Chattanooga without thinking twice. It was rated along with Galapagos as one of most ecofriendly places on earth!
The Chattanooga green committee is set up now with the aim to expand the free shuttle service that operates downtown. Several other initiatives are being undertaken to further improve the environment friendly city to make it the best city in the world to live in, for its pristine locality!
Do you know about other "Green" initiatives happening now in Chattanooga? Let us know in the Comments ...
