If you need to stay focused this New Year, Melbourne, Australia is the right place to be to write those edgy resolutions. Why? Because Melbourne has been making some pretty eco-impressive resolutions of its own lately. Their fresh, innovative Melbourne Plan outlines their aim to be one of the most livable cities in the world within the next ten years. To achieve this, they have chosen eight important components of a livable city
- a city for people
- creative city
- economic prosperity
- knowledge
- eco-city
- connected city
- lead by example
- good resource management
To follow up on 5, 7, 8, Melbourne hopes to have reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2020 (from 2006 rates) and their water usage by 40%. They’ve also rolled out the 1200 Buildings Project, an initiative that aims to retrofit 1,200 of the city’s existing buildings in order to eliminate 383,000 tons of CO2 currently emitted annually. In perspective, this what their eco-city looks like:
- zero-net emissions
- city as a catchment
- resource efficient
- adapted for climate change
- living and working in a dense urban culture
So if you’re looking for a more productive 2010, Melbourne is the atmosphere you’re in search of. These people know how to get things done. (Check out Flagstaff Gardens, Chinatown,Queen Victoria Market, and the many churches and nearby national parks…)
Contributor Profile: Ashley
Ashley is a friend of anyone who is fighting the good fight for social change. She currently resides in Bilbao, Spain where she is teaching English and researching the history of the Basque conflict. Personal blog
Twitter: @socialearth
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