Everyone wants to let themselves go before the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, but sometimes it’s nice to retain at least a few of your morals to help rebuild your dignity in the morning. For those of you who are older, I bet you’re less concerned about retaining morality and more worried about sustaining your vitality until midnight. Fortunately, I happen to know of ten cities where you can do all of the above and more: sustain your dignity, your pocket book, your party, and the environment – New Year’s Eve doesn’t get much classier than that. In the next three weeks, I’ll be giving you five places to ring in the New Year and five places to sleep off your hangover (and/or continue the after party, you rock stars) all the while donating your party dollars to some of the most sustainable cities in the world.
Sustainable NYE City #1: Reykjavik, Iceland
Due to its economic collapse and its colorful, newly-elected lesbian prime minister, Iceland was unexpectedly thrown into the spotlight this year, but this tiny, nearly-artic island has been making its own trends for a long time. To begin, 72% of Iceland’s total energy consumption comes from strictly hydro and geothermal sources and it has pledged to become the world’s first hydrogen economy by2020. As we speak, Iceland is testing a number of hydrogen fueled car options (some already rolled out by the car rental service, Hertz) while its airline, Icelandair, continues to offer all of its passengers the ability to offset their carbon footprint upon purchase of their flights.
The heart of this sustainable haven is Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik – a city entirely heated by a volcanic stream and the site of the world’s first commercial hydrogen refueling station, opened in 2003. If these innovations alone don’t peek your interest, Reykjavik is also famous for its rowdy nightlife, especially on New Year’s Eve. As tradition goes, the locals light large bonfires in the four corners of the city in order to enjoy hearty liquor and an epic fireworks celebration. And don’t worry about partying until the break of dawn – during winter in Iceland – there is no dawn.
If you’re looking for a quieter escape, you can always head to the countryside to witness the spectacular Northern Lights or take a dip in the luxurious Blue Lagoon, Iceland’s geothermal swimming pools. The best part? I hate to say it, but due to their economic woes, Iceland is now dirt cheap. Icelandair typically offers stellar winter deals for American travelers so you can party responsibly and experience a city that knows how to live sustainable. Skal!
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