Freiburg is known as an ecocity. The newly built neighbourhoods of Vauban and Rieselfeld were developed and built according to the idea of sustainability. The citizens of Freiburg are known in Germany for their love of cycling and recycling.

This past December, as climate talks in Copenhagen commenced, I sat in talks in Istanbul listening to local government representatives, building professionals and academics discuss concrete actions that can and have been taken to reduce greenhouse gases in cities around the world. The 8th annual Ecocity World Summit posed a compelling alternative to the fights and frustrations that mired the climate talks of Copenhagen in conflict. Cities represent about 75% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, and the birth of the “eoocity” concept a few decades ago may have marked the beginning of our most tangible solution yet. From recycling, wastewater treatment and green building to smart urban planning, public transit and renewable energy generation, ecocity plans and ideas have emerged with a list of seemingly “no-brainer” action items to pursue.

While in theory, the “ecocity” may seem like a very straightforward concept, in practice the challenges prove tough to transcend. The urban and suburban sprawl that plagues regions in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand may seem like an almost insurmountable barrier to reducing carbon emissions. However, in Istanbul, a city of 13 million and growing, sprawl is compounded by the fact that much of the development is unplanned. This is also true for other mega-cities like Rio de Janeiro where families often add stories to their own homes, creating unsound structures that may collapse during natural disasters. Such unplanned settlements also make it difficult to create underground tunnels for a metro system, as there may be no record of where gas and electricity lines run underground. Traffic and a lack of environmental practices like wastewater treatment are also a major issue for such megacities.

Historical considerations also present challenges, as the rich cultural heritage of ancient cities demands a certain authenticity of design. Moreover, as cities like Istanbul go to dig tunnels for eco-features like an underground metro, they may discover archeological treasures that force them to stop digging.

In modern cities of intense density like Hong Kong, Tei Pei, and Singapore, a lack of space to erect renewable power generation and urban farming operations create challenges to meeting energy and food demands without importing food and energy. In many developing nations, a lack of laws to regulate pollution and a lack of enforcement for existing environmental laws also create little incentive to move towards renewable energy. Some regions lack the resources to produce renewable energy, forcing them to make a decision between a local energy economy and a clean energy economy.

Approaches to creating an ecocity to solve these problems vary. According to Elizabeth Rapoport of the University College of London, there are three main categories of ecocities. Ecovillages, such as Cerro Gordo in the U.S. are small pastoral communities. Masterplanned ecocities such as Tianjin, China and Masdar, Abu Dabi, are new cities that incorporate ecological principles from day one. Models in already retrofitted ecocities like Curitiba, Brazil and Freiburg, Germany have the greatest potential to transform the already developed world, where builders and planners will have to make improvements on the existing infrastructure and building stock. Taking lessons from other more advanced cities will be an important step in the process if cities want to avoid reinventing the wheel. Conversely, avoiding some of the mistakes that more established cities have made will be crucial for nascent cities in the developing world.

The term “ecocity,” like other trendy terms including “green” and “sustainable” will likely be the subject of abuse over the coming years and decades. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for the cities of the world, the sooner the international community comes together to define an ecocity that really does live up to the name, the more clear direction and success cities will have in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and pollution while improving the quality of life for their residents. Hopefully the local governments involved in redesigning our cities can learn to work together more effectively than did the participants in Copenhagen. Unfortunately, that’s a low bar.

San Francisco recycling facility.

On October 21st, San Francisco’s Universal Recycling and Composting Ordinance took effect. The ordinance requires everyone in San Francisco to separate their refuse into recyclables, compostables and trash. According to SF Environment’s website, no one may mix recyclables, compostables or trash, or deposit refuse of one type in a collection container designated for another type. Furthermore, all properties are required to maintain and pay for adequate refuse service, but properties with insufficient space may apply for a waiver.  While residences have been required for decades to subscribe and pay for refuse collection service, this ordinance extends that requirement to commercial properties. Now any property owner who fails to maintain and pay for adequate refuse service is subject to liens, fines, and other fees. Fines can go up to $1,000, but may not exceed $100 for small generators (anyone producing up to one cubic yard of refuse per week—about six standard 32-gallon carts).  The City will not create liens without a hearing or issue fines without warnings, and fines can be appealed.  Sf Environment says on their website that they see warnings as opportunities for education, and expect fines to be levied only in egregious ongoing situations.

In addition, building owners or managers and managers of food vendors and events are required to maintain appropriate, color-coded (blue for recyclables, green for compostables and black for trash), labeled containers in convenient locations, and educate tenants, employees and contractors, including janitors, on how to separate materials. The Department of the Environment and collectors will provide free consultation, container labels, signage, educational materials, and other assistance that best suits the building.

Lastly, food vendors that provide disposable food service ware or to go containers must have appropriate containers for recyclables, compostables and trash for use by customers and visitors, placed inside near a main exit. The Department of the Environment will provide assistance to help produce zero waste events.

More information about the program is available here.

The City of San Jose also has plans to become a “Zero Waste” city.  On October 30th of 2007, the City of San Jose, California adopted a Green Vision. Part of that green vision is a “Zero Waste” initiative that will divert 100% of the city’s waste away from land fills. As of that time, the city recycled 62% of their garbage and trash citywide.

For more infomation on their program, click here.

Second Chance offers buildings and people a new life.

Second Chance, an organization in Baltimore, MD is aptly named for their faith in second chances for both buildings and people. Second Chance works with local and regional architects, builders and contractors to find old buildings that are facing demolition.  Using public and private funds, they rescue wood, metal, marble, plaster, stone and other architectural pieces and give those items new life while diverting them from the landfill.

Training low-income residents of Baltimore in a wide array of skills – including carpentry and craftsmanship – Second Chance creates local jobs and teaches their workers to safely deconstruct a building without damaging its historic elements. These skilled workers make a living wage with benefits for themselves and their families.

Second Chance provides flavor for the increasingly homogenous housing stock that dominates today’s tract housing communities. Architectural elements can have new life as something completely different from their originally intended use.  Some old doors can become a room divider and an old section of fence, a headboard for a bed. Second Chance epitomizes the Green Collar Jobs movement that is taking hold across the U.S., strengthening local job markets and helping to alleviate environmental woes.

Second Chance also has a training program in Philadelphia, PA, and Washington, DC.

The goal of Zero Waste strategies is to achieve a closed-loop materials system.  Waste is a sign of inefficiency. The Zero Waste Alliance’s use of the term Zero Waste includes “Zero Solid Waste”, “Zero Hazardous Waste”,  “Zero Toxics” and “Zero Emissions”.

Zero waste suggests that the entire concept of waste should be eliminated.  Instead, waste should be thought of simply as a “potential resource.” Benefits of zero waste strategies include reduced costs, increased profits, and reduced environmental impacts.  Zero Waste may require redesigning both products and processes to weed out inefficiencies in the use of materials, energy and human resources.

The San Francisco Recycling Center

Zero Waste strategies consider the entire life-cycle of products, processes and systems. Wastes can be prevented through designs based on full life-cycle thinking.

Potential Zero Waste programs:

• Community programs  with a focus on zero solid waste to landfills and zero wasted energy can result in new jobs not only in the recovery process, but also in the use of recovered waste products as raw materials to produce new products.
• Business programs with a focus on increasing efficiency by eliminating solid and hazardous waste, process wastes, wastes in production operations and energy use.
• Educational programs when applied to all school activities and classroom teaching can save money while providing important education to help the younger generation be prepared to contend with coming changes.
• Home programs can be developed that include energy savings, changes in purchasing habits, reduction in the toxicity of cleaning agents, and the use of more appropriate fertilizers and pesticides.

The Zero Waste Alliance