A new report published by Arcadis ranks the top North American cities with green transportation systems based on the “overall sustainability of urban transportation systems.”
According to that, the cities were measured by ranking measures includes social, environmental, and economic impact.
North American cities rank low compared to European or Asian cities due to the car-centric culture that exists today. However, many cities are striving to provide sustainable, alternative transportation options through various strategies. See what mobility strategies are happening across the nation on the map and download the report for more.
While personal vehicles may be the most common mode of transportation, they aren’t always the most environmentally friendly. This is especially true in populated cities where the public transportation systems can be a lot more energy-efficient with the use of green technology, clean commuting is even more beneficial to the environment.
New York City took the top spot. San Francisco, Vancouver, Montreal, and Washington, D.C., followed, in that order.
Top 5 Cities with Green Transportation Systems
To determine the Top 5 Green Transportation Cities, several factors were taken into consideration, as the average time spent commuting and the system’s hours of operation, how reliable the transportation system is, how much coverage they provide and the system’s ability to lower emissions. Other factors include access to multiple transit modes, bicycle infrastructure, affordability of public transit, digital mapping and payment capabilities, internet connectivity, and more.
Here are the top five North American cities with green transportation systems, according to data from the Sustainable Cities Mobility Index by Arcadis.
New York City, being the most populous city in the United States, has a transportation system which includes one of the largest subway systems in the world; the world’s first mechanically ventilated vehicular tunnel; and an aerial tramway.
The subway system is one of the most developed in the world. Millions of people use New York’s public transportation to get across the city without driving their own vehicles. That helps keep more cars off the roads and fewer emissions in the atmosphere.
The City by the Bay offers public transportation options, but they aren’t quite as popular to use as they are in New York. However, San Francisco also offers many initiatives for green energy. There are many electric vehicles in the city, for example.
San Francisco is becoming a model of how to work successfully with businesses and community groups to phase in and scale up sustainable transportation policies that make an immediate local and citywide impact.
The transportation system is aiming for allow for personal freedoms and environmental benefits to coexist, making sure there are many sustainable options to get around. Gas-fueled vehicles accounted for approximately 37% of our total emissions in 2017.
The city scored well in terms of system maintenance, air pollution and incentives to promote the use of electric vehicles, especially the public transportation systems.
According to a new report from the Arcadis Sustainable Cities Mobility Index, Montreal ranks as the fourth greenest transportation city in North America. The city ranked well for green transportation options with well-organized subway and easy for passengers to use. Montreal’s public transportation is an environmentally-friendly choice.
Montréal is home to a rapidly-growing sector of clean transport innovators, and their work is changing the face of it.
The United States’ capital ranks well for clean commuting with diverse range of national parks, including the National Mall, residents are often found walking to their next destination.
Washington, DC was the first city in North America to launch a bike-share system, which now has more than 4,000 bikes.
While the above cities top the North American none of them find a place in the international cities rank, according to the data from Arcadis.
The top European cities ranked well due to their organized metro systems and efficient infrastructure. These cities also use a lot of green technology in their transportation efforts, which means they release fewer carbon emissions.
The Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal, are an archipelago in the mid-Atlantic. The islands are characterized by dramatic landscapes, fishing villages, green pastures and hedgerows of blue hydrangeas.
The Azores islands are consistently ranked as one of the best, most sustainable, and most affordable island travel destinations in Europe. Located between Europe and North America, the Azores are the perfect island getaway for those looking for a unique and beautiful destination.
There is plenty to see and do (and eat) throughout the nine islands to keep the most ambitious traveler busy and beyond satisfied; here’s just a starter.
Lets explore the top 10 things to do in the Azores:
Photo Credit: Sete Cidades, Azores, Portugal | ARoxo/Moment/Getty Images
Azores Geopark
The Azores Geopark is a network of 121 geographically-dispersed sites of geographic heritage and marine areas that covers the nine volcanic islands of the archipelago of the Azores, representating the archipelago’s vast and varied volcanic geodiversity. There’s no place quite as geologically interesting and breathtaking as the Azores Geopark.
The natural beauty in the park includes about 300 volcanic cavities, underwater geothermal sources, fumarolic fields, crater lakes, dry calderas and so much more.
If you’ve ever dreamed of discovering the world of wild dolphins and whale, then look no further. Many species of whale and dolphin pass by the Azores on their annual migrations. The Azores attracts huge numbers of dolphins and whale, many of whom are very interactive both with boats and swimmers. Whale are, undeniably, one of Mother Nature’s most beautiful and majestic creatures, so it’s only natural to want to see these marvelous animals up close and personal.
This is of the most unforgettable experiences for the whole family includes sailing through the Atlantic in search of these majestic marine mammals. Most of the islands have guided tours available. The largest of the nine islands, Sao Miguel — some of the biggest highlights lie in the vast ocean that surrounds it. And probably the easiest way there with companies in Ponta Delgada and Vila Franca do Campo.
April through June is the best time to see blue whales, but you can still see other kinds of whales and dolphins the rest of the year-round.
The waters that surround the Azores are a diver’s paradise, filled with all sorts of fish species and amazing rock formations, but diving isn’t a year-round pursuit. Each island brings something different to the table: For diving enthusiasts, the very best can be found in the waters of Terceira, near the old port of Angra do Heroísmo in Terceira there’s an underwater anchor graveyard of ancient ship anchors and marine life like eagle rays and octopus, while the awesome topography of Pico Island continues beneath the waves with sheer volcanic cliffs.
Off São Miguel there are volcanic canyons at low depth, providing habitat for octopuses and triggerfish.
Throughout the islands, there are more than 100 diving spots with over 3,000 marine species, vertical walls, clean waters and incredible encounters with manta rays, mobulas and even whale sharks.
You can dive the Azores any time of the year, but the best offshore dive sites are only really accessible during the summer.
There’s a lagoon in the middle fed by the ocean on the landward side, and so completely shielded from the ocean currents. This strange, beautiful spot fills up quickly on sunny days. You can take a short boat ride from the Pier of Vila Franca do Campo to get to this amazing location
Enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience at the Islet of Vila Franca do Campo. You can enjoy an afternoon on the slopes of the ancient caldera or go for a swim within the Islet’s crater. This tiny island is just a kilometer away from São Miguel’s coast. Spot beautiful and vibrant vegetation, a gorgeous lagoon shielded from the ocean’s currents, and marvel at the natural cone that the islet creates.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Sete Cidades Caldera
This landscape has been shaped by successive volcanic events over the last 38,000 years. The last eruption might have been as recent as the 1400s, just before the island was colonized.
Nothing can prepare you for the astonishing views of the Sete Cidades Massif on the west side of São Miguel Island. Twin green and blue lakes are ensconced in evergreen vegetation and shielded by a massive volcanic crater that rises like ramparts is one of the scenic highlights of the Azores. Sitting inside the crater of an extinct volcano, a bridge divides the lake into two sections. They each have quite distinct colors. Visit on a clear day if possible, as that’s when you’ll get those perfect breathtaking views.
The natural beauty of this twin lake is breathtaking with lively hues of green blanketing the surrounding landscapes. The twin lakes, which are relatively small and are ecologically unique, are connected by a small square and can be crossed via a small bridge. They are known simply as the Green Lake and the Blue Lake
Boca do Inferno translates as the Mouth of Hell, is likely to be one of the most beautiful places you’ve ever visited. With just a few minutes walk, you’ll see a breathtaking panorama that you can’t imagine.
You can see the small town of Sete Cidades visible in the distance, and it’s one of the best places on Sao Miguel to see how volcanic activity has shaped the island.
If you are driving, don’t park in the car park off the main road, but continue driving on the dirt road opposite for a few minutes until you reach the end. The dirt road runs along the top of the caldera, and you walk walk directly alongside where you park the car.
Photo Credit: Tiago Ferreira / Flickr
Terra Nostra Park
A visit to the Terra Nostra Gardens is like spending time in a secret paradise tucked away at the Azores, one of the world’s best-kept secrets. Over 200 years old, the Terra Nostra Gardens are internationally renowned for their incredible beauty which is showcased in a sprawling 31-acre complex. Visitors to the gardens can see beautiful plant life from all over the world such as Rhododendrons from Malaysia, a collection of Cycads and Camellias, the exceptional Victoria Cruziana, and even over 300 kinds of ferns. Full of tropical and subtropical plants from the Azores and around the world, it’s easy to spend an hour or more exploring these large, impressive gardens.
Terra Nostra Park The Botanical Park´s next highlight is the famous thermal water pool. The volcanic hot spring nourishes the pool with temperatures between 35 and 40 degrees Celsius.
Photo Credit: madeinazores.eu
Pico Island Wine Country
With all of the volcanos surrounding the Azorean islands, the Pico Island Wine Country has been producing world-class wine since the 15th century. The stone homes and stone-walled vineyards that were built to protect the 2,439 acres of vineyard from fierce Atlantic winds and surges of salty ocean water from centuries ago can still be seen today in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Criação Velha wine region, in the municipality of Madalena.
Tour the vineyards with a local guide during the day and spend the late afternoons and evenings sipping and tasting all of the gorgeous wines that Pico Island has to offer.
Photo Credit: wikipedia
Montanha do Pico
At Pico Island you can climb the mountain, 2351 meters (7713 feet) above sea level. The Montanha do Pico is one of the highest Atlantic mountains, it’s the tallest in Portugal and twice the elevation of any other peak in the Azores. The Montanha do Pico is classified as a basaltic stratovolcano and was declared a nature reserve in 1982 because of its spectacular beauty and wildlife. With a summit that often disappears into the cloud.
You can climb the mountain in the afternoon so you can see the sunset when you are in the top or enjoy a remarkable view of the Faial, Graciosa, São Jorge and Terceria Islands. The steep, nearly 3-mile trek takes about three hours. In addition to magnificent vistas, you’ll see lava tubes and fascinating rock formations too.
The Montanha do Pico is classified as a basaltic stratovolcano and was declared a nature reserve in 1982 because of its spectacular beauty and wildlife.
Photo Credit: azoresontravel.com
Poca da Dona Beija
Take a break from your tour of Sao Miguel with a relaxing swim at Poca Da Dona Beija, a small spa featuring three natural pools of iron-rich water known for its therapeutic properties. Fed by a series of hot springs, the small pools remain at about 39 C (102 F), an ideal temperature for soothing tense muscles and easing pains associated with chronic rheumatism.
Today, Poca da Dona Beija has been lovingly renovated and update to exude a rustic charm with its brick pools that are fringed by vibrant tropical vegetation. After the hot bath, you can enjoy the tropical landscaping and the gift shop of the facility. Keep in mind that the yellowish water can leave stains on your clothes.
Photo Credit: Jorge Santos / olhares.sapo.pt
Lagoa das Furnas
There are three spectacular lakes on São Miguel Island and one of them is the Lagoa das Furnas. Lagoa das Furnas is unique in scenery and experiences. One of the most unique features of Lagoa das Furnas is the clear and amazing sign of volcanic activity that takes place on the lake’s northwestern shore. Furnas is the place to visit if you want to see the hot springs. It has an active caldera with steam vents, mud pots and geysers, locals cook food in earth ovens available in picnic areas. This hot spring and most touristy city of the island is situated in the east inland of Sao Miguel in the middle of mountains and forest.
On a raised boardwalk guests can navigate to get a great view of the small calderas and pools at the lake spouting steam.
These small craters are even used by restaurant chefs in the town of Furnas who bring their pots of cozido (meat and vegetable stew) and let them simmer in the hot ground. And after that you may be enticed to head to town to taste traditional food cooked with volcanic activity.
Check this official video about Azores from VisitPortugal. Don’t forget to check their Youtube channel for more and unforgettable videos about Portugal.
Dismissing air travel entirely is unrealistic in this day and age, but we can try to reduce the impact of air travel. People fly for many different reasons, and doing it in a less impacting, more eco-friendly manner is always a good idea.
You try to keep your travel as eco-friendly as possible, but sometimes, you have no choice but to fly up.
Taking one roundtrip flight abroad generates one metric ton of carbon, which is roughly equivalent to driving a Prius 20 miles (35 km) to work every day for a year!
We should all try to fly less and stay for longer when we go, but there are things everyone can do to lessen the impact and make your trip as green as possible by following these suggestions:
“I think we’re on the brink of a new era of flying responsibly,” says Sophia Leonora Mendelsohn, JetBlue’s Head of Sustainability. “The vast majority of carriers [are] completely focused on the upcoming United Nations ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) agreement.” This mandates that all airlines cap CO2 and commit to carbon neutral growth after 2020, among other significant measures.
A progress being made — from buying newer more fuel-efficient airplains to NextGen technology — but our collective high-altitude emissions are still staggering. There are about 100,000 commercial flights per day, and the number of air travel will only continue to grow, says Scott Mayerowitz, airlines reporter at The Associated Press. “Last year, U.S. airlines burned through 16.2 billion gallons of fuel [or 340 billion pounds of carbon dioxide emissions],” says Mayerowitz.
Keep in mind that taking off and landing use up more fuel than cruising at high altitude. It’s better for the environment to seek a different airline when you’re searching online to make a flight reservation than many low-cost airlines that fly via a third location rather than non-stop.
It is always better for the environment to take a non-stop flight.
Book an air travel that uses newer model planes.
Newer planes usually have better fuel economy than older ones.
If you have a choice between an older aircraft and a newer, more fuel-efficient aircraft, book the modern aircraft. Green, options include Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A350. Many leading airlines use new versions of 737s and A320s/A321s for shorter flights. A 2016 study on airlines’ fuel efficiency revealed a huge discrepancy between carriers when it comes to how much fuel they burn. This is caused by two main differences – the number of premium seats and the type of aircraft. In the U.S. Alaska Airlines is the most fuel efficient, followed by Frontier and Spirit. In Europe, Norwegian Airlines is 51 percent more efficient than British Airways, the worst ranking. Porter Airlines, which operates in Canada and the U.S., uses turboprop planes that fly much lower than jets and use 64 percent of the fuel that jets do.
Choose daytime flights
Studies show that jet can contribute to warming the atmosphere because as they disperse they can trap heat radiating up from the earth. Especially at night because during the day, the contrails partially offset the heat trap effect by radiating light from the sun away from the earth. It’s believed that flying during the daytime is more eco-friendly. Nighttime flights have a greater warming impact because, as the David Suzuki Foundation explains, the contrails trap heat that would otherwise escape the Earth.
Photo credit: itsbytespixels from Pexels
Lower the window shades
According to Delta rep Ashton Morrow. “Why does the flight attendant ask you to lower your shades and open the vents when it’s warm outside?” Because it helps keep the aircraft cool. When all window shades are closed, the aircraft can be 10 degrees cooler. Reducing the cooling load saves energy and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.”
Purchase carbon offsets for your air travel
Carbon offset programs might be more of a quick fix than a long-term solution, and they go toward reducing the same amount of environmental costs that your trip expends.
In 2007, Delta first started the use of an airline carbon offset program. Up to today this program benefits The Nature Conservancy’s forest projects in Chile, Virginia, and Belize. For example, a roundtrip flight from New York to London will emit one ton of CO2 per passenger, while one tree conserved through the program will capture up to 7.5 tons of CO2 over its lifetime.
“If I have a choice of airlines, and I know one has an effective carbon-neutral program but the other doesn’t, I can chose, as a consumer, to put my money where it does the most good,” – says Skift’s aviation editor, Marisa Garcia.
JetBlue’s CarbonFund.org program supports The Envira Amazonia Project, which preserves 500,000 acres of endangered tropical rainforest in Brazil and also providing the community with educational programs, and health care. When you spend about $13 to offset your flight from New York to Paris, 100 percent of the tax-deductible donation goes to these and other projects, including wildlife conservation or renewable energy.
You can do this voluntarily to some airline tickets at the time of purchase of your air travel ticket. Learn more about how carbon offsets are used.
Use economy class.
The more passengers that an aircraft carries, the less fuel is burned per passenger. When you choose an economy seat, you’re responsible for fewer emissions than if you choose a seat in a roomier class of travel.
Atmospheric scientist Peter Kalmus calculates that sitting in first class emits 1.5 kg C02-equivalents per passenger mile, compared to 0.5 kg CO2e in the economy. A 2009 study by World Bank calculated that first class has a higher carbon footprint than their economy class.
Pack light.
Every pound of weight that a plane carries increases the amount of fuel that it burns, the havier the load the more carbon emissions will be released. Consider reducing your luggage weight which will reduce your environmental impact and it makes your traveling far easier, faster, and more pleasant.
“Delta is packing lighter in an effort to cut fuel consumption and lessen environmental impact by reducing the amount of ice boarded on overnight international flights, replacing heavy pilot manuals (50 pounds) with Microsoft Surface tablets and flight attendant manuals with Nokia Lumia 1520 phablets, as well as installing lighter carbon brakes in place of the high-capacity steel brakes where possible,” says Delta’s Morrow. “If customers pack lighter—making simple changes like leaving that extra pair of shoes at home (two pounds)—the annual environmental impact from reduced fuel consumption is the equivalent to removing 10,500 cars from the road for [an entire] year.”
As you are preparing to take off for your next vacation, consider reducing your carbon impact by using some of these simple tips. You can check our other posts about becoming a sustainable traveler.
