What Does “Going Green” Really Mean? (Part 2)

Building on a piece written late last year, I want to highlight the way in which a public dialogue can offer multiple perspectives on the subject of “going green,” specifically on what factors should be used in order to accurately call a city “green.”

In the summer of 2007, Grist published a list of what they deemed the top “15 Green Cities.” Eye-catching in its design (vibrant color photography, short paragraphs, various links), the content proved to be fodder for disagreement and debate. Considering the name of the site, it wouldn’t be a stretch to suggest that the arbitrariness (perhaps even carelessness) of the selection criteria and content was intentional. Like throwing a firecracker into the street to see how people react.

Regardless of the possible intentions behind the creation of the list, it is the post-list commentary that developed in response to it that offers a much more insightful look at the various issues involved in the process of calling a city “green.”

You can find Grist’s list of “15 Green Cities” and, most importantly, the proceeding commentary here.

For Part 3 of “What Does ‘Going Green’ Really Mean?” link here.

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