21 Powerful Non-Masonry Tools To Build A Green City

We build a house by the bricks but we make a home by our hearts. Right

So, a city is built by the machinery, tools and construction material. But a green city is built by your love for the environment. It means building a city without harming the environment. It ensures full environmental care.

A city already built should also be converted into a green city. Countries in the western world are making their cities green and clean. Here in the eastern part of the world we yet to build green cities and towns.

The western world is quite familiar with the idea of a green city. In the developing and least-developed world it is still a vague idea. Here people don’t have much awareness about green living. They have several other problems to first solve for their very survival. These problems range from poverty alleviation to maintaining law and order.

That is why green ideas of collective nature do not have greater appeal in poor nations. They don’t know the inverse relationship between poverty and sustainability. It means higher sustainability, lower poverty levels. They need awareness about this fact. First, their leadership should be aware of the significance of a green city. Why it is a must for our sustainable future.

What is a green city?

These are 21 go-green ways to build a green city or convert the one already established.

1. A public park in each residential area

Every citizen has the basic right to have a recreational facility. An ideal recreational spot is a public park. It is a public good. It is for all community members. There is no gender, class or age bar to enjoy this facility. People of all ages, all income groups and genders can visit a park.

They inhale fresh air there. They see greenery and improve their eyesight. They move around and stay fit. It is the basic parameter to build a green city. People should have ample space in a park to move, run, play and enjoy. So a public park in each residential area is a must for a green city.

2. Factories must be away from the residential areas

This is a problem in almost all big cities of third world countries. Their industries either operate in residential areas. Or expanding the city gets near to factories.

In both cases people have to suffer. They have to suffer from emissions and effluent of factories. In the master plan of a city, industrial areas must be far away from residential areas. So much so in case, the residential area expands even then it can’t get near to any cluster of factories.

3. Bus terminals should be away from the city but not far away

If a bus terminal operates inside the city it creates traffic jams. It creates vehicular emissions. It causes noise pollution because of the constant hoot of huge vehicles.

That is why the bus terminal should be away from the city but not far away. If it is far away people have to cover long distances to reach there. More fuel will be burnt for long-distance and air pollution will rise.

So a bus terminal should be away from the residential area but not out of the green city.

4. The modern public transport system

In big cities of poor countries having a car has almost become a necessity. They don’t have a sound public transport system. That is why one can’t survive without a car. Poorest has to survive with a faulty public transport system.

This situation has already caused an astronomical rise in many cars there. Now traffic jams are common. Vehicular emission has risen steeply. Fuel prices have shot up because of huge demand.

So a green city must have an efficient public transport system to avoid such a mess.

5. No-car zone in trade hub of the city

The main problem of vehicular emissions arises in the commercial center of a city. Most corporate workers commute in personal transport. They park their cars near their offices. As a result, they occupy more space for car parking. So, a lesser space remains for the plying of vehicles.

As a result traffic jams are obvious. Here again, vehicular emission rises and air pollution level worsens. So, a commercial hub of the city should be a car-free zone to avoid all types of mess. This should be part of the plan of a green city.

6. Strict building control laws

A green building means a building fully congenial for the environment. It should have an efficient energy consumption system. It should have a spacious car parking area. It must not have congestion inside.

In short, it must follow all environmental parameters in its construction. A green city must have stringent building control laws to stop unsustainable construction.

7. Ample space to walk

A green city must have ample space for walking. Not for a morning walk but the space between two units of homes, offices or factories should be broader.

It will avoid congestion and offer space for people to move comfortably. No hustle and bustle. No panic. This is the hallmark of green living.

8. Separate Lane for bikers

In poor regions of the world, it may be an overambitious idea. But in the developed world, this rule is already in vogue.

We should support bikers to promote bike culture. They want their safety on the roads. They can’t keep pace with fast-moving vehicular traffic.

So on busy roads, a separate lane is a must for bikers for their safety.

9. An effective garbage collection system

A garbage collection system is either public or private in the whole world. In less developed regions, civic agencies collect garbage. In developed countries, it is by and large privatized. Communities and governments run it on a partnership basis.

An effective garbage collection system is a must to make a green city. Leniency and poor performance mean littering in the streets. If a street is not clean, it can never be a street of a green city.

10. State-of-the-art landfill site

The solid waste management system has two phases. The first one is the collection system. The second one is the disposal mechanism. An effective and sustainable system to collect and dispose of garbage is a must for making a city green.

Garbage must be dumped into a designated landfill site. It is a deep ditch to store the garbage and does not hit the soil.

A green city must have a functional landfill site to keep the city clean. Otherwise, garbage will litter and create a mess.

11. The civic wastewater treatment plant

The release of untreated civic wastewater into the water is harmful. It is less harmful than industrial effluent but does pollute the water. So civic bodies must treat it before releasing it.

A green city must treat civic wastewater and reuse it for non-drinking purposes. Even we can drink it after its modern scientific treatment.

12. Beach cleaning authority

Beaches are for the public. So the public must keep them clean. People should keep their beaches clean.

A beach cleaning authority is also a must for a green city if it is near the coast. It can be a civic agency of the coastal area with an extra job to keep the beach area clean.

13. Green communities and leadership

The beauty of every city is people living in it. They are collectively called a community. It must have environmental awareness. It must have environmental activism.

So that it can adopt sustainable living. It can elect its representatives on the basis of their environment friendliness.

Eventually, green leadership will emerge from them. The collective will do robustly for sustainability in every field. It means the green city produces green leadership for the sustainable future of a nation.

14. Green civil society

Every city has an aware class of people. They raise voice against injustices. They are a vocal part of the society. They can’t stay silent over a collective injustice.

So the civil society of a green city must have green awareness on all issues. It can pressurize policymakers to make sustainable policies for the people.

15. Slaughterhouse must be away from the green city

It is very common in poor countries. Slaughterhouses don’t follow health and hygiene rules. They even operate within the city.

Poor law enforcement system of such countries is a blessing for them. No one stops them. If they are arrested they are released after a minor penalty.

So, a green city must have stern laws to make slaughterhouses operate outside the city.

16. Environmental clearance of every new project

New projects don't have environmental considerations in poor countries. So they hit the environment.

Each project of a green city must be environment-friendly. Else it should not be allowed.

17. Recycling and composting system

The entire garbage of a city can’t be dumped into a landfill site. If it is so it can’t be a sustainable practice. Segregation of the garbage is must into three categories as:

1. Recyclable garbage
2. Reusable garbage and
3. Rubbish

Rubbish is straight away thrown into the landfill site and rest is recycled and reused. But it can’t be done without a system.

A green city must have sustainable methods to reuse its garbage.

18. Efficient response system for environmental mishaps

In case of an environmental mishap a green city must have an emergency response system. Incidents of the oil spills in seas and oceans are environmental disasters.

If a city fails to respond to these mishaps its citizens have to face the adverse effects of such incidents.

19. Sustainable city plan

A green city always has a sustainable plan. It has an appropriate space for its expansion. A sustainable plan clearly defines to what extent a city can be expanded.

20. Futuristic energy policy

Futuristic energy policy is a policy that can adjust the rapid changes in the energy sector.

A few years ago solar energy was the most viable option as alternate energy. Now wind energy is an ideal option for sustainable consumption of energy.

Maybe soon some other forms of energy will be the best option. So the energy policy of a green city should be futuristic in nature.

21. Green activities

The lifeblood of a green city is its social activities. They must be green in nature. In every type of such activity, there must not be any wastage of resources. No harm to the environment.

For this sustainable culture needs to be promoted with the help of green communities. Laws will work lesser here. Volunteerism has a bigger role in promoting and continuing green activities.

Who has to build a green city?

It is the duty of all us to convert our cities into green ones. It is likely that a few or most of the above walls are already built around many cities.

In poor regions maybe one or two walls from the above list were built. In any of the cases, we have to build a green city together. Here WE mean:

• Individuals including you and me to demand our government build green cities
• Civic authorities who manage the cities under their jurisdictions
• The government that governs and finances the cities and towns of each country
• The private sector that operates in cities and it has to abide by green laws in its every activity
• The civil society that has to build pressure on the government to keep building green cities
• Media to point out where environmental violations are being made and who to stop them
• Global fraternity to work together on how to hurry the idea of green city

Let’s help each other

Don’t worry. We don’t have to stand up right now to help each other.

Just tell us, in which city do you live and how many things from the above list are already built around it.

Also, suggest how the remaining points can be applied and who has to start the action.

We are just eagerly waiting to hear from you.