Local politicians are already 60's of the 20th century understood the importance of the implementation of environmental projects if they want the city to ensure a sustainable economic future. To this end, Växjö is already in the 1970s spent a district heating project which the whole city provide thermal energy and hot water from a central heating system. In 1990. years, long before the global warming issue has become widely accepted, the city council announced plans for a complete withdrawal from fossil fuels by the year 2030. year and reduce CO2 emissions by 50% within 20 years. A number of initiatives encouraged local farmers to organic food production, while citizens are encouraged to reduce consumption of paper and the use of bicycles as a means of public transport.
While these years a number of similar actions began to implement in Sweden, an energy company owned by the city went a step further and moved away from oil to biomass, which are remnants of the forest industry have become a source of energy. Today, almost 90% of the population of the city heat and hot water obtained by using vegetable waste, and 40% of electricity also comes from green sources. One of the major challenges facing the city council is to reduce dependence on cars. As many as 60% of the total 60,000 inhabitants used cars as the main means of transportation. Henrik Johansson, coordinator of environmental reports, "We depend on national policies and changes in the automotive sector and the oil and gas sector to help our residents find adequate alternatives. Simply can not make our citizens to give up the car without providing adequate alternative."
But Johansson is still very optimistic and points out a number of impressive achievements in the sector of sustainable mobility: "We have done everything to help the city become more attractive for cycling and using the bus. Petrol stations now use a mix of biofuel reducing C02 emissions, and we hope that We will reach a level of at least 80% by 2030.
Source: croenergo.eu
Publisher: croenergo.eu
