From Guest Blogger Adam Groff: Five Countries Where Green is King
Eco-friendly is quickly becoming the talk of the town and some countries are really taking the green initiative seriously.
Whether it’s by way of reduced emissions, alternative energy, or large scale recycling campaigns, countries all over the world are going green and saving the planet as a result.
Here are the top five greenest countries in the world according to the Environmental Performance Index (EPI), which rates the standards of countries in terms of environmental policies:
1. Switzerland, EPI 76. 7
Switzerland’s environmental performance is almost as high as the country’s elevation, putting it at the top of the eco-friendly list. The alpine ecosystems are some of the world’s most fragile, so the Swiss take climate change seriously.
In terms of emissions, the Swiss government restricts the use of automobiles in most of the rural towns in the Alps. Not only that, citizens with hybrid and electric cars can park for free in any of Switzerland’s major cities.
2. Latvia, EPI 70.3
The eastern European country of Latvia is spreading the word about its green initiative by launching a national campaign that asks its citizens, “Latvia – the greenest country in the world?” The main reason behind the campaign is to make citizens aware that their natural resources won’t last forever.
Recently, the Latvian government began the Clean Drive campaign that promotes the use of cleaner vehicles not just in Latvia, but the rest of Europe as well. Clean Drive encourages other European governments to provide tax incentives for clean car purchases.
3. Norway, EPI 69.9
Coming in close behind Latvia is the green-trending country of Norway. Giving itself a hefty challenge for the future, the country stated it wants to be completely carbon neutral by 2030, which means not emitting any greenhouse gases whatsoever.
Luckily, Norway is already well on its way to meeting that goal by banning oil-powered heating systems and coming up with alternative forms of fuel. Not only that, they’re cutting back on the amount of deforestation taking place all across the country’s great landscape.
4. Costa Rica, EPI 69.2
Considering temperatures fall between 70 and 80 degrees year-round, Costa Rica is well ahead of the eco-friendly game in terms of emissions due to heating. And, taking Norway by 10 years, Costa Rica wants to be carbon neutral by 2020.
One problem that plagues the country in terms of its green initiative is its widespread deforestation. But, the Costa Rican government is making an effort to save the forests by finding ways to grow crops under the forest canopy and also cutting down on large-scale construction.
5. France, EPI 69
Last on the list, but still very favorable by EPI standards, is France. The French government has already put legislation in place geared toward energy conservation that would increase the country’s renewable energy rate from 9% to 25% by 2020.
France is already living up to its eco-friendly goals by encouraging the use of solar panels through homeowner tax deductions. In addition, France is implementing the use of more wood and straw in residential construction as opposed to manufactured materials.
As you can see, whether it’s electric cars or carbon neutrality, the countries above are considered eco-friendly for a reason.
About the Author: Adam Groff is a freelance writer and creator of content. He writes on a variety of topics including the environment, Steve Wynn, personal health.
