¿Ya te enteraste sobre Greendy? Esta app llegó para quedarse y revolucionar el consumo del quién busca mejorar su relación con el medio ambiente.
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La aplicación consta en recomendar lugares en donde uno puede recurrir a comer, comprar ropa, aprender tips ambientales, ir a tomar algo o incluso viajar. Todos estos lugares pueden estar tanto a unos metros de distancia como no, tan solo es ubicarse en el gps.
Cada lugar, contacto, curso, restaurant, tiene un vínculo ambiental óptimo y es por eso que #Greendy lo promociona.
Mexico City has become one of the few cities where environmental initiative and economical gain perfectly come together. The implementation of the Mexico’s Green Plan or Plan Verde, has triggered a significant shift in the public’s support of a greener, more efficient way of living. One could see the major developments along the city’s streets; public transportation has hit a record high in terms of passengers, the quality of air has considerably increased, public spaces and parks have become popular destinations for locals and tourists, and the regional water supply transformed the city into a vibrant oasis.
But just two decades ago, Mexico had one of the most challenging environmental problems: air pollution. During those days, one‘s vision would be blocked by an intense wall of smog which resulted in birds falling dead from the sky and humans choking and struggling to breath clean air. Pollutants like carbon dioxide, lead, copper and mercury caused Mexico’s air to have an abnormally high ozone level that was above the country’s standard.
The city then found the solution to its problems in the form of Mayor Marcelo Ebrard. It was Mayor Ebrard who first proposed of an entirely new city plan for Mexico which was inspired by sustainable plans from other cities, such as New York and Paris. Ebrard has long considered improving the city’s air quality an important priority of his administration. The objective of the plan was to reduce the emission of carbon and other toxic pollutants. From this, Plan Verde was took effect on 2007 and the level of greenhouse gas emissions has been cut by 7 million metric tons.
A prominent figure on the implementation of the Green Plan is the city’s Minister of the Environment, Martha Delgado. Delgado points out that there are still more things that can be done to improve the city’s environmental state. “Cities from developing countries will also have to play a major role in activating changes within their communities, since people are more engaged and informed about the topic. We need an international pact to show commitment from mayors around the world”, said Delgado, recognizing the fact that local action is very important.
One of the plan’s initiatives is the improvement of mobility choices among Mexicans. The city has noted that both public and private transportation are responsible for a large part of the emission of greenhouse gases and has included in its Green Plan the improvement of transportation options for locals. According to Plan Verde, the city is investing $2 billion for the construction of a 12th metro line that will “replace taxis with newer, more energy efficient and vehicles”. One particular Plan Verde transportation project is the city’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, the Metrobus. The Metrobus has reduced the number of daily car trips in Mexico by 122,000 and is now used by 700,000 people. The Metrobus system has also helped Mexico reduce its annual carbon emission by an estimated 800,000 tons.
Mexico’s water system has also become a tough issue for the local government, having faced an insufficient supply of water for the city’s ever-growing population. Plan Verde aims to invest in water treatment and recovery systems that will reduce usage and waste among residents and businesses. The local government also intends to improve on the city’s drainage system and water treatment facilities, and replace all damaged or obsolete pipes by the end of this year.
Aside from Plan Verde’s water waste reduction, the city has also implemented a ban on non-biodegradable plastic bags used for packaging in retail stores and supermarkets. This project aims to reduce the amount of solid waste by 79% and trigger a movement of recycling in households, local businesses and industrial facilities. Also in the agenda is the expansion of an educational campaign that encourages proper waste segregation.
Mayor Ebrard has also pointed out that the one of the inspirations for the city’s Plan Verde is Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s plan for New York City, NYCPlan 2030. Both plans promise the enhancement of city life through the construction of green architecture and public spaces. Mexico City has led the way of revitalizing its cityscape with the construction of buildings with rooftop gardens and green roofs which provide refreshing views for business employees and residents. Another green initiative is the designing of public spaces that are based on Plan Verde’s sustainability criteria. The public spaces, along with the rooftop gardens and green roofs, are designed to filter pollution from passing vehicles, absorb noise and reduce energy use.
The success of Mexico’s Plan Verde can be attributed to the united mobilization of the city’s government agencies and its citizens. The local government allowed people to be involved with the solution and to participate in the efforts of developing Mexico’s environment and economy. Plan Verde is also different from other city plans in that it does not have a central budget and relies on the budgets of the various government agencies involved and their performance targets.
After Ebrard’s term is over, Plan Verde will still function as a separate government project that will look out on other long-term solutions for long-term problems. One of the most important issues that Plan Verde continues to tackle is climate change. “One of the top five priorities of the Mexico City Government is climate change. This is a strong commitment we have and that is because we have the support of inhabitants of our city. We all know that cannot do this alone” said Delgado, and urged other mayors from different parts of the world to come together and contribute in an effort to reduce the harrowing effects of global warming.
