National Geographic’s “Green Guide” ranked my hometown of Eugene, Oregon, as the greenest city in America back in 2006.  Popular Science makes us the fifth greenest this year and Forbes magazine puts us in ninth place.  That’s not bad for our mini-metropolis when you consider that there are thousands of contenders. 

So what is it like to live in this green wonderland?  GLORIOUS! Here are some common Eugene sights that you’ll notice as you wander our streets:

More gardens, less lawns. Many Eugene residents have replaced all or part of their lawns with food-producing gardens or flowerbeds.  Many of the people who do have lawns simply let them die out rather than using precious water on them over the summer.  When the fall rains return, so do our lush lawns. 

Compost bins galore. There are homemade contraptions and sophisticated manufactured containers, but they are plopped in the majority of yards here.  Some families are even brewing up their own compost tea for use in their gardens.  To see how to make your own bin, check out this post of ours. 

Rooftop solar devices. Some of these produce energy and others heat water for household use.  EWEB, our community owned power supplier, provides zero interest loans for people who want to use solar power to make their homes more energy efficient. 

Huge recycling bins and tiny trash containers. Sanipac, our local waste management company, provides curbside recycling for just about anything you can imagine, except for Styrofoam.  We can toss take-out containers, individual yogurt cups, newspapers, magazines, aluminum cans, cardboard, and most kinds of plastic into our giant recycling tub without sorting.  Since we also have curbside pick up for yard debris and many of us compost, our trash ends up being pretty miniscule. 

Fabulous food choices. Vegetarians and vegans can get just about anything they can imagine here and organic options abound.  At pot lucks there are usually several meatless dishes and grocery stores are loaded with healthy, eco-friendly foods.

Bikers everywhere. This town was built for bikes.  We have streamside bike trails that run from east to west and loads of bike lanes all through downtown.  Plus, our buses allow people to load their cycles up and find creative ways to commute. 

Is there a drawback to this glorious city of ours?  Hmm…. If so, I haven’t found it yet.  Hopefully this post won’t cause thousands more people to flock to our happy little city, although if you’re looking for a family friendly, eco-friendly city, Eugene is the place to be!