Las Vegas as Green Capital?
development, sustainability August 19th, 2009The mayor of Las Vegas aims to make the city the Green Capital of the World, and he’s starting with a non-profit organization called Green Chips that urges environmental sustainability. The large CityCenter project has worked to recycle 90 percent of construction waste, and that mindset is trickling toward other projects. Later this month the new organization wil work toward community-scale projects that urge solar energy retrofits and energy efficient construction. The group also plans to provide low-interest loand to homeowners and businesses that work toward energy efficiency.
I just spent some time in Vegas last week, and it seems that the city will have a long road toward this goal. Something about a city of flashing lights in the desert, with water fountains flowing, that just seems the antithesis of green. I do commend that they’re trying though.
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August 19th, 2009 at 8:55 am
And don’t forget the giant water fountain shows in the middle of the desert… A friend works with the NOAA NGDC with the archive of nighttime lights imagery. According to him, Vegas at night is the brightest object on the surface of the earth.
August 19th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Thanks for the comment. The water use is definitely one of the more disturbing aspects, especially on days that exceed 100 degrees.