Running head: Living Green

Living Green In Copenhagen, Denmark

Taylor A. Hunt
Appalachian State University

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Abstract
Living green in the capital city of Denmark, seems pretty remarkable. There are many reasons as
to why Copenhagen is climbing up on the sustainable ladder. The miles available to bikers in
Copenhagen are outstanding, leading to vehicle independent living. Wind energy available in
Copenhagen is a growing industry as well. Along with a projection of being the worlds first
carbon neutral city, Copenhagen is the place to be. The approach to becoming a sustainable city
has attracted many people.
Keywords: Copenhagen, sustainable, green, wind, cycling, carbon

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Living Green In Copenhagen, Denmark
In todays society, frequently more people are focusing on living green. More people are
grasping the sustainable concept, but there are limited cities. Luckily, there are options out there
for living a sustainable life. Places all over the world are transitioning to a green attitude in order
to become efficient. Copenhagen, Denmark is a city that has the right idea. With over 217 miles
of bike lanes and being the largest in the wind turbine business, it seems that this city has all the
right answers. Along with practicing sustainable living, Copenhagen also plans to be the first city
for a carbon neutral capital. The objectives of this city are only getting more greener than
before. Copenhagen is the ideal place for my family because this capital is serious about
reformingthesystem.Nowonderpeoplefromalloverareattractedtothisecologicalcity.
Copenhagenhasnowreceivedthereputationforthecityofcyclists.Bicyclinghasbeena
majortransportovertheyears.ItisjustnowbecomingthemaintransportationinCopenhagen.
Thisisratherappealingbecausecyclingisagreenalternativetocars.AscitedinGossling,
Specifically,bicyclesareincreasinglyadvocatedasidealmobilitychoicesinurbancontexts,as
theyrequirelessarea,causelesscongestion,contributetobetterhealth,arepollutionfree,and
causefeweraccidents(Heinenetal.,2010;Hortonetal.,2007;Pucheretal.,2010). There are
many problems with cars in terms of pollution, traffic, and accidents. On the other hand, bicycles
cause no air pollution. Of course there will be accidents and some congestion, but that does not
seem to be getting better. Whether one is on a bus, train, or airplane accidents and congestion
will always beafactor.Programsarebeingimplementedforusingbicyclesthroughoutthecity.
Forexample,bikelanes,coloredlanes,trafficsignals,bicycleroutes,bicycleparking,bikeracks,
bikerentalsandmanyotheroptions.Moreover,whilePucheretal.(2010)suggestthatthough
anyindividualinterventionislikelytoincreasebicyclinglevels,thesearemoreeffectivewhen

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introducedinintegratedpackages,andpossiblyincombinationwithmeasurestorestrictcaruse
(ascitedinGossling,2013).Copenhagen is an ideal city for people that enjoy commuting to
work by either walking or biking. This does not only help decrease pollution, but it also adds
exercise to ones daily commute. Exercising is a priority for me; therefore biking would be the
ideal transportation. Copenhagen has become a major influence for other regions because of the
sustainable system being developed. Reforming transportation has been a top priority for this
city. Close proximity provides people to become free from vehicles. Many like this idea because
this eliminates buying a vehicle and gas. Although the idea of becoming free from ones vehicle
seemsskeptical,therearemanypositives.Forinstance,onewouldbeservingagoodtothe
communityandearth.ThelatestBicycleAccountestablishesthat84%ofallCopenhageners
haveaccesstoabike,and68%cycleatleastonceaweek,whichamountsto1.2million
kilometrestravelledbybikeeachworkingday(Gossling,2013).Inreality,over50%ofthe
peoplearecommutingbybike.Atthispoint,wewouldquestionwhetherthereisreallyaneed
foracar?Whypurchaseacaranddumpallthatmoneyintoitwhenyoucouldberidingyour
bikeeverywhere?ThisconceptseemsabsurdforsomeAmericans,butadoptingthismethod
couldchangepublictransit.LivinginCopenhagenpresentsanewwayoflife.Sustainableliving
isbecomingmoreattractablebecauseoflowcoststransportation.Beingabletocommutefrom
oneplacetoanotherwithouthavetosetoffcarbonemissionsisprettyamazing.Asmentionedin
class,newurbanismisbecomingratherpopular.ItseemsasifCopenhagenhasgraspedthenew
concept.Havingeverythinginacloserangeisabenefittocyclists,whichisthebasicconceptof
newurbanism.BicyclecommutingisamajorreasonwhyIhavechosetoplacemyfamilyhere.
Inallessence,bikingprovidesnopollution,awayofexercising,andanoptionforcommuting.

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WithDenmarkbeingaleaderofsustainableliving,thecapitalcontinuestoprevail.Not
onlywithcycling,butwithhopestobecometheworldsfirstcarbonneutralcity.Asmention
previously,cyclinghelpseliminateairpollution.Cyclinghelpsreducecarbonemissions
tremendously,whichexplainswhythiscityisonitswaytobecomingacarbonneutralcapital.
Copenhagensplanistolowercarbonemissionratesbetweentheyearsof20052015by20%
and50%by2025.Thecapitalalsohopestobecometheworldsfirstcarbonneutralcityby2025.
Theambitiouscitykeepsresidentsactivewithfurtheringthecitiesgoals.Bycomingtogetheras
acityandachievinggoals,thishelpsresidentscontributetolivingasustainablelife.
Copenhagensresidentsareclosetonotleavetoomuchofacarbonfootprint.Ifthiswerethe
caseeverywhere,thecarbonoutputwouldbesurprisinglylow.AmajorreasonwhyIwould
placemyfamilyhereisbecauseofthecommunityinvolvement.Thecitiesresidentsactually
wanttoliveinasustainablecity.Thepeopleseemtohaveadrivetocreateacarbonneutralcity,
whichisanecessityforcreatingagreenoutlook.Copenhagensrecentsuccessintransforming
thecityfromaformerindustrialharbourtoamodernandcleanurbancentrehasinitselfbecome
abrand(Gulsrud,2013).WiththehelpofCopenhagenscitizensandleaders,thecapitalcould
achieveitsgoalsinthenext12years.
Creatingasustainablesystemiscertainlynotapieceofcake.Ofcoursewithmuch
energysavingsystems,thestartupcostsarestartlingfigures.Asmentionedinclass,mostsolar,
wind,geothermal,andhydroelectricsystemsoftenhavealargestartupcost,buteventuallylong
termcostslow.ThewindindustryinDenmarkprovidesrenewableenergyandjobsforthe
Danes.Besideshavingthelargestwindturbineindustryintheworld,Denmarkalsoleadsin
windproductionsupplyingroughly19percentofthecountryspowerneeds(dEstries,2011).

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TheDanesarenotstupidwhenitcomestowindenergy.Theyareactuallyaheadofthegame
withwindtechnology,andmanyothercountrieslooktothemforassistance.Alongwiththe
previousmainpointsonsustainableliving,windenergyalsodoesnotcontributetoairpollution.
Windfarmsarealsoacontributingfactortowardsthesustainableoutlook.Copenhagenhopesto
establishwindfarmsthroughoutthecapital.TheMunicipalityalreadyhasspecificplanstosetup
morewindturbinesinCopenhagenbuteffortswillbeincreasedinordertobecomethefirst
carbonneutralcapitalintheworld(WindTurbines2011).NotonlyisCopenhagenserious
aboutthistransformation,butalsoleadersofthecityareactuallymakingchanges.Manycitiesor
regionswouldliketosaytheyaremakingchanges,butinrealitynothinghappens.Thiscityis
firminitsdecisions,whichisanotherreasonastowhymyfamilyandIaremakingthischange
oflocation.ThewindindustryinCopenhagenseemstobeaprofitablebusinessforthecapital.It
alsoallowscitizenstomakeaprofitwithbuyingsharesforayearlyprofit.Theamountof
involvementcitizenshaveinthiscityisremarkable.Thisseemstoattractpeopleacrossthe
worldinordertobeapartofthistransformation.Thecarbonneutralplangoeshandinhandwith
thewindenergyplan.InorderforCopenhagentoachieveitsgoalby2025,thereneedstobe
over100turbinesinplace.Inallessence,windenergyisanecessityforbecomingacarbon
neutralcity.
ThuswecanseethatthisgreencapitalofDenmarkisonitswayinbecomingagreen
environment.MyconceptisclearthatCopenhagenisindeedtransformingintoandoverall
sustainablesystem.Thefactthatcitizenscommutemainlyonbikeorbusisgreenerthananyone
canimagine.Cyclingisnotonlyaformofexercising,butawaytocreatelesspollution.By
commutingonbikesandproducingwindenergy,thiswillhelpthecityachieveitsgoalin

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becomingtheworldsfirstcarbonneutralcityby2025.Allthreeconceptsinterlacewitheach
otherandhelpcreateagreenoutlookforonesfamily.

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References
d'Estries, M. (2011, November 29). Top five most sustainable cities in
the world . Retrieved from http://www.ecomagination.com/top-five-most-sustainablecities-in-the-world
Gossling, S. (2013). Urban transport transitions: Copenhagen, city of cyclists . Journal of
Transport Geography , 33, 196-206. RetrieveLast Name, F. M. (Year). Book Title. City
Name: Publisher Name.
Gulsrud, N. M. (2013). Green space branding in denmark in an era of neoliberal governance.
Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, 12(3), 330-337. Retrieved from http://0www.sciencedirect.com.wncln.wncln.org/science/article/pii/S1618866713000277
Wind turbines in Copenhagen. (2011). Retrieved from
http://www.stateofgreen.com/en/Profiles/City-of-Copenhagen/Solutions/Wind-Turbinesin-Copenhagen

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