Green in Paris

I remember in my environmental science class last semester seeing France within the top 10 producers of renewable energies. This makes a lot of sense considering the dense urban populations and tourism industries that produce large amounts of waste and pollution needs to be combated. The air quality in Paris itself is poor, and is exasperated even more by heat waves that facilitate photochemical smog. France has an interest in improving air quality because that reduces the number of respiratory illnesses that are paid for by the federal government . I’ve noticed lots of sustainable efforts within Paris that I think places within the US, like Fredericksburg, could implement. 

Paris and France as a whole have many electric public vehicles. Charging stations for electric cars line streets. This infrastructure does not exist in America. Charging stations are installed in home owners residences, but public stations are only dense in California, making EVs inaccessible to the rest of the country. Electric vehicles are only good for the environment if they are powered by renewable sources of electricity. America hasn’t established this yet, but France uses wind and solar energy to produce electricity, making a more green approach to transportation and produces energy independence.

 

Lots of litter plagues the seine and the streets of Paris. Even more litter plagues the areas not frequented by tourists. Waste production must be insane in Paris, if not for it being the most visited tourist site in the world. Despite the pollution, receptacles are scattered frequently, usually with separate compartments for recyclable and landfill goods. Additionally, it seems that educational promotions are being implemented to make Parisians more aware of what they can recycle. This is amazing because a lot of people don’t know the condition or qualities waste must have to be recycled. I know recently in my home town, letters have been sent out to educate residents about certain plastics and glass that cannot be recycled. 

The most realistic solution I could see being implements In Fredericksburg would be composting. The university had signs in the kitchen and cafeteria that allowed for composition waste. With Fredericksburg’s support for a food co-op, existing community garden, and liberal bias- it would be relatively easy to get local business owners to put their food waste in compost bins to be used for the production of fresh foods sold at the farmers market! This produces a positive feedback loop or reusing nutrients rather than creating more food waste, which is the largest portion of waste produced in America.