Feel Good Guru

With the excitement of the Olympics still fresh on hearts and minds across the planet, along with the spectacular images of snow-capped peaks, lush urban parks, sparkling ocean and a cosmopolitan urban core, Vancouver is the place everyone wants to be right now.

Named the world’s most “livable” city by The Economist, Vancouver is also working hard at being one of the greenest and most sustainable with a detailed roadmap for getting there by 2020.

A leader in green building design, planning and technology, Vancouver is actively implementing ways to improve the quality of life of its citizens while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Chicago’s ex chief environmental officer, Sadhu Johnston, who helped Chicago attain its global green status, recently made the move to Vancouver as “deputy city manager” and found its “green file” on his desk. He’s working closely with Mayor Gregor Robertson to realize the city’s strong eco-ambitions: “Vancouver now has a ten-year plan to become the greenest city in the world…We want Vancouver to set the standard that other cities aspire to.”

Some of the bold green strategies Vancouver is implementing to become a leading green city within one generation:

• eliminating fossil fuels by 2040
• cutting the carbon footprint of the city’s food supply by 1/3
• cutting water use by 1/3 by 2020
• making trips by foot, bike and public transit the majority of all trips within the city
• making all new buildings carbon neutral while increasing efficiency of present structures by 20%
• planting 150,000 trees

Though these stats and strategies are impressive and promising and groovily green, what makes a city believable as a truly green one is its nature. Nature heals, nature IS green and nature makes us silly happy. No matter how green a city claims to be, the fact that nature is alive and well within a city and its surroundings is living proof it has not been sucked away by buildings and pollution.

Unlike any city in the world, Vancouver is immersed in and surrounded by nature. Stanley Park, an oasis of Douglas Fir, Hemlock, Cedar and Spruce trees in the city’s west end, is one of the largest urban parks in North America, covering over 1000 acres and providing shelter for 200 species of birds as well as coyotes, rabbits, squirrels, skunks and raccoons.

Though Vancouver is the 3rd most densely populated city in North America, quick access to nature makes it easy to get away from the hum of the core. It’s inhabitants live outside, with access to hiking and biking trails at their doorstep.

The locavore, vegetarian, sustainable and slow food movements have hit the foodie scene in a big way, and the demand for community gardens is huge and growing. There’s even a community garden at city hall.

Health of its denizens is an enormous indication of the greenness of a city and Vancouver also has that going on in spades. In studies conducted in cities across Canada, Vancouver residents were found to be by far the slimmest and have the healthiest blood pressure levels.

If you’re considering packing it in and moving to one of the most beautiful, healthiest, most livable, greenest cities in the world, make sure you have a healthy green nest egg. Real estate in Vancouver is the most expensive in Canada.

Take a gorgeous HD tour in time lapse vid: