Scottsdale's Green Scene Gaining Recognition

The people of Scottsdale, Ariz., have been keeping a clean city with green techniques for decades. Frank Lloyd Wright's innovative designs of sustainable buildings are portrayed proudly all over the city, and Scottsdale programs like the recycling and refuse, wastewater treatment and green building program have played a part in earning Scottsdale a ranking as one of the most eco-conscious cities in the nation. According to the city's official website, Scottsdale was actually the first city in the country to require all of its new city buildings to qualify for an LEED gold certification.

In 2010 the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) ranked Scottsdale as one of the greenest cities in the United States. According to PRWeb, the city was ranked 9th in the medium-cities category based on the NRDC's Smarter Cities project findings. So

What has Scottsdale been doing to keep up their reputation as an eco-friendly green city?

Refuse and Recycling

According to the city of Scottsdale's official website, the city's recycling service has been around since 1964 and developed the world's first fully automated fleet of residential refuse-collection vehicles in the early '70s. Their automated system spread and is now used in cities around the world.

Recycling programs have been expanding in Scottsdale ever since. Recycling programs take place year round to help the city's residents stay aware and educated on proper recycling. Some upcoming recycling days include Electronics Recycling Collection Day on Oct. 6 and Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day on Nov. 3.

Green Cars, Green Business

The automotive industry is largely successful in Scottsdale because big names and variety bring car buyers from all over the Valley. The Barrett Jackson Auto Shows bring the tourists and media. These Scottsdale businesses have now made a point to ramp-up their environmentally friendly hybrid-vehicle sales and promotions. Dealerships, such as Chapman Scottsdale VW, offer state-of-the-art hybrids, such as the new 2013 Jetta, which recently broke the world record for "world's fastest hybrid" at 185 mph. According to Green Autoblog, "The production Jetta Hybrid gets 45 miles per gallon and has a 0-60 time of 9.0 seconds."

Producing and buying more hybrid and green cars means reducing fuel burned and emitted into the atmosphere, which has been a problem and has contributed to the "greenhouse effect." They also are cheaper at the tank since they use less gas and insurance is usually lower.

Green Building Program

This program played a huge part in giving Scottsdale its green reputation. The Green Building Program's main goal is to encourage the design and construction of buildings and houses that minimize environmental impact, and reduce the energy consumption of buildings while contributing to the health of residents.

According to a news release, since last summer, Scottsdale City Council has adopted the International Green Construction Code as the primary component of the city's voluntary Commercial Green Building Program. "This significant step makes it easier for developers of commercial and multi-family housing to be green certified," the release said.

"Scottsdale has seen an increase in green-building activity over the past decade," said Green Realtor Nancy Banchik on PRWeb. "And the Phoenix metro area as a whole is becoming greener every year."

The Green Building Program is also continuing a lecture series that is free and open to the public starting Sept. 6.

Awareness and Growth

Besides the Green Building Program and Recycling Program, Scottsdale continues to keep awareness and environmental growth a priority. Other projects such as the Neighborhood Clean Up, Scottsdale Eyes and Ears and Scottsdale Revitalization programs have kept a forward-thinking and green attitude among the whole city and state.

"Scottsdale has been going green for years," Nancy Banchik said on PRWeb. "And you can see the many positive effects this has had on the city's quality of life."