Cities around the United Kingdom have been looking for unique and innovative ways to make their communities more sustainable by reducing waste and increasing recycling rates. Since it was revealed that the United Kingdom was lagging behind most of Europe when it comes to waste management and recycling the government has put pressure on local councils to launch new schemes to make their communities greener. According to a recent study conducted by Forum for the Future, Newcastle is now the most sustainable city in the United Kingdom, taking the award from previous winners Brighton and Bristol. The study compared the environmental performance of the twenty largest cities in the United Kingdom.
Forum for the Future is a sustainable development organization which hands out an annual award to the United Kingdom’s greenest city. The Sustainable Cities Index uses a combination of thirteen different factors to judge the environmental impact each city makes. The index judges quality of life, preparation for the future, and present environmental performance. The program was launched three years ago as a way to honor those communities that were going above and beyond their duties to the environment. Newcastle made a big jump from fourth place all the way to the top spot on the list, largely due to its strength in environmental issues.
Newcastle scored high on wildlife, air quality, and ecological footprint, which measures the amount of land which is necessary for goods, food, transport, and housing. London was also a surprise on the list, jumping up to fifth after recently being named one of the worst cities in Europe when it comes to recycling.
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