Reykjavik is the leading green city located in the south western Iceland. It has a population of almost 200,000 citizens. Founded in 1786 as an official trading town, it has beaten all the odds in trying to come up with clean energy that can help curb climate change. The country’s sources of energy come from natural sources that are cheap and renewable. According to the records from the Carbon Dioxide Information analysts, Iceland is among the top countries that managed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Reykjavik has for the past 50 years been decreasing its consumption and dependence on fossil fuels by trying to come up with natural ways of getting power. The waterfalls, volcanoes, geysers and hot springs that surround the island have assisted a great deal in that regard. The fact that it is expensive to ship gasoline to the island could also be among the contributing factors. To ship one gallon of gasoline to the country costs eight dollars. It is expensive indeed.
In Reykjavik and the whole Iceland, you will find vehicles powered by hydrogen. Hydrogen use was the work of a renowned professor at the University of Iceland called Bragi Ananson who has been nicknamed 'Professor Hydrogen'. He came up with the idea of using hydrogen as a source of energy that can power vehicles. Hydrogen is produced by the process of electrolysis whereby the two elements of water i.e. hydrogen and oxygen are split.
In 2003, a hydrogen fuel station was opened in Reykjavik to power the three hydrogen fuel cell busses and other vehicles. It was a success and it was even embraced by vehicle manufacturers. General motors, Toyota and the Daimler Chrysler are among the first companies to use Iceland to test their hydrogen cell products. It is estimated that the whole nation of Iceland will require a minimum of fifteen hydrogen refueling stations. Plans have been made to make the nation achieve the target and they believe that within the next 50 years, it will be a hydrogen economy.
Apart from their unique lifestyle of Icelanders, Iceland has beautiful public parks. There are beautiful sceneries with pleasant space, beautiful flowers that adds to its greenness. Among the best parks in the city are the family park, the Ellioavatn and the Heiomork parks.