Bristol short-listed as First European Green Capital

Bristol has been chosen as the only city in the UK to be short-listed for the European Green Capital Award. Bristol has been pre-selected alongside seven other European cities. The seven other cities were; Amsterdam (Netherlands); Copenhagen (Denmark); Freiburg (Germany); Hamburg (Germany); Munster (Germany); Oslo (Norway) and Stockholm (Sweden).

The European Green Capital Award aims to help cities become more attractive and healthy places, fit for life – and carries similar status to the European Capital of Culture competition for which Bristol was short-listed in 2008.

Visitors to Bristol are already enjoying this ‘green city’ experience. Bristol has over 450 parks and open spaces, proportionally more than any other UK city. Visitors can enjoy Clifton Downs and sea walls, beside the Avon river gorge, picnic in the regal splendour of Queen Square or take in the stunning city views from Cabot Tower Brandon Hill (yes, John Cabot made his journey to discover America from maritime Bristol!).

Ashton Court Estate has something for everyone – ancient oak trees, ornamental rose gardens, a 16th Century mansion house, golf, plus deer parks and woodland trails perfect for mountain biking. As gateway to South West England, Bristol offers the perfect base for exploring the region’s coast and countryside. With an abundance of environmentally friendly and sustainable visitor experiences to choose from, the city is a wonderfully dynamic destination to visit at any time of the year.

The city has a strong commitment to sustainability and is home to the Soil Association, the UK’s leading environmental charity promoting sustainable and organic farming and Sustrans, the transport charity responsible for the UK’s National Cycle Network.

Bristol’s tourism businesses are making their own contribution to sustainability by participating in the Green Tourism Business Scheme, a national scheme to promote the best environmental practice within the tourism sector. Visitors can do their bit for the environment by selecting their accommodation on the basis of those that have obtained this award.

There are an increasing number of fresh, locally produced food markets throughout the city. Bristol is home to the world’s first regular, monthly, slow food market. Weekly farmers markets are held every Wednesday and the annual Soil Association Organic Food festival is Europe’s largest celebration of organic food and farming.

‘Green’ attractions are plentiful in and around Bristol; Visit the Create Create, (where travel and tourism charity, The Travel Foundation, is based) and its popular Ecohome, a showhome demonstrating the latest in sustainable living and building techniques.

Discover award winning Bristol Zoo Gardens with over 400 exotic and endangered species and find out more about its regular work on global conservation projects, whilst close by Westonbirt National Arboretum, the British tree collection, has one of the oldest man-made tree collections in the world, with over 18,000 rare trees and shrubs within 600 acres of land.

The Bristol Natural History Consortium brings together Explore-At-Bristol, Avon Wildlife Trust, BBC Natural History Unit, Bristol Zoo Gardens, Wildscreen and WWF UK to promote awareness and action on conservation issues affecting the natural world through events such as Bristol Festival of Nature, held annually in June.

Food and drink in Bristol is also very ‘green’. Bordeaux Quay is a unique harbourside restaurant/brasserie/bar and cookery school, housed in a low-energy building with a commitment to using local suppliers, recycling and minimising waste. For an on-the-go lunch stop by at the The Glass Arcade within St Nicholas Market. It offers affordable, often locally sourced dishes with a global theme. Choose from local cheeses, Portuguese, The Bristol Sausage Shop, Pie Minister pies, Moroccan, a Juice Bar, Caribbean or Turkish cuisine. Meanwhile, cyclists should head for Mud Dock Cycleworks and Cafe where they can park their bike, take a shower and enjoy some tasty European Cuisine in the restaurant above the bike shop!

Transportation around the city is easy and convenient. Explore Bristol in a sustainable manner. Hop on an open top city sightseeing bus, take a ferry boat trip around the harbourside, adventure by foot with a free downloadable MP3 audio tour or hire a bike and sample the city’s cycle network – Bristol was chosen as the UKs first Cycling City earlier this year.

Bristol’s residents are doing their bit to make the city an attractive place for visitors too. Bristolians are fast becoming some of the country’s most proficient urban recyclers. Bristol was the first city in the UK to introduce a comprehensive weekly kerbside collection for cardboard, green and kitchen waste. Bristol businesses, charities and communities are working hard to keep the city at the forefront and to fly the flag for sustainability.

Valere Tjolle