We are the world's cleanest city!!!

[Locke]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

I worked with a Russian who was on assignment here. She was in awe of how "clean" this city was, she actually thought we scrubbed our sidewalks.

If you've never travelled to foreign cities, particularly hot ones, you probably can't see the big deal as to why Calgary gets labelled clean. Go to Naples, Italy for a great example of garbage everywhere.

Holy hell man, that city is the Sketch Capital of the Universe. I couldnt even believe it, some of the people I was with didnt even want to walk down the street.

Couldnt get the hell out of there fast enough!

[FireFly]

So the question this begs is; why? Is it because Calgary is clean that Calgarians respect that and try to keep it that way, or is it because Calgarians respect the city that we keep it clean? How will all the recent immigrants affect the city's cleanliness?

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

Originally Posted by FireFly

So the question this begs is; why? Is it because Calgary is clean that Calgarians respect that and try to keep it that way, or is it because Calgarians respect the city that we keep it clean? How will all the recent immigrants affect the city's cleanliness?

Basically, you balance out the immigrants by requiring a percentage of them to be Japanese lol.

Tokyo, despite its massively dense population, is by far the cleanest city I've ever visited. I recall seeing graffiti once. On a fence. A very short fence. On top of that, most locals are so friendly and polite. If you walk around with a tour book, almost guaranteed if someone speaks English, they will stop and ask if you need help.

Actually I got lost in a small town called Nikko while looking for a hotel. I walked into another hotel to grab a map from the concierge there. Not only did he provide me with a map, he walked me down about 5-6 blocks in the right direction. Soon after, a man in a car pulled up behind me to point out the rest of the way.

Japan rocks!

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by foofighter15

Not that close to areas of the stature of Mount Royal.

You should go visit the States. When I was in Washington D.C., we drove through an area so bad that we literally saw a bunch of thugs hangin around a car on blocks. Within two mins TOPS, we were in multi-millionaire estates, it looked like homes you'd picture old-time plantation owners to live in. Crazy how close together the worst ghettos and richest neighbourhoods are.

[redforever]

[quote=FireFly;1096008]So the question this begs is; why? Is it because Calgary is clean that Calgarians respect that and try to keep it that way, or is it because Calgarians respect the city that we keep it clean? How will all the recent immigrants affect the city's cleanliness?[/quote]


??? Who are you referring to? Eastern Canadians moving here? Maritimers? those from the Prairies or the West coast? Or just those "other" immigrants so many take exception to? I do not understand your question relating immigrants to the cleanliness of our city whatsoever.

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by redforever

??? Who are you referring to? Eastern Canadians moving here? Maritimers? those from the Prairies or the West coast? Or just those "other" immigrants so many take exception to? I do not understand your question relating immigrants to the cleanliness of our city whatsoever.

All of them. If we're the cleanest city in the world, anyone who comes here is coming from a dirtier city, regardless of where they're coming from. The question is, will that also make us dirtier.

I love how you tried to turn it into a race question though... I said immigrants. There's a reason I didn't clarify as ANY outsider is an immigrant to this city, whether they come from Red Deer or Rwanda.

[Weiser Wonder]

Yeah some friends and I were in Calgary over Thanksgiving break, they all were stunned at how clean of a city it is. These are people from Idaho not big city folk at all so it isn't like they were comparing it to Los Angeles or New York, they were comparing it to Idaho (a state where there are so little people it's almost impossible to make dirty). I had never even thought about it, even though I've been living in/visiting Calgary for my entire life.

[GreatWhiteEbola]

Originally Posted by Save Us Sutter

Not to poop on the parade here, but how can a city without a recycling program be considered the world's cleanest? Not to mention the miriad of problems associated with Calgary Transit.

Must say, I was shocked to read this.

One more comment, Metro Area: 5,107 square kms? That is friggin huge compared to the other cities. What are the boundaries for metro calgary?

Recycling = clean? When items are recycled they are out of sight out of mind. As is regular trash. In many cases recycling materials may be "dirtier" than sending it to a landfill.

I think that it is time that we rethink our stance on recycling, many items that we currently recycle burden the economy and waste more resources than if we were to bury it and make new. The environmental impact can be worse as well. Just some food for thought, the media has desensitized us to this whole recycling debate.

How is Calgary Transit considered unclean? The C-Train in itself is huge in reducing what some might consider to be unclean.

http://www.re-energy.ca/ridethewind/backgrounder.shtml

I am proud of this acknowledgment and hope that Calgarians will continue with their good work.

[icarus]

This list is a joke.

There are no top-25 clean cities in South or Central America, Africa and Australia.

Umm, I would say each of Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, and Brisbane is cleaner than Toronto. In fact, I would say each of these cities is roughly comparable to Calgary. Sydney is the cleanest big city I have ever visited.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by icarus

This list is a joke. Umm, I would say each of Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, and Brisbane is cleaner than Toronto. In fact, I would say each of these cities is roughly comparable to Calgary. Sydney is the cleanest big city I have ever visited.

I also question their addition of a Japanese tourist town with a population of 27,000.

I'm sure when it comes to being clean, there are probably several cities around the world that could compete with large cities for being clean.

I've never been to Austrailia though, but what are the transit systems like? It sounds like transit and traffic were big deals on this list.

[icarus]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I've never been to Austrailia though, but what are the transit systems like? It sounds like transit and traffic were big deals on this list.

The transit system in Sydney is extensive, and although people complain about it (including me when the bus doesn't come when it is supposed to), it is really quite good. There is an extensive rail network (much more extensive than Toronto's), a huge quantity of buses and bus routes, ferries, RiverCat ferries, LRT, and a monorail.

I don't have a car and I have never felt like I needed one.

[STeeLy]

I've never taken a bus in Sydney when I was there... I was told that the buses don't come very often... and since I lived at a family friend's place, I always got a ride to the train station (Seven Hills, they lived in Glenwood) I was very impressed by Sydney overall. I was surprised that they didn't make the list and Toronto did... Sydney should have made the list far ahead of Toronto.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by STeeLy

I've never taken a bus in Sydney when I was there... I was told that the buses don't come very often... and since I lived at a family friend's place, I always got a ride to the train station (Seven Hills, they lived in Glenwood) I was very impressed by Sydney overall. I was surprised that they didn't make the list and Toronto did... Sydney should have made the list far ahead of Toronto.

No kidding. Lest we all forget...the great garbage strike.....

They made the list again how?

[STeeLy]

Originally Posted by Locke

No kidding. Lest we all forget...the great garbage strike.....

They made the list again how?

I kinda knew this list was a joke as soon as I saw Toronto come up at any point... I am skeptical that Toronto wouldn't even make the top 50, let alone 25, if CP put out a list of cleanest cities in the world.

[icarus]

Originally Posted by STeeLy

I've never taken a bus in Sydney when I was there... I was told that the buses don't come very often... and since I lived at a family friend's place, I always got a ride to the train station (Seven Hills, they lived in Glenwood).

Yeah, way the hell out there I wouldn't expect the buses would come very often!

[Neeper]

Originally Posted by FireFly

So the question this begs is; why? Is it because Calgary is clean that Calgarians respect that and try to keep it that way, or is it because Calgarians respect the city that we keep it clean? How will all the recent immigrants affect the city's cleanliness?

It's funny you mention immigrants. I was in Vietnam and it was so nasty there. I went to a small village where the river was the landfill. They threw every piece of garbage in the river and litter all over the streets. My friends have told me India is like that too. They must really learn to change their ways when they immigrate here. I'm proud we're a clean city. I really appreciate how clean it is here when I visit other places around the world. I know I do my part. Although the lack of curb side recycling is embarrassing.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by foofighter15

Not that close to areas of the stature of Mount Royal.

Try Ottawa where Vanier, the worst part of the city, is right beside Rockcliffe Park, one of the most elite communities in Canada.