Piers Morgan is taking Planet Green by storm on TV this Sunday at 8 pm and is visiting some of the world's most intoxicating destinations. Here's a quick look at what's sustainable and what's not in three of the cities Piers Morgan will hit this season. How much do you know about major cities' sustainability around the world?
Dubai
Dubai is famous, perhaps notorious, for over-the-top extravagance, which aside from using up excessive financial resources also uses up way, way more of the planet's natural resources than your average construction project. It's where the world's tallest building and ideas like air-conditioned beaches and archipelagos of universe-themed islands are able to sprout while so many regions are pushing for sustainable urban planning and architecture.
But it's also home to at least some innovation in sustainability—Xeritown, for example. A 60-acre town "composed of dense urban clusters and built along a north-south axis that will take advantage of the cool breezes that blow in from the ocean," writes TGDaily.com. That cool sea breeze, in turn, will block out the hot desert winds—and where there is need for water outside of domestic consumption, Xeritown was planned to take advantage of industrial wastewater and grey water.
A little loftier in scope, but with the potential to bring some element of sustainability to Dubai, which imports so much of its food, is the scheme for seawater-reliant vertical farming. http://inhabitat.com/seawater-farming-solution-for-the-arid-emirates/
Hollywood
Thinkstock
Not unlike Dubai, Hollywood is famous for extravagance—and waste. From one-time-use costumes and movie sets to the city's inefficient, car-dependent transportation network, Hollywood is not known for efficiency or green thinking.
But, it does exist, and it is definitely on the rise: efforts to green the entertainment industry are taking hold in everything from the subject matter of films to materials and construction, and even recycled fashion. And of course, don't forget all the celebrities who are opting to drive green.
Monte Carlo
Medioimages/Photodisc
Piers Morgan says: "For the last fifty years, Monaco has been the most glamorous and exclusive place in the world to live." Glamorous is almost always associated with intensive consumption of resources, and Monte Carlo is no exception. And while some of the luxurious hotels are starting to take small steps like recycling and mentioning sustainability on their websites, Monte Carlo is definitely not where the world's innovation in sustainability is taking place.
Don't miss Piers Morgan's adventures in each of these exotic locales—from shadowing the life of a Hollywood star to exploring the hidden world of decadence in Marbella—tune in this Sunday, January 16 at 8 pm, only on Planet Green.
More about Dubai and Hollywood
Dubai Gets Less Dubious with Xeritown by SMAQ and X-Architects
DIY Greywater Recycling in Los Angeles
Focus on Focus Earth: Is Hollywood Really Going Green?