Oslo Among World's Cleanest Cities

A City Based on Nature's Sustainability

“It’s really not that complicated,” says an enthusiastic Director Mr Claus Thomas Petersen of the Holmenkollen Park Hotel Rica. “All leftovers, paper napkins and organic waste go into our own organic compostation plant – eighteen hours later we package our own compost, reducing 120 tons of waste to environmentally friendly compost”. The hotel is situated near the Holmenkollen Ski Jump with a stunning view o Oslo and the fjord.

"Oslo has a vision that Oslo shall be a capital city in sustainable development, characterised by economic, social and cultural growth according to nature's ability to sustain that growth ecologically. We shall pass on the city to the next generation in a better environmental condition than we ourselves inherited it. Oslo shall be one of the world's most environmentally friendly and sustainable capital cities." (The City of Oslo's Vision, the Municipality of Oslo).

Inhabitants and Visitors to Oslo have had safe and clean drinking water for a long time. With the opening of a brand new purification plant, nobody should hesitate to drink tap water in Oslo, according to Director Ms Eli Grimsby of the Oslo Municipal Water Works. For a lot of visitors the idea of drinking tap water may seem strange, but for most Norwegians drinking bottled water is just as strange, when at home or in the office.

Oslo also has a surprisingly well developed network of public transportation, and relatively few private automobiles in the city centre compared to other major cities. During the Oslo Environmental Festival September 16th – 21st 2008, public mobility will be in focus at almost 100 events, exhibits, markets and activities colouring the city an extra green during the week.