The Good Country Index has placed our country in the world ranking in the Planet and Climate category. In a  news  article published this Monday, April 15th, about the result of this ranking, the British “ BBC ” mentions the third place of Portugal in the list of greener countries highlighting the countrys  leadership  in the investment of electric car charging stations

 

Ranking Portugal   
Planet & Climate Index: 3

Coming in third for its contributions to the planet, Portugal was one of the first leaders to invest in a complete network of electric car charging stations (  which was free until recently  ) and encouraged citizens to install solar and renewable energy at discounted rates. lower costs and the opportunity to sell energy back to the grid.

“Most of my neighbors have solar panels or a water pump. In my house, my parents installed this pump that turns rainwater into clean water [which] we mainly use to water our plants, wash clothes and water our pets, ”said Mariana Magalhães, a native of Portugal who today lives in the UK. is communications manager for the branding agency  Forty8Creates  . She also noted that it was shocking to see so few electric car chargers in London compared to how many were in her small rural town.

Recycling and composting is a normal way of life here, with specialized boxes in every neighborhood, including one for batteries. Education has played an important role in making everyday green efforts a reality. “In high school, we had lots of environmental education classes and we often had classes in a local park to bring us a love of the environment,” said Magalhães.

 

Portugal has been an agrarian society that has made use of its abundant natural resources. “On the border between Portugal and Spain in the north, you can see the mountains full of renewable energy wind machines. You can also see [hydroelectric dams] on the lakes to collect energy from the water, ”said Magalhães.

"We have natural conditions that favor the use of renewable energy," added Joana Mendes, manager of  Molinum  bed and breakfast in southern Portugal. "As they are cheaper, we gradually move to them."

In the mountainous capital of Lisbon, bicycle adoption is not as strong as in other European capitals, but other sustainable modes of transport are starting to take off. “Electric scooter rentals were introduced in Lisbon and they have become a big hit,” said Wendy Werneth, who lives in Portugal for two years and writes in  The Nomadic Vegan  . “Lisboners have really adopted the electric scooter as an environmentally friendly way to get around the city.”

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