In the framework of our editorial mission Green Europe on the Ground , cafebabel.com is sending 40 young journalists, photographers, photojournalists or videomakers 'on the ground'. The aim is to uncover the most innovative initiatives defining a city in our 'green Europe'. We're all fighting climate change!

Vienna’s green wavelengths

The Prater park, the Vienna woods and the Lobau: Vienna is green no matter which way you look. Fifty percent of the Austrian capital is made up of green spaces and in 2010 the city received the accolade of having the best quality of living worldwide from the international Mercer study. It isn’t just in internationally orientated events in the city centre like Danube Day that we see Vienna riding a green wave. Instead it is also clear in the town’s most hidden corners: some city-dwellers grow cannabis quite legally, others opt for a car-free life, and others still go back to nature and live in caravan communities. Five European reporters got to the bottom of Vienna’s green lifestyle as part of cafebabel.com’s monthly editorial project Green Europe on the Ground (Image: (cc) M'sieur Rico/ Flickr)

REPORT

Vienna and the lords of the Danube

Over the last three milennia, the residents of the Danube stopped fighting over iron mines and become impeccable bureaucrats cooperating in regional forums. Huge dirty beards have been replaced by neat sideburns and designer sunglasses. Everything runs smoothly and effectively under their control, as if they had caught up with the heights of central European civilisation. Portrait of a river and its guardians

by Argemino Barro @ // 26/08/11

society, green europe on the ground, bratislava, vienna

FEATURE

AKW Lobau: Vienna caravan communities away from it all

The story of the caravan commune AKW Lobau demonstrates that Vienna is not nearly as bourgeois and narrow-minded as is always claimed. The community is living proof that alternative enterprises do have their place in the Austrian capital. A flying visit

by Katharina Kloss @ // 23/08/11

society, green europe on the ground, youth, vienna, green parties, lifestyle, politics, best of cafebabel.com

INVESTIGATION

Cannabis legalisation: shopping for reality in Vienna

The Austrian capital has one 'head shop' for 100, 000 residents. It's perfect for cannabis amateurs, especially as the business is now commercial and legal, though smoking it in public is still not legal

by Webflam @ // 26/07/11

society, green europe on the ground, tourism, smoking, economy, youth, health, vienna, drugs