As the bicycle capital of the United States and home to the new US Bicycling Hall of Fame, Davis, CA knows what it means to be green. Located in Yolo County, 11 miles west of Sacramento, Davis is known for its commitment to sustainable lifestyles. The city of Davis is centered around UC Davis, which Sierra Magazine recently named as one of the nation’s greenest college campuses.
UCD is also home to a highly respected agricultural school and the university regularly contributes to today’s latest green research and technology. It is no wonder that the city of Davis stresses the importance of sustainability!
Davis residents have a great love for bicycles. With an extensive bike path system and cars that gladly share the road, Davis is extremely bike-friendly. On any typical morning, you will probably encounter more bicyclists than motorists. And if biking isn’t your thing, it is still easy to move around Davis without a car. The Associated Students of UC Davis operates Unitrans, an efficient city bus system that has about 20 lines running through the 10 square miles that make up the city. In Davis, it’s easy being green!
Davis is also known for its Saturday morning farmer’s market. Held in Central Park, vendors sell locally grown, organic, and vegan varieties of food and other products. In the Spring, the farmer’s market also has great music and other activities. With a large vegetarian and vegan population, Davis restaurants also get into the green spirit. Many offer yummy vegetarian/vegan options and composting and recycling are prevalent throughout the city.
Like being surrounded by trees? Davis is the place for you! With many parks and the UC Davis arboretum, green scenery is easy to find. You can even help contribute to the green spaces by volunteering with groups like Tree Davis, a community group dedicated to planting and caring for trees throughout the city. Davis is also home to the Whole Earth Festival in the spring, which is a three-day, eco-friendly festival of art, music, crafts, education, and fun!
Davis is a little city with a small-town feel and a large commitment to respecting our environment. Want to learn more about Davis? Check out the Davis Wiki page!
Been to Davis? Want to visit? Moving there soon? We would love to hear your thoughts about the city!