{"id":421335,"date":"2026-01-20T11:48:34","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T11:48:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/421335\/"},"modified":"2026-01-20T11:48:34","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T11:48:34","slug":"10-of-the-uss-most-sustainable-small-towns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/421335\/","title":{"rendered":"10 of the US’s most sustainable small towns"},"content":{"rendered":"

Spend an afternoon wandering the vibrant downtown where red dots on the pavement lead you to a dense collection of artist-owned galleries and studios. Stop for coffee at Tranquilbuzz Coffee House<\/a>, an eclectic local favourite with a patio built around burbling recycled-water ponds; then pop into Power & Light Press<\/a>, a letterpress studio that revitalised a 50-year-dormant craft. For a dose of local history that doubles as a greenway, walk The Big Ditch Park, a former main street reclaimed by nature and transformed into a lush, urban pedestrian trail system.<\/p>\n

9.\u00a0Arcata, California<\/p>\n

Long before\u00a0sustainable\u00a0travel was a buzzword, Arcata was quietly doing the work. Its pioneering 225-acre Arcata Marsh uses wetlands to treat wastewater while creating a thriving habitat for birds and native wildlife. It’s a must-visit for twitchers and trail walkers. In addition, the town’s walkable core, co-ops and renewable energy programmes are a draw for eco-minded travellers.<\/p>\n

A perfect weekend might include an afternoon at Finnish Country Sauna and Tubs<\/a> where visitors can relax in a hot tub among the lush forest trees, decompress in a traditional sauna cabin and sip specialty coffee by the fire. Continue the Northern California adventure with a hike through Arcata Community Forest,<\/a> admiring the ancient Redwood trees. End the day on the coast, watching the sunset over the Me-le’l Dunes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"AlamyAlamyWith multiple Dark Sky Parks nearby, Moab has become one of the US’s most reliable places to see the Milky Way with the naked eye (Credit: Alamy)10.\u00a0Moab, Utah<\/p>\n

Best known as the gateway to the red rocks of Arches<\/a> and Canyonlands National Parks<\/a>, Moab is pioneering a new kind of tourism that protects the fragile desert environment that draws visitors in the first place. The town’s “Do It Like a Local” initiative encourages travellers stay on trails to protect the fragile soil crust, pack in and out to reduce litter and support certified sustainable businesses.<\/p>\n

Rise early to explore red-rock trails, cool off with a tasting at The Moab Brewery<\/a> and end your visit with a night of stargazing at a certified Dark Sky Park<\/a>, of which Moab has three.<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

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