Starting Sustainability
Varese Ligure, a small town in Italy, stopped chemicalfocused farming techniques and transitioned toward renewable energy twenty years ago. Traditionally a conservative and isolated farming community, Varese Ligure is now a sustainable tourist destination known for its organic produce and complete reliance on renewable energy.
At the end of the 1980s, Varese Ligure seemed at the edge of collapse. With no jobs and no industry, its population dropped from 6,000 to 2,250. But town leaders decided to find a way to strengthen the community and local economy.