Brazil - City Initiatives

While waiting to transfer to the Congonhas Airport of Sao Paolo, Brazil on 13 June, I took a casual morning walk along the streets within the vicinity of San Raphael Hotel. I saw some of the most talked about initiatives of sustainable city or liveability city or low carbon city or whatever we call on a city people prefer to live are in practice. I saw majority of the buses are operating without the exhaust pipe because buses are running on gas. I took picture about bus special dedicated lane at both site and the centre of road for passengers on board from both directions. The bus platform is on higher ground, same level with the landing platform of the bus. And with that level, ramp is built as part of the universal design concept. I noticed that textile symbolising stop are placed at the road junction and crossing as well as surrounding the phone booth. No textiles along the whole street are built and I wonder why? After some observation, I presume this is possible because no other obstructions including the signboard, flower pots, rubbish bins and commercial products are placed on the pedestrian walkways. Even at one of the street I walked by in which automobile services centres are located. To my surprise if compared with those service centres back home, no car waiting to be service, no machinery and no unwanted flat tyres are put on the pedestrian walkway as well as no bins for illegal reserving of parking lot in front of the shops are seen. It is free of any obstructions. Perhaps these are some small, but meaningful gestures toward sustainability should be practiced. I think I know too little about cities in Brazil.