While Madrid is a big, urban city, Madrilenos (people who live in Madrid) highly value the environment. Spain as a whole is a very eco-friendly country, and the average Spaniard has just 1/3 of the carbon footprint of the average American. The government continues to invest in green energy, public transportation and sustainable agricultural programs.
Madrid is located in the middle of Spain, in the center of the Iberian peninsula. To the north is the beautiful Sierra de Guadarrama mountain range. Madrid has a high altitude and is the second-highest European capital.
Madrid's relatively mild temperatures and weather mean that most people don't have to worry about the cold or harsh winters. Extreme weather events that we worry about in the United States like hurricanes, tornados and snowstorms aren't much of a problem here.
However, climate change has meant that summers are getting increasingly hotter. Temperatures last summer reached the high 90s! Air conditioning is uncommon here in residential homes. Madrid isn't close to the water, so it's not easy for people to cool off either.
