Denmark may not be what comes to mind when the words "green islands" flash up on the screen, but while other nations talk about the environment, the North Sea"s pretty country has quietly taken steps to save it.

As the acknowledged "Environmental Capital of Europe" it has become the center for action as well as ideas. In 2003 the Danish Parliament initiated the decommissioning of the nuclear facilities at Research Centre Riso. Thus "allowing us to concentrate fully on our research with sustainable energy," said Jorgan Kjems, executive director of the Centre.

Denmark already uses wind to generate nine percent of its energy and has the world's largest offshore windmill park. Other projects include providing environmentally-sound enzymes for anti-fouling boat paint. The paint will be used initially by commercial fleets and then by private and public water craft, large and small.

In pragmatic Copenhagen, scrubbed down buildings, meticulously maintained gardens and long-term architectural preservation are constants. Urban planning? The first question asked appears to be "Is it ecologically sound?"

Not content with 150 miles of town and country bike lanes and the statistic that there is a bicycle for every one of its 1.7 million citizens, Copenhagen also has 2000 free bikes. Anyone who needs wheels can drop 20 kroner (about $4) to release a bike for a day's use. The bike can be returned to any other city rack, and the money is automatically refunded. Daily summer bike tours of Copenhagen are sponsored by City Safari. Countrywide, the bicycle is the nonpolluting vehicle of choice since automobiles are taxed 100 percent, and owners are fined for any spot of rust.

Viking ships were once the cutting edge of navigation, and today Copenhagen is the gateway for Baltic cruises. Ferries bring daytrippers from Germany and Sweden who load up on roses as well as duty-free beer and aquavit. Note that in this land of over 150 different beers you find no beer cans. Danes, ably assisted by tourists, drink two billion bottles a year. Carlsberg and Tuborg are rivals in supporting the arts as well.

Land is precious in tiny Denmark, and good agricultural land a national treasure. Dairy cows graze on the grounds of what were once vast estates on Funen and Jutland while tax advantages have saved the manor houses turning them into luxurious country house hotels and restaurants. Working farms and thatch-roofed village cottages offer bed-and-breakfast at bargain rates.

Hotels and hostels must meet rigorous standards on everything from water and energy consumption to guest room amenities before they can flash the "Green Key" logo. Environmental impact is the bottom line that has brought water consumption down as much as 20 percent. Soap and shampoos are natural, and there are even self-sorting recycling wastebaskets.

Denmark may be the smallest country in northern Europe, but it covers 500 islands and nearly 7000 miles of coastline. As early as 1937, laws were passed to control pollution, impose recycling and provide for the research and implementation of environmental programs. Now more than 60 percent of all household waste is recycled.

Many of the smaller islands are reachable only by boat and are virtually car free. Trash free too. Entire populations turn out to clean up the flotsam (mostly from cruise ships) that washes ashore, and blue markers of approval are posted only when the water is truly "excellent."

"We Danes are meticulous," a beach walker told me as he picked up a deflated balloon that had escaped from the hand of some child. "Anything that stops moving is recycled."

Recycled is not precisely what happened to Holmen, an island that once based the Danish Navy. It's become home to the National Schools of Theatre, Film and Architecture with the turbine hall of an old foundry a prime showplace for original productions.

The European Union Life Environment Program has chosen the island of Mon as a pilot area to practice environmentally sensitive methods of cleaning swimming beaches (other beaches are left natural so eelgrass can be harvested for industrial use). Mon (www.visitmoen.com) has white chalk cliffs and wonderful hiking as well as a number of organic farms.

Of course it's not necessary to go to Mon for fresh organic products. From the macrobiotic cafes in Copenhagen's funky Christiana neighborhood to the country house hotels of Funen, home-grown veggies are the rule. Organic chocolates and, yes, even organic beers are found in supermarkets.

In 1971, Denmark created the world's first Ministry for the Environment. In 1996, Copenhagen held a series of "Green City" events cosponsored by the European Environment Agency and the Environment-Technological Association, among others. These have been "as we do" not "as we say" examples heavily attended by concerned representatives of all nations. The World Health Organization is based here too.

As a member of the European Union, Denmark uses the EU Flower eco-label to mark products made with the least impact on the environment and natural resources. Everything from baby clothes to high fashion; from sheets to tablecloths are made from Danish organic cotton, hemp and other natural fibers.

Under the Green City Office, public and private sectors have produced a series of open houses covering more than 100 different environmental projects, and a 60-mile network of pathways on Sealand has been designated as the "Green Route." In the heart of Copenhagen, the Faelledparken (sensory garden) is a huge maze of fragrance and color for children to explore.

Nature parks and reserves dot the countryside. It's no accident that there are more forests in Denmark now than in the 17th century. From the windswept dunes of Jutland to the symbiotic art-in-nature projects of Langeland, you can see the niche of environmental responsibility conscientiously being filled.

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