Evergreen

Originally nicknamed "Earth 2.0" by early settlers, this has become the treasure of the outer colonists, a gift from the universe. Not only is it perfectly suited for human living, but its ecology and atmosphere are also eerily similar to Earth's. However it is more mountainous due to increased tectonic activity, has 1.3x Earth's gravity, and has more land than ocean, with most of the land being untouched and unexplored.
This is Dante's home planet. Those from Evergreen are nicknamed "'Greenies" by inner colonists, particularly those from the Earth military.

Geography

Evergreen is the opposite of Earth in the fact that 60% of its planet is covered in land and only 40% by water. It also has very active tectonic plates and therefore is full of mountains and valleys that dwarf any found on Earth. It's also volcanically active in many areas that scientists have set up dozens of geothermal generators around its largest volcanos, which not only serve to harvest this geothermal energy for energy but also to decrease the ability for these volcanoes to erupt.

Ecosystem

Evergreen's environment is unique due to several factors. The planet's gravity is 130% of Earth's. This increased gravity, combined with the planet's tectonic activity, has resulted in a terrain that is dominated by mountains and volcanic activity. Cities have been built within and on top of these mountains to take advantage of the geothermal energy they provide, and there are many hot springs and geysers throughout the planet.
While Evergreen's environment is generally stable, it is not without its hazards. Storms can be extremely intense, and there is a risk of volcanic activity and earthquakes. Despite these risks, the people of Evergreen have adapted to their unique environment and have built thriving societies within the mountains and valleys of this beautiful and fascinating planet.

Localized Phenomena

Due to its increased volcanic activity and iron-rich inner core, Evergreen has an extremely dense magnetosphere that retains more of its atmosphere than even Earth. Colonists first arriving on Evergreen noted that Greenhouse Effect on Evergreen could happen much easier on this planet compared to Earth and therefore have made extensive efforts to preemptively combat climate change, a major problem on Earth.
The planet's stronger magnetosphere not only protects Evergreen's inhabitants from harmful solar radiation, and the increased activity in the magnetosphere also leads to more frequent and beautiful auroras that can be seen further from the planet's poles compared to Earth.

Climate

Save for the poles, most of the planet has similar temperatures to Earth in the 21st Century. Due its increased tectonic activity, there is not much flat land to be found.

Fauna & Flora

Plant species are known to grow extremely quickly on Evergreen, making food grow fast and plentiful to feed the ever-growing population on Evergreen. Biologists hypothesize that plants' accelerated growth is likely due to being able to access Aura energy in addition to photosynthesis.
For a summary of the adaptations native and transplated species have made to Evergreen's unique ecology and Aura-rich atmosphere, check out the entries for Animals - Evergreen and Plants and Agriculture Evergreen.

History

The first colonists to arrive on Evergreen were amazed at how Earth-like and pristine the planet was, seemingly perfect for humans to colonize. Now that 3 to 4 generations of humans have lived on Evergreen over the course of two centuries, the populations there now see themselves more as Evergreen natives than Earth's colony. Similar to how a person from the United States would not think of themselves as British, nor do Evergreen's people see themselves as Earthlings.

Tourism

Many tourists come to visit the scenic landscapes of Evergreen, largely untouched by human civilization. The Verdant Valley is a particularly popular tourist destination known for it's beatiful coastline, with the Cape's mountainous terrain offering spectacular views of it's coastline on the seaside and lush, forested valleys on the inland side.
Also, due to increased geothermal activity, there are many hot springs and geysers throughout the planet which are popular at mountainside resorts.

Type

Planet