Today, sustainability and environmentalism are often at the forefront of urban initiatives. It seems, however, that some U.S. cities are doing better than others when it comes to being green. Popular Science, back in February 2008, picked the fifty greenest cities in the United States. These are the greenest cities in the United States based on their research study.
- Portland, OR
- San Francisco, CA
- Boston, MA
- Oakland, CA
- Eugene, OR
- Cambridge, MA
- Berkeley, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Chicago, IL
- Austin, TX
The top 50 cities, and further rankings, were determined based on scores related to four major categories: electricity, transportation, green living, and recycling. Cities scored well in the electricity category when they drew energy from renewable resources, such as solar power. Cities with regularly-used public transportation systems scored well in the transportation category. A green living score was determined based on the number of certified buildings and lastly, recycling points went to cities with great recycling systems and programs.
But that was over two years ago. But what makes a city green today? Do the same initiatives that stood out two years ago stand out today? Are the green cities listed above list-proof, or in other words, would they appear on a 2010 list done by another research group? Luckily, we can begin to answer these questions by looking at a new study published by the Business Courier of Cincinnati on March 11, 2010. According to the new research, here are the top ten green cities of 2010.
- Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
- Honolulu, HI
- Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
- Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Albuquerque, NM
- Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
Cities were ranked using the ACBJ’s Green City Index. In essence, the index factors general sustainability data to create an aggregrate rating for each of the cities considered. The index incorporates a significant number of external statistics, such as number of Energy Star rated facilities (from the US EPA) and carbon emissions data (from the Brookings Institute). Examining these lists, it's clear that places like Boston and Seattle are some of the most environmentally-friendly cities in the US. Further within these green cities, there are particularly sustainable districts and neighborhoods. For example, it’s no wonder that people look for Jamaica Plain condos (Boston, MA). The neighborhood is known for being one of Boston’s greenest, with numerous parks and plenty of outdoor green space.
Tags: boston, cities, condos, Environmentalism, green, greenest, jamaica plain, massachusetts, sustainability, united states, urban