Think Green, Act Greener
As we watch our world quite literally catch on fire, it can be hard to feel like our cities are doing their part to mitigate the climate crisis. Luckily, some areas of the United States are stepping up, through municipal goal-setting or volunteer-led initiatives. If you want to see which cities are performing the best, read on.
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1. Portland, Oregon
This East Coast city takes the cake as the most environmentally conscious location in the U.S.A. With a population close to 2.5 million, almost half of the city’s energy sources are renewable. Portland has also bumped up its waste recovery, and has 473 square feet of green space per person.
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2. New York City, New York
Yes, one of the most populated cities in the United States still ranks high on sustainability. This is largely in part due to New York’s transit system, which carries millions of commuters every day. Studies show that the average New York household also emits less carbon than the national average.
3. Seattle, Washington
Given the fitting nickname of “The Emerald City,” Seattle ranks high among sustainable urban areas, thanks to its immense evergreen forests. Eighty percent of the city’s power supply also comes from carbon-free hydroelectricity, with hopes that the entire state of Washington will get to 100% by 2045.
4. St. Paul, Minnesota
With a population of over 3.5 million, this Midwest town boasts 730 square feet of green space per person, with 16% of the city’s energy coming from renewable sources. The city plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 80%, a goal they hope to reach by 2050.
5. Boston, Massachusetts
Boston was ranked 5th overall for environmental sustainability by the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Green City Index. This is largely in part due to the city’s energy-efficient transportation and its new green building policies.
6. San Francisco, California
The Golden City is currently on track to reduce its emissions by 80% as early as 2030, with its current level sitting at around 50%. San Francisco also has a waste recovery system and holds the title as the first American city to prohibit the use of plastic bags.
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7. San Diego, California
This very populated west coast city has done wonders for its residents through the Claude Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant. This plant has been able to filter ocean water into drinking water, giving the city over 50 million gallons of usable water. They’ve also been able to reduce their carbon emissions by 25% in only 10 years.
8. Las Vegas, Nevada
You may think a place nicknamed “Sin City” wouldn’t be making strides in the sustainability field, but you would be incorrect. Las Vegas has done major work in the environmental sector, with it being on track to source all its energy through renewable sources by 2030. As it currently stands, all city facilities now operate on 100% renewable energy.
9. Irvine, California
This year, Irvine was ranked 4th overall by WalletHub’s “Greenest Cities In America” report. It also holds the #1 title of the most ENERGY STAR-certified buildings in California, and has been able to reduce home carbon emissions by 30% on average.
10. Washington, D.C
With a total population close to 5 million, the nation’s capital has been making strides to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The city has made large investments in wind and solar energy, LEED-certified buildings, and net-zero energy schools, and currently sits in the top 3% of the country in terms of renewable energy.
11. Los Angeles, California
Even this car-centric monolith is making strides in the eco sector. The city has surpassed its initial green job target, creating over 100,000 by 2025. It's also currently diverting 523,000 tons of organic waste, over 1,500 electric vehicle chargers have been installed, and stormwater capture projects are well underway.
12. Honolulu, Hawaii
This island city has made great strides in sustainability practices, holding first place for solar PV installations per capita, environmental transparency scoring, and bicycle-friendly roads. The city decreed that it would transition to 100% renewable energy and become carbon neutral by 2045.
13. Denver, Colorado
Denver has been working hard to reach its goal of 100% renewable electricity by 2030. The city is currently working on a massive solar garden project, and continues to hold a LEED Platinum certification, which they obtained in 2019.
14. Chicago, Illinois
The windy city recently celebrated a sustainability milestone, having achieved 100% renewable energy for city-owned buildings. Chicago hopes to reduce its carbon emissions by 62% by 2040, and the “Our Roots Chicago” initiative is currently working to plant 15,000 trees each year.
15. Oakland, California
Oakland is working towards their 2030 Equitable Climate Action plan, aiming to reduce their greenhouse gas emission by 56%. As recently as last month, the city successfully sourced a record 86% of renewable and zero-carbon electricity to private and public buildings.
16. Sacramento, California
Sacramento has widely focused its efforts on electric vehicle implementation. It currently plans to have 75,000 electric vehicles on its roads in the next few years, and has invested $44 million into providing communal electric modes of transit.
17. Phoenix, Arizona
This city has ranked high on sustainable development for the past few years. It was the first American city to achieve the highest level of LEED certification. Furthermore, it currently recycles 89% of its wastewater and is making steps to switch public infrastructure over to solar power and completely electrify its public transportation.
18. Fremont, California
Currently, Fremont’s energy company has transitioned all its residential customers to 100% renewable energy, with the hope that all businesses will follow suit next year. The city is also actively working to reduce its greenhouse gases by 30% by 2030.
19. Silver Spring, Maryland
This city has been making strides in terms of green space, with 690 square feet of green space per person. The city also boasts more energy-efficient developments than most of the country, with many of its public facilities holding Silver and Gold LEED certifications.
20. Albuquerque, New Mexico
This southern city currently uses 88% renewable energy, aiming to reach 100% by the end of this year. It also ranks third overall for solar installations per capita and has achieved a 50% cut in water use between 1994 and 2017.
