Country Living just released their second annual list of the 379 Top Green Cities in America. They ranked the locations based on green fundamentals, such as "energy policies, green power, green buildings, and the availability of fresh, locally grown food."
Chicago made an amazing leap from last year's slot! We hopped the lily pads up from #192 to a very decent #93. That's pretty good but we know we can do better.
Jump down to see where the other AT cities landed and to find out which one deserves a big pat on the back...
San Francisco made us proud by coming in at #11! LA impressed us with landing at #40. Newbie Boston is right behind them at #49. Our other rookie, Washington DC, ranked #102, just one step ahead of New York (#103). Next year, we aim for one (or all!) of AT cities to make the Top Ten.
To view all the findings, visit Country Home for a full list, the Top 25, or a regional map.
Photo: Country Home
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Comments (14)
How can LA be ahead of Chicago? That seems wrong.
"How can LA be ahead of Chicago? That seems wrong."
Not many wind-farms to generate electricity around Chicago - are there?
Excuse me, Washington ranked 67 (Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC):
http://www.countryhome.com/greencities/greencities1_100.html
With the bad air days and the dirty rivers here, I can't imagine how that's possible. But, maybe they didn't count that.
Thanks, Pixie. Together, it appears we've discovered an error. DC is listed as 67 on the full list but it comes in at 102 on the map.
I'm not surprised that my old stomping ground of Cleveland isn't on the list. I guess if your river catches fire once, then you're automatically disqualified.
Thanks Jessica. That might mean other things on the map are wrong too. But, I think 102 makes more sense than 67 anyway (and that sounds pretty generous to me.)
Madison, WI is number 17!
Oregon has four in the top ten and six overall in the top 25. I love living in Portland!
I don't mean to be so critical, but with a list of 379 cities that are "green", it's not too hard for a city to qualify. My city, Philadelphia, is on the list -- #87 -- but Philly has a long way to go before becoming something that one could remotely call "green." Makes me wonder what's happening in the places on the list in the 300's. I'm a bit skeptical ...
Weird. Sounds like they are considering only policies LABELED green. How about per capita car use v. public transportation & walking? How about per capita square footage? (Yup, small cool, is usually more energy efficient since you aren't heating and cooling all that space).
How about detached houses vs. apartments and attached houses? Might the list come out differently if they included things like this?
ya id have to say they used limited criteria to determine this, makes for an interesting and perhaps surprising list, Portland kinda stinks. Ann Arbor, MI def should not be up so high. Isn't Chicago really working hard with the whole green-roof campaign and recycling and all those Globes along the lakeside? Seems like they should be above Phila #87 where I am moving, lol from East Lansing #86
hooray for my little home town that made #1.
Go West Coast!! I'm so proud that my little home town made the list. Yay SLO!
WooHoo San Diego 32! America's Finest City!!