We are sustaining our lives in an era where the whole world is exploiting the natural resources to answer the present demands. Air and water quality is deteriorating, there’s no waste management and the green spaces are limited. We hardly ever think of greening the planet so that it remains livable for the future generations. Though the EPA had been fumbling to establish official criteria to measure greenness of cities, any formidable solution is still hard to come by. It has been urging the provinces to improve air and water quality, boost the LEED-certified buildings, devote more land to green space, recycle and manage waste, and use cleaner transportation methods to reduce the carbon footprints of the cities countrywide. Greening the US is the obvious motto as depicted in the above image.
Based on these criteria, here’s a list of the top 10 green cities in the US:
1) San Francisco, California:
Why is it on the list?
• America’s solar energy leader
• First US city to ban plastic grocery bags
2) Portland, Oregon:
Why is it on the list?
• 200 miles of dedicated bike lanes
• Pioneering Portland Green Building Program
3) Cambridge, Massachusetts:
Why is it on the list?
• Best walking city in the US
• Strictly implementing the LEEDS criteria
4) Eugene, Oregon:
Why is it on the list?
• Emerald Express, a hybrid public transit system
• Dedicated bike routes
• Truly green landscapes all around
5) Oakland, California:
Why is it on the list?
• Hydrogen-powered public transit
• The U.S. oldest wildlife refuge
6) Boston, Massachusetts:
Why is it on the list?
• Replaced traditional taxis with hybrid vehicles
• Trash generated home fuel
7) Chicago, Illinois:
Why is it on the list?
• Permanent green belt around metropolitan area
• Chicago Green Roof Program
8) Austin, Texas:
Why is it on the list?
• Austin Energy aims at greening it by 2020 with renewable energy
• Leads in green spaces
9) Seattle, Washington:
• LEED-certified buildings
• Various regular workshops like Sustainable Ballard
10) Berkeley, California:
Why is it on the list?
• Green and organic restaurants
• Leads in green technology i.e. wind power, solar power, biofuels and hydropower