Ten of 2022’s most sustainable American cities
Ahead of Earth Day, which annually falls on April 22, LawnStarter has published a list of nearly 200 sustainable American cities.
The list was created by looking at large U.S. cities and ranking them from least to most sustainable based on metrics ranging from infrastructure, taking into account things like the number of net-zero buildings and the share of roads in poor condition, to pollution. For that metric, greenhouse gas emissions in metric tons, tonnage of waste in landfills and air quality were taken into account. Other metrics include transportation, policy and food production.
A statement about the findings notes that California and New York led the way, with three California cities in the top 10, followed by New York, which also had three.
“The Golden State dominated our sustainability leaderboard this year,” the statement says. “California cities are blazing the sustainability trail: The state was first to both propose banning sales of gas-powered cars and construct a high-speed rail line. And after a years-long drought, California reimagined water management in a far more sustainable way.”
Elsewhere, the study found Baltimore, Md. had the most incentives and policies supporting renewables and green energy; Port St. Lucie, Fla., Cape Coral, Fla., Jackson, Miss., Kansas City, Kan. and Olathe, Kan., were tied for having the fewest policies supporting green energy. San Diego, Calif had the most zero-energy buildings, followed by Sacremento, San Francisco and Los Angeles, Calif.; Oakland, Calif. Virginia Beach, Va., Jersey City, N.J. and Honolulu, Hi. were tied for having the lowest greenhouse gas report card; Irvine, Calif. had the most alternative fuel stations per 1,000 residents; and New York., N.Y. has the highest share of biking and walking commuters.
Among the forward looking policies crafted to support a greener future highlighted in the study, last year, New York City became the largest municipality in the U.S. to band natural gas in new buildings. Visit LawnStarter’s website for a full list of the cities and their ranking.
