Housely
Cities generate 75 percent of all greenhouse gases emitted around the world, which means that to reduce emissions cities have to commit to big changes. As America’s population continues to grow and residents shift back and forth into cities, the question of what this will do in the way of climate change has been a topic of huge debate in recent years. While some areas have been very slow to devote time and resources to reducing emissions, others have gone in head first and made excellent improvements.
The cities that are the best at reducing emissions put great effort into creating effective strategies, use strong science to back their policies, have bold targets for emission reduction, and their residents are committed to doing their part to help the cause.
Here are 10 cities in the United States that are leading the way in emissions reduction.
1. Boston, Massachusetts
Boston is known as America’s most energy efficient city, but it’s also working to reduce emissions — both efforts go hand in hand. In addition to implementing a number of ordinances aimed at making developments greener, the city frequently funds studies that look for ways to improve sustainability and emissions reduction. However, Boston’s efforts would be nothing without its eco-conscious residents, who often participate in bike weeks and carbon footprint challenges.
2. San Francisco, California
San Francisco is a city that is all about clean energy, and residents and businesses there have been given key incentives to go solar since 2008. Incredibly, half of San Francisco’s transit system is comprised of electric vehicles that produce zero-emissions. In addition, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission phased out petroleum based diesel vehicles from its fleet and replaced them with vehicles that use renewable diesel fuel. San Francisco is one of the leaders in the debate on climate change, and its emissions reduction strategy is definitely aggressive.
3. Austin, Texas
Austin has grown by leaps and bounds over the last two decades, and to combat the problems that more people bring the city has committed to becoming completely carbon neutral by the year 2020. There’s less than 5 years to go for Austin to reach its goal, and residents and officials have been working hard to make sure it happens. Austin’s Green Choice Program has been a success, and the city’s parks and recreation department also helps keep Austin green by maintaining over 19,000 acres of parkland, which covers over 10 percent of the city.
4. Minneapolis, Minnesota
For a large city, Minneapolis is very green. It’s one of the country’s most sustainable cities and is committed to reducing its carbon emissions over the coming years. Minneapolis has 160 miles of bikeways, and out of that 85 miles don’t run alongside any roads. Among the city’s initiatives to improve sustainability and reduce emissions is the push to get residents to opt for tap water instead of bottled water. The mayor’s office doesn’t even offer bottled water to visitors, and city officials have certainly lead by example on this front.
5. Seattle, Washington
Seattle did something revolutionary in 2005 when its utility company because the nation’s first to go completely carbon neutral. Having an abundance of hydroelectric dams in the area definitely helped, but Seattle didn’t stop there. The city’s mayor promised that Seattle’s budget won’t be invested in companies that support the fossil fuel industry, and agencies that are tied to the city’s pension fund have been pressured to make the same promise.
6. Eugene, Oregon
Eugene’s population of over 150,000 is serious about being environmentally conscious. It’s part of the fabric of the city’s community, which is why Eugene is one of the nation’s greenest enclaves and a leader in emissions reduction. 88 percent of the city’s energy comes from renewable sources and Eugene also established its own Sustainability Commission to help ensure development and infrastructure projects are as eco-friendly as possible. In addition, Eugene was nominated for an international award after it implemented one of the country’s first diesel-electric hybrid public transit systems.
7. Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City has a history of electing leaders who are big on helping the environment, and who could blame its residents. The city has a wealth of natural beauty, and to keep it that way Salt Lake City’s leadership and the people who live there have to work together. Salt Lake City’s Green initiative aimed to cut emissions produced by government buildings by 21 percent over 10 years, however the city was able to exceed its goal by 10 percent well before the established deadline. Now, Salt Lake City officials are installing solar powered parking meters around town and urging residents to choose electric only vehicles and cars that use alternative fuels.
8. New York City, New York
Yes, New York City is huge. And it doesn’t have a history of being the cleanest city around, but times have certainly changed. Today, New York City’s population of over 8 million people have been forced to adopt sustainable practices. 1.6 million people live on Manhattan alone, meaning sweeping changes had to be made. New York City now has one of the lowest emission levels per capita, thanks to so many of its residents choosing to walk, take the subway, or use public transit.
A large number of initiatives have been put in place by New York City officials that aim to combat the effects of climate change, improve sustainability, and keep emissions down. The city’s current goals are to reduce emissions by 30 percent, have the cleanest air in any major US city, and make it so that every resident has a park within a 10 minute walk. In addition, NYC is preparing its coastal areas for global warming events and is in the process of diverting 75 percent of the solid waste in its landfills.
9. Grand Rapids, Michigan
Despite the economic state of Michigan, Grand Rapids is very committed to reducing emissions and overall sustainability. Grand Rapids has a huge number of LEED-certified buildings per capita, received an award for being the country’s most sustainable mid-sized city, and their recycling program is one of the most successful in the nation.
10. Portland, Oregon
Portland is the nation’s most sustainable city, largely due to their more than 20 year effort to combat emissions. The city’s target is to reduce emissions 40 percent by 2030 and 80 percent by 2050. To reach their goal, Portland officials and city planners have poured significant amounts of money into expanding mass transit options and making its roads more bikeable. Portland has been called America’s most bike friendly city, which is no surprise since it boasts over 318 miles of bikeways.
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