Many U.S. cities deserve accolades for their ecological efforts in recent years. Here we look at a few that we think are particularly interesting. Whether it’s a focus on parks, water, housing, or farmers markets, these cities all serve as examples of what we can achieve when we decide to put the Earth first. As everyone’s definition of what constitutes sustainability is a little different, the locales below are listed in no particular order.
Along with these tried-and-true sustainability efforts, Portland is often on the leading edge of more innovative ideas as well. For instance, in 2018, Oregon became the first state to legalize the use of cross-laminated timber. Also called CLT or “mass timber,” it allows the state to develop mid-rise and high-rise construction of all-wood buildings. The effort came through a realization that housing, while often treated as a separate issue from sustainability, is actually a vital factor.
Honolulu Now — jumping back to the West coast — the waaaaay west coast. Honolulu makes this list due to its eco-conscious population and its above-average number of energy-efficient commercial buildings. In fact, Honolulu has the highest number of solar cells installed per person of anywhere in the country. Due to the nature of being built on a volcanic island, they also have an abundance of parks and green space and a population dedicated to keeping it that way.
Seattle Only a few cities score a perfect five on the STAR Community Rating System, and Seattle has long been recognized as one of the most sustainable cities in the United States. Annually ranked as one of the top recyclers around, Washington’s statewide bag ban is one of the toughest in the country; not only do they not allow exceptions for restaurants, but repeat offenders face a $250 fine.
Ithaca, N.Y. You won’t see Ithaca, N.Y. pop up on many “Best Of” lists for eco-friendly-ness, but it absolutely should. That’s because, in 2021, Ithaca became the first city in the U.S. to vote to decarbonize itself. That means that they’ve begun the process, with the help of $100 million in private funding, to decarbonize every single building in the city. In a city where nearly half its current structures were erected before 1940, that will mean significant reductions in its carbon emissions.