Green grows on trees.
Popsci.com has ranked America's 50 Greenest Cities:
1. Portland, Ore.
"America’s top green city has it all: Half its power comes from renewable sources, a quarter of the workforce commutes by bike, carpool or public transportation, and it has 35 buildings certified by the U.S. Green Building Council."
5. Eugene, Ore.
CATEGORY LEADER: Electricity
"Much of the wet Pacific Northwest draws its energy from hydroelectric dams. But Eugene draws an additional 9 percent of its municipal electricity from wind farms. It also buys back excess power from residents who install solar panels."
8. Seattle, Wash.
11. Minneapolis, Minn.
CASE STUDY: Citizen Enviro-Grants
"If you’ve got a world-saving idea, the City of Lakes will give you, your church or your community group the money to get it done. Twenty $1,000 mini-grants and five $10,000 awards were distributed last year to programs ranging from household power-consumption monitors to “block club talks” about global warming. A similar initiative has sprung up in Seattle."
Nowhere in Florida made the list.
-K
1. Portland, Ore.
"America’s top green city has it all: Half its power comes from renewable sources, a quarter of the workforce commutes by bike, carpool or public transportation, and it has 35 buildings certified by the U.S. Green Building Council."
5. Eugene, Ore.
CATEGORY LEADER: Electricity
"Much of the wet Pacific Northwest draws its energy from hydroelectric dams. But Eugene draws an additional 9 percent of its municipal electricity from wind farms. It also buys back excess power from residents who install solar panels."
8. Seattle, Wash.
11. Minneapolis, Minn.
CASE STUDY: Citizen Enviro-Grants
"If you’ve got a world-saving idea, the City of Lakes will give you, your church or your community group the money to get it done. Twenty $1,000 mini-grants and five $10,000 awards were distributed last year to programs ranging from household power-consumption monitors to “block club talks” about global warming. A similar initiative has sprung up in Seattle."
Nowhere in Florida made the list.
-K