SustainLane.com has released it’s 2008 sustainable city rankings. Portland remains at the top, where it has been ensconced since the list’s inception in 2005.
How exactly is “sustainability” ranked? From the press release:
Based on 16 economic, environmental and green/clean tech categories, the SustainLane U.S. City Rankings factor in each city’s ability to maintain healthy air, drinking water, parks and public transit systems, as well as a robust, sustainable local economy with green building, farmers markets, renewable energy and alternative fuels. Introduced in 2005, the City Rankings have been a catalyst for change. In fact, both the median and average scores have increased significantly across all cities surveyed since 2005.
A full explanation of the methodology can be found here.
Here are the top 10, with 2006’s rankings in parenthesis:
1- Portland (1)
2- San Francisco (2)
3- Seattle (3)
4- Chicago (4)
5- New York (6)
6- Boston (7)
7- Minneapolis (10)
8- Philadelphia (8)
9- Oakland (5)
10- Baltimore (11)
The New York Time’s Dot Earth blog covers the story: Portland Again Tops a Sustainable Cities List.
And here’s a related story, from Kaid Benfield’s Blog at the NRDC website: Portland’s shrinking carbon footprint: revitalization and walkable neighborhoods make the difference
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