The Top Eco-Friendly Communities

Top Eco-Friendly Communities

In 2011, the top 3 cities were in Texas: Houston, Austin and Dallas. Coming in 4th was Washington D.C. Every city bought over 244 million kW-hrs of wind-generated electricity in place of coal- or natural gas-fired energy plants that would have added high levels of carbon and other greenhouse emissions to the atmosphere.



The EPA grants structures with its Energy Star Certified identification for voluntarily exceeding established benchmarks for power efficiency in lighting use, heating and air-conditioning use and additional central measurements.

LA led the U.S. in the number of Energy Star Certified buildings from 08 to 2011. Washington, D.C. held 2nd place in 2010 and 2011, and its qualified structures are credited with precluding emissions up to more than 12,000 homes' electrical use. Atlanta, Georgia placed 3rd in 2011.

The top ten Eco-friendly cities from the above classes are, in no certain order: New York, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Houston, Dallas, Austin, LA, Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Only the nation's capital comes out twice among the top 4 of any green city list, which implies that its community leaders might have established a goal to showcase Washington as first in war, first in peace and first amid Eco-friendly U.S. cities.