Jun 30 - SF Ranked Greenest City in North America
A recent study concluded that San Francisco is the Greenest City in the US and Canada. The study was conducted by Siemens, a German engineering conglomerate, and analyzed 27 cities throughout the United States and Canada.
According to a Siemen’s press release, 31 factors were taken into consideration:
"The scope of the U.S. and Canada Green City Index is unique. The nine categories are based on 31 individual indicators — 16 of which are quantitative (e.g. consumption of water and electricity per capita, recycling rate, and use of public transportation) and 15 qualitative (e.g. CO2 reduction targets, efficiency standards and incentives for buildings, and environmental governance). A key element of the study is the comparability of the results from each city — within the individual categories and in the overall evaluation. The study also includes in-depth city portraits that reveal the strengths and weaknesses of each urban center, while also highlighting initiatives and projects from which other cities can learn."
It is no surprise that San Francisco ranks high, due to its tendency to take bold and innovative approaches to environmental problem that are often copied by other cities. In recent years, CAW has been proud to support Sna Franicso's numerous waste reduction iniatives, such as their plastic bag ban, mandatory composting and recycling programs, Styrofoam ban, and their opt-in phone book ordinance, to name a few.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, runners up included Vancouver, Seattle, New York and Denver, while Cleveland, Detroit, and St. Louis came in last.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of San Francisco Chronicle