Green is the new black when it comes to the environment and some cities are trendier than others which is evident in this list of top 10 U.S. cities for green companies.
Not only is going green becoming more trendy, it is also becoming more and more necessary. Whether you want to believe it or not, global warming is a thing and it’s slowly but surely changing our world. Scientists say climate change can be seen in the rise of temperatures, melting of ice sheets, extreme weather or a rise in sea levels all across the globe. Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, we can’t talk about global warming and climate changing without mentioning greenhouse effect. Greenhouse effect is what happens when gases, that let in light and keep heat from getting out, get trapped within the earth’s atmosphere. This is where all the “warming” comes into play and why scientists are alarmed because many worry that the changes are happening too quickly for living things to be able to adapt. While many choose to sit back and deny global warming, others are making efforts to slow down the process.
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From major companies, to citizens and local governments, there are a lot of factors that influence some of the most eco friendly cities in the U.S. like Greensburg, Kansas, Fargo, North Dakota, and Roanoke, Virginia to name a few. These cities are known for their eco-friendly infrastructure, vegetation, energy efficiency and other efforts to leave behind a smaller carbon footprint than most. When it comes to that energy efficiency, many places around the world and U.S. are turning to wind farms, which you can learn more about in this article on the Biggest Wind Farms in the World. As evident with Greensburg, it doesn’t take a large city to make a big impact. Some of the greenest small towns in America include Boulder, Colorado and Corvallis, Oregon where everyone is doing their part for the environment. In our opinion these smaller cities mentioned are some of the best eco friendly places to live because they help the environment and typically don’t have many problems.
In looking for the top U.S. cities for green companies, we had to browse the web for credible websites with relevant write-ups and articles. For this one, we gathered information with the help of Expedia, Popular Science, and Wallet Hub. We then took every city that appeared on each website and used the averaging method to determine which tops the list. We also took into account what factors make each city “green” as well as their efforts in being eco-friendly. The cities that we found to be most involved in being “green,” while also offering the most incentives for green companies found their way at the top of our list.
Continue reading to know more about the top 10 U.S. cities for green companies.
10. Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis might be one of the largest metropolitan areas in the U.S., but they have succeeded in making sure they still take care of the environment. The city is willing to offer rewards of up to $100,000 for businesses that are eco-friendly. No wonder they are among the best cities for green companies. The city is also known for giving incentives to people who help them develop energy-saving green strategies, a tool that has also been picked up by Seattle.
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9. Austin, Texas
We are continuing our list of top 10 U.S. cities for green companies with the city of Austin that has been making conscious efforts of sustaining clean and green energy for a while now. They have even put up an Office of Sustainability with a clear vision of what they want to achieve in terms of ecological balance by 2050. One of their objectives is to sustain and maintain a local food system that is both healthy and organic. Currently, they have over 15 million square feet of green office space in the city that employs nearly 40,000 people.
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8. Sacramento, California
Like Austin, Sacramento has also been making ways to make their city as ecologically sustainable as possible. They have a city action plan, with the environment as their main concern, so as to not sacrifice the future generations and to meet the needs of today. Their plan focuses on water and energy conservation as well as pollution prevention to name a few. This sure makes the city among the best for green companies.
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7. Chicago, Illinois
Chicago is easily one of the most environmentally-friendly cities in the country. They have been doing sustainability measures for many years now, and have been successful in their efforts. Apart from a city action plan, they have also tried making efforts to be truly green in their infrastructures and even on their modes of transportation.
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6. Seattle, Washington
In 2015, Seattle launched the Equity and Environment Initiative, which is their commitment to sustaining a healthy environment for the generations to come. In recent years, the city has seen an increase in eco-friendly construction, recycling, and even cyclists. This just shows how serious the city is to maintain an ecological balance and to also create opportunities for all ethnicities.
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5. Portland, Oregon
Like the other cities in the list of top 10 U.S. cities for green companies, Portland also has its own sustainability office which implements solutions to preserve distinct places, enhance livability, and also plan out for the future. The city is also promoting recycling and other green city measures, making it one of the top U.S. cities for green companies.
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4. Cambridge, Massachusetts
Despite being one of the most developed cities in the U.S., the fact that Cambridge has developed practical solutions to sustain a healthy environment. Apart from their Office of Sustainability, they also aim to set a standard example in all things green especially when it comes to commercial buildings being built in the city. Green companies are sure to have an easy implementation with the city’s efforts to improve fuel efficiency and expand renewable energy use.
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3. Oakland, California
Number three on the list of top 10 U.S. cities for green companies is Oakland that also has its own office of sustainability, which aims to make their city as ecologically friendly as possible. One of their biggest projects is making electrical vehicles operate in new construction of infrastructures. That fact alone proves just how serious they are in maintaining their green city, just perfect for green companies. Oakland currently has more than 200 green businesses and is always looking for more.
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2. Honolulu, Hawaii
We think of paradise when we hear Hawaii since we know how beautiful it is there and how rich their natural resources are. These assets are also part of why Honolulu is named by many as number one on lists of the greenest cities in the U.S. 2017. The city has been great in making sure they preserve nature, as proven by many different projects. Honolulu’s conscious efforts in keeping their city clean and green make it really great for green companies. If you want to take your business there, you can benefit from reduced utility and waste costs while gaining favor from the community.
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1. San Francisco, California
San Francisco is known almost everywhere in the world because of its many tourist attractions. Recently, it has also been making waves in their sustainability efforts and green companies will certainly love their regenerative urban environment. San Francisco’s biggest green projects include an urban forest plan, including renewable energy and clean transportation. Free technical assistance and education, expert audits, rebates and being showcased throughout the community are a few of the incentives the city offers for green businesses.
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Since global warming is now a real issue, companies using renewable energy and other green efforts have been sprouting up everywhere. It is always a great thing to know the top 10 U.S. cities for green companies if you are looking to start or relocate a business.
