Across the nation, people are looking for ways to live environmentally friendly. But before you start thinking about trading your McDonald's for granola and donning Birkenstocks, there are many different ways to live a greener life and it all starts with where you live. Today, I decided to look at which top searched green cities were best for a green lifestyle. After seeing the list and taking into account city policies on energy, green power, green buildings, and local farming, it seems that these cities make it easier for their residents to live green. And based on the list, it appears that the Green Movement has spread to the West Coast faster than anywhere else.
Location can make or break a green city. The city's proximity to farms allows residents access to locally grown food and organic shopping, an easy way to be environmentally friendly. Locale also determines a city's ability to construct green buildings, which aim to decrease their impact on the environment. Number 2 on our list, Seattle, understands why we should use green design; Washington was the first state to enact green building legislation. Following their example, California, which has 4 cities on our list, just adopted a statewide building code this month, making it the first in the nation to require new homes and businesses to be energy efficient.
The Department of Energy awarded Portland and Bend, Oregon's electricity provider an award for their use of green power. With Eco-friendly programs like this already in place, it is easy for cities and residents to work together and shrink their ecological footprint. You can take an extra step in right direction at home if you combine use of green energy resources with Energy Star appliances and energy saving light bulbs.
Whether your city is great because they recognize the importance of recycling or because they have a program to reduce emission pollution, let us know how your home measures up. For more information visit our green living page, Green Homes.
Top Searched Green Cities on AOL Search:
1. San Francisco, CA
2. Seattle, WA
3. Santa Barbara, CA
4. Portland, OR
5. Minneapolis, MN
6. Madison, WI
7. Santa Cruz, CA
8. Bend, OR
9. San Luis Obispo, CA
10. Boulder, CO
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