As urban areas across the U.S. expand, many cities are trying to reduce their environmental impact while promoting sustainability, and Newsweek has plotted the greenest of them on a map.
The election is now less than two weeks away, with early voting already underway, and both candidates' stance on environmental issues often appear firmly at odds with one another.
But these "green cities" are leading the way by investing in clean energy, expanding public transportation, and creating green spaces that improve air quality and promote healthy living.
Newsweek's map of the "greenest" cities is based on a recent report from WalletHub.
To determine its rankings, the report compared America's 100 largest cities across four dimensions—environment, transportation, energy sources, and lifestyle and policy.
Twenty-eight "green indicators" were used to evaluate each city's standing, which included, but were not limited to, greenhouse gas emissions per capita, water quality and green job opportunities.
The cities in the top 10 overall were:
- San Diego, CA
- Washington, D.C.
- Honolulu, HI
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Oakland, CA
- Portland, OR
- Fremont, CA
- Irvine, CA
Claiming the top spot as America's "greenest" city was San Diego.
The report said this was partly due to the Californian city leading the country with the number of solar panel installations per capita. More than 43 percent of the city's electricity comes from renewable energy sources, which the study said was the seventh highest percentage in the U.S.
WalletHub also cited the city's ban on plastic bags and high number of organic farms per capita as factors behind its high ranking.
Californian cities dominated many of the highest positions on the list, with 13 Democratic-governed Golden State cities ranked among the 25.
Alex Stack, a spokesperson for California Governor Gavin Newsom told Newsweek: "California has taken world-leading actions to clean our air and cut pollution in our communities. As the 5th largest economy in the world, we're proving that bold climate action isn't just good for our environment—it's fueling our economic growth."
A September survey found that, of 11 key election topics, Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris led in three (one of which was the environment), while Republican candidate former President Donald Trump led in the remaining eight.
Coming in second was Washington, D.C.
WalletHub said Washington led the U.S. in the number of Community Supported Agriculture groups (CSAs) and community gardens per capita. The report noted that Washington also had the eighth most farmers' markets per capita.
The city had the fourth highest percentage of energy which came from renewable sources in the country, at nearly 50 percent. It also had the 15th-most alternative fuel stations for vehicles, as well as the ninth most solar panel installations per capita.
Furthermore, the report said the capital had the fourth lowest percentage of commuters who drive to work alone.
In third place was Honolulu, Hawaii.
According to the study, the city had the second-lowest greenhouse gas emissions and the third-best air quality in America, as well as the lowest light pollution.
The report praised Honolulu for having 18 percent of the city designated as parkland, which was the 16th-highest percentage of all cities examined. The city also had the eight-most bicycle lanes and paths per capita.
Lastly, Honolulu had the 18th-most green job openings per capita and a large number of community garden plots per capita.
Interested in other ways U.S. cities compare? Newsweek has previously mapped the best small cities in America and the "smartest" cities in the U.S.
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