Alexandria Ranked as One of Top 50 Greenest Cities by Popular Science Magazine - Public Transportation is a Key Factor
March 10th, 2008 Categories: Alexandria, Green Living, Real Estate News
Popular Science magazine has named Alexandria as one “America’s 50 Greenest Cities” - localities that were cited as leaders in implementing rapid and successful environmental actions. Scoring a possible 15.7 points out of a total of 30, Alexandria came in at number 30. Portland, Oregon topped the list at number one and Greensboro, NC landed on the other end at number 50.
The magazine used raw data from the U.S. Census Bureau, and the National Geographic Society’s Green Guide, which collected survey data and government statistics for American cities of over 100,000 people in more than 30 categories, including air quality, electricity use, and transportation habits.
- Electricity (cities scored points for drawing energy from renewable sources and provide incentives for residents to invest in their own power sources;
- Transportation* (points went to cities whose commuters take public transportation or carpool);
- Green living (cities earned points for the number of buildings certified by the U.S. Green Building Council and the number of areas devoted to green spaces;
- Recycling and green perspectives (which measured the comprehensiveness of a city’s recycling programs and how important its city residents consider environmental issues).
Use of public transportation and carpooling was significant for Alexandria. Proximity to the Metro is often a determining factor for house hunters and apartment dwellers as are the express buses that make direct runs to the Pentagon and into the District.
Want to know more about Metro accessible neighborhoods? Give me a call at 703.548.0938.
Thanks for stopping by,
Michael
Hello Michael, I think the green concept is a great one and wish more people would get involved. I sit on a committee and we are bringing in candidates for interviews and we have taken each of them to the only green restaurant in Chattanooga and in Tennessee. We feel it is important and that the restaurant 212 Market Street be recognized for their hard work. Keep up the great blog. David
Thanks David. “Going green” is getting more and more important every where. Here in my Del Ray neighborhood, our local library, the James Duncan Branch, was the first City of Alexandria public building with a Green Roof. The architects used some of the same plants to landscape the grounds around the library and now the library uses them as a visual teaching aid. http://www.alexandria.lib.va.us/branches/facts.html
Michael