Here’s What Makes The District So Sustainable – New Study Ranks Washington, D.C. Among The Greenest Cities In America

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A recently released study conducted by WalletHub, which compared the most sustainable cities in America to identify which are the most ‘green’.

The study measured 28 unique “key ‘green’ indicators” across the 100 largest cities in the nation, creating a unique scoring system to rank the cities that promote the most environmentally friendly lifestyle.

Where did Washington, D.C. rank among America’s “greenest” cities?

According to the study, the District managed to garner a total score of 69.26 out of a potential 100 maximum score, earning D.C. bragging rights as the second-greenest city in America!

The District earned its rank of #2 in the study due to its overall sustainability; however, it was only a handful of factors that made Washington, D.C. stand out from other cities around the nation.

Here are a few of the metrics that stood out:

• Washington, D.C., ranks #1 among the nation’s 100 largest cities for Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs) groups and community garden sites per capita. This means that there is a particularly high rate of locals who either grow their own food or purchase food that is grown locally.
• Renewable resources supply 48% of Washington, D.C.’s energy, the nation’s fourth-highest percentage, according to the study.
• The District has the 18th-most alternative-fuel stations for vehicles & the 9th-most solar panel installations per capita.
• Overall, the 5th-lowest daily water consumption per capita.
• As a result of the popularity of carpooling, D.C. had the 3rd-lowest percentage of commuters who drive to work alone, reducing the overall rate of gas consumption across the city.

What other cities ranked among the most sustainable in the nation?

According to the study, the top-5 ‘greenest’ cities in America are:

1. San Jose, CA
2. Washington, D.C.
3. Oakland, CA
4. Irvine, CA
5. San Francisco, CA

What was the study’s methodology?

The study used four key dimensions to create its ranking: environment, transportation, energy sources, and lifestyle & policy.

The way a potential score out of 100 was calculated by measuring each dimension was as follows:

• Environment – 40 points
  • Air-Quality Index – 4.44 points
  • Greenhouse-Gas Emissions per capita – 4.44 points
  • Green Space – 4.44 points
  • Water Quality – 4.44 points
  • Daily Water Consumption per capita – 4.44 points
  • Share of green hotels – 4.44 points
  • Population density – 4.44 points
  • Light pollution level – 4.44 points
• Transportation – 25 points
  • Share of commuters who drive alone – 4.55 points
  • Average commute time by car – 2.27 points
  • Walk score – 2.27 points
  • Bike Score – 2.27 points
  • Miles of bicycle lanes – 2.27 points
  • Presence of bike-sharing program – 2.27 points
  • Annual excess fuel consumption – 2.27 points
  • Intersection density – 2.27 points
  • Accessibility of jobs by public transit – 2.27 points
  • Alternative-fuel stations per capita – 2.27 points
• Energy Sources – 20 points
  • Share of electricity from renewable sources – 10 points
  • Share of photovoltaic installations per capita – 5 points
  • Number of smart-energy policies & initiatives – 5 points
• Lifestyle & Policy – 15 points
  • Farmer markets & CSA programs per capita – 2.5 points
  • Certified organic farms per capita – 2.5 points
  • Community garden sites per capita – 2.5 points
  • “Green” job opportunities – 2.5 points
  • Number of local programs promoting green-energy use – 2.5 points
  • Presence of plastic bag bans – 2.5 points