The 5 Most Eco-Friendly Green Cities in America

With the tipping point so close, many cities around the world are going "green". Sixteen cities have now been added to the list of implementing new eco-friendly ways to save and create energy. This new way of life will apply to businesses to ways people can conserve energy in their home and keep the earth a bit healthier.

Statistics show that 80% of the American population lives in urban areas. In a effort to keep the world clean and alive for the children of the future, many cities have sought better ways to for bettering the use of our depleting and harmful resources we depend on so heavily. These cities have brought about fuel efficient ways of transportation, great water facilities, and better overall quality of the air in buildings. 5 cities in America alone have been doing this since 2005 and are ahead of the game of even other countries! If you want to live or just sample the way these cities function, here is a list of the Green Cities.

Austin, Texas

Austin is home to 656,562 Americans and has over 15% devoted to parks and bike trails and it has 19 buildings designed specifically with the earth in mind. Being the most southern city mentioned here, Austin wants to set the standard and be a leader for the rest of the world by wanting to have 20% of its energy completely renewable by 2020 and to become the leading manufacture of Solar based products in the United States.

Boulder, Colorado

94,673 people live in Boulder and many people around the U.S. and world know if it's "Green Points Building Program" which provides builders with certain guidelines when building a structure, be it commercial or even standardized housing. One of such guidelines is the "Solar Access Ordinance" helps create more ways to implement solar energy. Boulder is not only surrounded by the Rocky Mountains but also an impressive 60 miles of parks and recreational grounds.

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago is home to 2,896,016 is one of the leaders for eco-friendly buildings. Close to having half of its buildings "green", 20 percent of its electricity is renewable. Chicago also has tax breaks to people who have old homes or buy them and retrofit the home with ways to keep the earth green, like the use of solar power. The NRDC has deemed Chicago's water and source protection nothing less than excellent. The Environment Protection Agency has noted the city's efforts to reduce the amount of harmful vehicle emissions and ways to limit industrial emissions.

Honolulu, Hawaii

Housing 372,000 residents, Honolulu is not only a very green city, but it is one of the least in producing harmful particles. Honolulu has one of the best programs for energy, lowest vehicle emissions, how it manages its cities boundaries, and the goal to protect shorelines areas as well as agricultural specific areas. It does this with tourists in mind and doesn't have to compensate on the beauty of the island with nasty eye-sores of retrofitting. Honolulu's goal is not only to keep the tourists coming back year after year but to be able to preserve the natural beauty of the island that so many have come to enjoy.

Madison, Wisconsin

Madison has a population of 208,054 Americans and impressive tax incentives. Being a bike-friendly city of 150,000 bicycles, Madison is filled with over 100 miles of trails and routes. On top of that, it is very easy to get to where you want to just by walking. More people there enjoy the scenic routes by bike and walking over commuting with cars and even public supplied transportation! 20 percent of Madison is devoted to parks and outdoor events. If you want to stretch your legs and get a great cardio workout on your way to work or store, Madison is the place to be.