7 Unexpectedly Green Cities (PHOTOS)

When we think of green cities, most of us think of the same perpetual lineup: Portland, Boulder, San Francisco, Seattle, and Burlington. We here at HuffPost Green wanted to expand the green cities label with some more contenders. What about Eugene? Fayetteville? Austin? Long Beach?

Check out our slideshow of seven unexpectedly green cities. And as always, we want to hear from you. Tell us about your favorite green cities in the comments.

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Eugene, OR

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Eugene, also called the Emerald City, gains 85 percent of its energy from wind-generated and hydroelectric sources. In 2007, the city introduced a hybrid public transit system (pictured), which was awarded the Sustainable Transport award in 2008. Eugene plans to be carbon neutral with no waste by 2020. The city houses many green start up companies, like Organically Grown Company, the northwest’s biggest fruits and vegetables distributor.

Moore Oklahoma Tornado Victims

America's Most Endangered Waterways (2013)

Shell Drill Ship

gadgets/slideshows/298353/slide_298353_2481215_small.jpg

May Tornadoes 2013

Turtles!

Keystone XL Protests

Eugene, also called the Emerald City, gains 85 percent of its energy from wind-generated and hydroelectric sources. In 2007, the city introduced a hybrid public transit system (pictured), which was awarded the Sustainable Transport award in 2008. Eugene plans to be carbon neutral with no waste by 2020. The city houses many green start up companies, like Organically Grown Company, the northwest’s biggest fruits and vegetables distributor.

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pretty special wow!

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Want to know the green status of your city or favorite vacation location? The NRDC's Smarter Cities database is the perfect resource.

Comments

[Natasha Ward]

02:28 PM on 08/16/2010

There are so many different factors for cities to be "green", it's hard to know which one is "best". I found this article that talks about the Top US cities but only in terms of green energy use/conservation etc, interesting and with a few surprises too: http://www.justlivegreener.com/more/310-top-cities-green-energy-use.html

[terriertribe]

10:55 PM on 08/07/2010

That picture of "Nashua NH" looks suspiciously like the intersection of US 3 & NH 116 in Whitefield NH, about 130 miles north of my house in Nashua.

[Jarrod Fitch]

05:06 AM on 08/07/2010

This short film on climate change illustrates the threat to animal habitats: http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/e7162a6f7a/the-plight-of-the-polar-bear

[mikefina]

05:53 PM on 08/06/2010

Surprises?

Reno and Long Beach, surely.

But Eugene? Not surprising. They 'get it', and have since my first visit there nearly 30 years ago.

Good for them all.

[Lia Berquist Fletcher]

01:43 AM on 08/08/2010

for sure! i live in Long Beach and grew up in Fayetteville. fayetteville has been with it for years. the farmer's market is not new. and the city has required its citizens to recycle for almost 15 years. long beach on the other hand, with it's port and zero covenants? ha! not green.

[6chofant]

04:13 PM on 08/05/2010

Grand Rapids, Michigan has the most LEED-certified buildings per capita in the entire country. In 2007, the city reached its goal of getting 20% of its power from renewable resources, with a pledge from the mayor for 100% by 2020. Aquinas College (my alma mater) launched the nation's first undergrad degree program in sustainable business. The bus fleet uses hybrid buses. Etc.

Come on, HP, consider it...

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/11/grand_rapids_has_most_leed_bui.html

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/129/new-urban-eco-nomics.html?page=0%2C1

[woodheat]

12:48 PM on 08/05/2010

Eugene is an awesome place if you can tolerate nine months out of the year with little to no sunshine, and frequent stagnant air. Not a good place for allergy sufferers and the seasonally depressed.

On a positive note, it is a great place for vegetarians, liberals and outdoor enthusiasts. Your about an hour to the coast and fairly close to great hiking and climbing and skiing.

[assbite]

08:07 AM on 08/05/2010

I have visited Fayetteville as a judge for the international Communities in Bloom contest and for America in Bloom. It is a wonderful, exciting city with remarkable green achievements!

[assbite]

09:18 PM on 08/06/2010

My wife, the Communities in Bloom judge, posted this comment without realizing it would have my nom de huff. Being Mrs. assbite isn't a significant improvement and she will register herself for future comments.

PS- Fayetteville really is a nice place, I went there myself.

[devinrocks]

08:44 AM on 08/07/2010

Hi Mr and Mrs ab :)

(I live in Fayetteville and used to take some photos of our town for Communities in Bloom.)

I've lived in some great places (Santa Fe, Chicago) and they all offer something different, but I can not say enough about this fabulous community where I have lived for the past 6 years: Fayetteville Arkansas! Please come back to visit.

[Ridicter]

12:12 AM on 08/05/2010

Congrats Fayetteville!

As a former Arkie now living in Austin, Fayetteville is making the Natural State look awfully attractive.

[janie@atthelake]

10:19 AM on 08/05/2010

...I'm in Austin too....its going to get hot again today...

[devinrocks]

08:48 AM on 08/07/2010

I grew up just outside of Austin and now live in Fayetteville AR. Fayetteville is like Austin in 70's in vibe and size...our Keep Fayetteville Funky campaign is based on Keep Austin Weird. And the Natural State sure does look like the hill country in a lot of places!

[Amy Lamb]

08:26 PM on 08/04/2010

So proud that Fayetteville is No. 2!! I am on the city's environmental committee, and we are working on much, much more. Mayor Lioneld Jordan is very passionate about sustainability. The Fayetteville Public Library also just installed solar panels on its roof, there are lots of bike lanes, and the master plan is to connect all of the city's trails. Yay, Fayetteville! Both beautiful and progressive!

[devinrocks]

10:58 AM on 08/09/2010

Ditto!! Thanks for your service, Amy :)

[Sally Williams 1]

07:06 PM on 08/04/2010

So very, very proud to see my hometown of the past 22 years, Fayetteville, AR on this list. Arkansas still has a long way to go, but there are gems like this nestled in these Ozark hills.

[LMPE]

04:03 PM on 08/04/2010

Eugene doesn't surprise me. I've always seen it as an eco-center.

[BikeFreak]

03:50 AM on 08/05/2010

I thought the same thing.

Anywhere in the Pacific Northwest west of the mountains will be green.

[KathyBellant]

02:08 PM on 08/04/2010

I live in Portland and I'm really proud of our city. For years now we have had curb side recycling. It is unimaginable to me that many towns have no recycling. It is such a way of life for a lot of Oregonians. One more reason John Kitzhaber needs to be re-elected as Gov. of Oregon..

[JoJoRae]

03:06 PM on 08/04/2010

Portland is a great city,

[LMPE]

04:03 PM on 08/04/2010

I'll say

[jenna2929]

04:08 PM on 08/04/2010

that's great. i wish every city would implement these programs. to me, there should be no reason not to.

[Kathleen Roan]

02:02 PM on 08/04/2010

Austin is a relatively tough town to bicycle or walk in. I've heard shouts of "go home and get your car" from people driving by. Does top-down "greening" work? Texans might not buy it.

[BroccoliD]

03:12 PM on 08/04/2010

That's the truth. Austin also has very high rates of water and electricity usage while having a dysfunctional transit system that has very little popular support. Hardly what I would call green, other than the "big splash" projects the article mentioned. As usual, Austin's hype trumps reality.

[paulschechter]

04:15 PM on 08/04/2010

Yeah, and much like Houston very few people actually recycle. Curbside is in some places, but definitely not the whole city.

[Lennon Girl]

01:59 PM on 08/04/2010

I know it said it was in Austin, but are you sure that wasn't D.C.? That looked a heck of a lot lke the capitol building to me.

[barkingcat]

02:13 PM on 08/04/2010

It's Austin -- the state house dome looks very similar to the Capitol Building dome in DC.

[MatthewPetty]

01:46 PM on 08/04/2010

Y'know, down 'ere in Arkansaw we just got shoes bout tree years ago, then things just sorta took off, I reckon.

--

No, seriously. I'm proud to live here in Fayetteville. We still need to do a lot more when it comes to being conscious of the ecology around us, but I hope we can help other communities our size, in the midwest and elsewhere, understand the lessons we've learned from the policies we've put in place.

-Matthew Petty, Alderman in Ward 2 in Fayetteville

[Amy Lamb]

08:27 PM on 08/04/2010

Funny. :-)

[devinrocks]

08:52 AM on 08/07/2010

AND, one of the reasons Fayetteville is so progressive is we have an excellent city government! One of the coolest Mayors, ever, and lots of other brilliant and dedicated people like Matthew! Thanks for your service, Matthew.