News

Philly is #33 “Greenest in the USA” according to Wallethub

Wallethub (AKA the local media’s favorite website for Philly ranking clickbait), ranked Philly #33 out of 100 cities for their ‘greenness’.

“Greenness” of Philadelphia (1=Best; 50=Avg.)

59th – Greenhouse-Gas Emissions per Capita
33rd – % of Green Space
8th – % of Commuters Who Drive
11th – Bike Score
16th – Number of Farmers Markets per Capita
71st – Median Air Quality Index
66th – Annual Excess Fuel Consumed
6th – Walk Score

Philly’s made major progress in sustainability over the past eight years, so we’d bet that our ranking should be higher due to initiatives like Green City Clean Waters and Greenworks. We just can’t see specifics, Wallethub…

So who DID lead the pack? Shocker, the stereotypical San Fran got the honor.

THE TOP 10 LIST WAS AS FOLLOWS:

  1. San Francisco, CA
    2. Honolulu, HI
    3. San Jose, CA
    4. Fremont, CA
    5. San Diego, CA
    6. Washington, DC
    7. Oakland, CA
    8. Portland, OR
    9. Sacramento
    10. Minneapolis, MN

Does this study matter?

Wallethub does look at outside resources (ranging from legit US census bureau to eh? Yelp). However, we can’t see exactly how Philadelphia fared on every single ranking, and our transportation score at 5 seems low with our bike share program, bike lanes and other improvements in recent years.

According to Wallethub, “to determine the greenest cities in America, WalletHub’s analysts compared the 100 most populated cities across four key dimensions: 1) Environment, 2) Transportation, 3) Energy Sources and 4) Lifestyle & Policy.

A sampling of the rankings and weight:

  • Greenhouse-Gas Emissions per Capita: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
  • Green Space: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
  • Percentage of Commuters Who Drive: Double Weight (~5.00 Points)
  • Walk Score: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
  • Bike Score: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
  • Annual Excess Fuel Consumption: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
  • Community Garden Plots per Capita: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
  • “Green” Job Opportunities: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)

It’s worth noting that Wallethub defines itself as “the first-ever website to offer free credit scores and full credit reports that are updated on a daily basis.”

 

Photo Credit: Photo by C. Smyth for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®

Julie Hancher

Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake.

Recent Posts

Safe Streets, Refinery Leaks & Soaring Eagles

Catch up on the latest sustainability news: Safer streets coming to Pine and Spruce. Philadelphia…

1 day ago

Eco-Explainer: What is Environmental Justice?

You've seen environmental justice come under fire. But what does the term mean? Here are…

2 days ago

Rally Against Rate Hikes, Free ‘How City Council Works’ Training, Native Plants Guide & more

Catch up on the latest sustainability news: 25 Philly-Area Solar for Schools grants awarded. Lawmakers…

1 week ago

How to match your dollars with your values: Invest in less plastic, not fossil fuels.

Green Century has helped investors and businesses support the planet, not polluters, for over 30…

1 week ago

Can a greener Philly reduce crime?

In a bid to improve public safety, quality of life initiatives are bringing brighter lights…

1 week ago

Ride of Silence, Brownfields Cleanup, Solar in Schools, & More

Catch up on this week's sustainability news: New public orchard and gateway garden at Penn…

2 weeks ago