From John Fleck in the Albuquerque Journal - we hear confirmation that Albuquerque green claims are full of hot air. Anti-Marty coverage seems like something different for the Journal. Something good. Something illuminating. Like excellent Flecks of light in the darkening newsprint night.
Critics of sprawl's effect on greenhouse gas emissions point out that as Albuquerque has spread over the last two decades, the average driver has spent more time behind the wheel. According to the Mid-Region Council of Governments, average per capita miles driven in the greater Albuquerque area have risen 10 percent since 1990.
Chávez bristled at the criticism. "If they say 'greenwash,' I would say 'hogwash,' '' he said. He pointed to developments like the Mesa del Sol community planned for a large empty tract of land south of Albuquerque's airport, which he said will be an environmentally sensible project.
He can only point to something that; A) doesn't exist yet, and B) he's not responsible for.
The new Organic Gardening (Feb-March 2008) lists America's Greenest Cities. "These urban areas are working to make their neighborhoods (and the planet) healthier and more sustainable."
Nope. Not on there. Denver and Salt Lake are.
How do you compare one city's "greenness" with another's? We decided to rank our 50 biggest cities, along with the largest city in each state (if that state wasn't already represented). We gathered data for each city from Earthday Network's Urban Environmental Report,* SustainLane 2006 US City Ranking, the Standard Rate and Data Service, and other public data sources in these categories:
Air quality
Water quality
Green space
Number of U.S. Green Building Council rated buildings
Percentages of residents who walk, bicycle, and/or use public transit as their primary mode of transportation
Percentages of households with flower and/or vegetable gardens
Percentage of population that eats natural foods
Availability of locally grown food
Municipal government's climate change policy
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