Trends in Sustainable Cities

A recent report by SustainLane ranked the top sustainable cities in the US.  Coming out in the top 5 were:

1. Portland
2. San Fransisco
3. Seattle
4. Chicago
5. New York

And coming out in the bottom five were:

1. Memphis
2. Las Vegas
3. Tulsa
4. Oklahoma City
5. Mesa

Now, at least a couple of the top five greenest cities shouldn’t come as any surprise to those of you who keep up with greener trends.  However, what I find fascinating is how UNAFFORDABLE these cities are.

The big trend in business today is adopting sustainable technologies and business practices, which will in turn translate to a better bottom line and more value for shareholders.  And to a large extent this is true.  I would also argue that this is the way it needs to be because to make any environmental goal sustainable it must be directed by the market.

So, what is so surprising is that the top 5 sustainable cities are also in the BOTTOM 20 of the top 50 affordable cities in America (San Fransisco is dead least)!

Now, there’s no doubt that cities will inevitably move towards becoming more sustainable, and this in and of itself will help make living more affordable in the long run (this could help lead to the next big boom in alternative energy).  However, as we progress towards that goal, cities must also take into account the shorter run costs associated with adopting green practices and balance them out.  Because, at the end of the day, no matter how much we may praise cities for going green, most people will still re-locate based on job and affordability factors.  Our cities must reflect this while becoming sustainable.

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