Using different methodology, we evaluated the sustainability efforts of the different states. Looking at a range of factors, we narrowed it down to key metrics that covered waste management, renewable energy and carbon emissions. It was evident that some states are better than others when it comes to prioritizing sustainable advancements. Here, we’ve highlighted the top 10 most sustainable destinations in the US.
The Top 10 Most Sustainable States
| STATE | Total C02 emissions1 | Recycling Rate 2 | Renewable Energy Usage 3 |
| Colorado | 1.7% | 33% | 39% |
| California | 6.6% | 54% | 54% |
| Michigan | 3.0% | 40% | 12% |
| Virginia | 2.1% | 42% | 11% |
| Florida | 4.5% | 42% | 7% |
| North Carolina | 2.3% | 44% | 14% |
| Massachusetts | 1.1% | 52% | 22% |
| Utah | 1.2% | 37% | 20% |
| Georgia | 2.5% | 36% | 13% |
| Vermont | 0.1% | 62% | ~100% |
Vermont
From the lowest CO2 emissions per capita to nearly 100% of electricity sourced renewably, Vermont is becoming a leading state for sustainability. Located, aptly, in the Green Mountains, the state is largely powered by the hydroelectric dams around the state and from solar power. It is also ahead of many other states when it comes to waste with the second-lowest amount of waste per capita and a universal composting law.
Burlington is a stand-out city for sustainability, known for its ambitious renewable energy goals and a commitment to 100% renewable electricity. Another Vermont city, Montpelier, excels in green building practices and waste management. Vermont’s focus on environmental education and local food systems further underscores its dedication to long-term sustainable action.
California
California is a prominent leader in sustainability, with numerous sustainable state government operations and practices in place. The state promote energy efficient state building design and construction, environmentally preferably state purchasing, renewable energy generation and sustainable state-owned vehicles.
Within California, there are many standout cities working toward their own sustainability goals. For example, San Fransisco has an ambitious zero waste goal, one of the nation’s highest recycling rates and extensive composting programs. Los Angeles has made significant investments in solar and wind power and has seen a rise in electric vehicle uptake. Similarly, San Diego is known for its commitment to energy efficiency through the implementation of multiple green building practices and renewable energy projects.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts is frequently praised for its sustainable efforts across water usage, energy usage, solar energy adoption and greenhouse gas reduction.
These efforts are supported largely at an administrational level with various initiatives and policies in place to drive sustainability. For example, Massachusetts has the second-lowest water usage across all states – a statistic supported by government water conservation programs at no cost to homeowners. Thanks to The Massachusetts Water Resources (MWRA) Water Conservation and Efficiency program, residers are provided with water-efficient kits that include leak detection dye tables, faucet aerators, and low-flow shower heads.
When it comes to waste management, Massachusetts also has one of the highest recycling rates (55%). With nine Materials Recovery Facilities across the state, Massachusetts separates over 638,000 tons of plastic containers, paper, bottles and cans for sorting each year.
Colorado
Colorado, located in the Western region of the United States, is known for its impressive and diverse landscapes – from arid desert, to flowing rivers and the world-famous Rocky Mountains. With ample nature and national parks, it’s not really surprising that this state is also a green capital.
Stand out cities for sustainability in Colorado are Denver and Boulder – both of which have been celebrated for their sustainability achievements.
Denver is regularly celebrated for its ongoing sustainability initiatives and even has its own climate action task force. The Denver Climate Action Task Force has set ambitious goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing renewable energy, setting a standard for the wider city. Denver was also recognized back in 2020 by NatGeo as the 4th most sustainable destination in the world and more recently in 2023 by Architectural Digest as the Most Climate Resilient City.
Boulder has a strong reputation for sustainability. Winning the C40 Cities Award for Climate Action back in 2016, it has gone from strength to strength in promoting sustainability action. One of the first cities in the US to implement a carbon tax, and setting an example for other cities to follow, it also is home to many renewable energy and green building initiatives.
Florida
Despite its vulnerability to climate change impacts, Florida often scores highly when it comes to sustainability. Notably, they were ranked the fifth most sustainable state by Forbes and No.3 in the US for total solar power generating capacity.
The government in Florida has played a huge role when it comes to advancing sustainability. They have introduced multiple programs and incentives including grants for renewable energy projects and tax breaks for eco-friendly practices.
Miami is one of the leading cities for sustainability thanks to its plans for carbon neutrality by 2050, the Slow Food Miami movement promoting sustainable food growth and its wide-scale adoption of green commuting.
Orlando has also identified itself as an emerging sustainable city, especially when it comes to investment in renewable energy, promotion of sustainable community initiatives and adoption of eco-friendly practices.
North Carolina
When it comes to renewable energy, North Carolina is establishing itself as a leading state. Recently voted the #4 state for solar installed capacity, the state is also home to the largest wind farm in the Southeast.
North Carolina supports renewable energy and local food systems, underlying its growing commitment for sustainability, particularly in cities like Charlotte and Raleigh.
The city of Charlotte has an ongoing goal to become a low carbon city for all with ambitious goals for transport and various green building initiatives. Charlotte and Raleigh are both recipients of the Bloomberg Philanthropies program, offering financial support for sustainable developments in clean and energy-efficient infrastructure.
Virginia
Virginia is making waves in renewable energy with a specific state initiative, Virginia Energy, looking to promote clean energy usage across the state. This initiative has four main areas: nuclear, solar, wine and sustainable transportation.
Their commitment to sustainability is particularly evident in cities like Richmond and Arlington. Richmond is working toward a future of resilience, with healthy air, clean water, low emissions, and minimal waste production. Arlington County was named first Platinum level community in the world under the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED for Communities program and Arlington City was named a CDP 2022 Climate Action Leader with distinction.
Georgia
Georgia has been steadily increasing its dependency on and investment in renewable energy, increasing by more than 93% in the last decade.
Atlanta, notably, has a range of initiatives to drive sustainability in the city. Their Atlanta Better Buildings Challenge has helped environmentally sensitive areas to reduce energy use, repair water pipe leaks and reduce gasoline use. This, coupled with its sustainable transport options and its goal to achieve 100% clean energy by 2035, are helping raise its profile as a sustainable city. Atlanta has also been chosen as a Bloomberg American Sustainable City.
Michigan
Michigan is a trail-blazing state when it comes to climate resilience. With a host of natural resources, such as the Great Lakes, a reputation for innovation and hard work and resilience, and a low natural disaster susceptibility, the state is set up to become champions of resilience. The Michigan government are also supporting this transition with many policies designed to improve climate change resilience.
Within Michigan, you have states like Ann Arbor with their A2Zero Plan – their city-wide plans to become carbon neutral by 2030 through renewable energy and sustainable transportation. Detroit also has their own Office of Sustainability with their first sustainability plan working to reduce emissions, increase resilience and improve quality of life in the city.
Utah
Utah is one of the Mountain States, located in the South West. It is home to some of the nation’s most impressive National Parks, including Zion and Bryce Canyon. It has been recognised for its adoption of electric vehicles (9th most registered EVs in the US) and is known for being rich in natural resources.
While the state itself may have a way to go in becoming sustainable, Salt Lake City is a great example of a sustainable city. They are often recognised and awarded for their climate resilience and sustainability.
Their ambitious Climate Positive SLC Plan aims to reach 100% renewable energy for the city by 2032 and reduce GHG emissions by 80% by 2040. From sustainable urban planning to public transportation systems, the city is working to become more sustainable day by day. They were also one of the pioneers in solar energy having invested in solar energy for over a decade.
to conserve resources, reduce pollution, and slow climate change.
Methodology
To determine our State Sustainability Index, we looked at three key metrics: Total CO2 emissions, recycling rate, and renewable energy usage. The three metrics were ranked and weighted across all 50 states to calculate our Top 10 Most Sustainable States. We also assessed government-backed sustainability initiatives, state policies and past awards or accolades.
The data on total CO2 emissions was gathered from this source, an amalgamation of 2022 data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. With this data, we were able to get an idea of the total CO2 emissions as well as the amount of emissions per capita. We ultimately decided that the total CO2 emissions gave us a better metric by which to compare the states.
Our data on recycling rate came from O.Berk’s study on recycling and waste reduction across all 50 states. For our analysis, we used the statistic for Recycling Rate With all CCPM (Common Containers and Packaging Materials). We chose this as it is the most reflective state for the average recycling adoption in the state.
For the data on renewable energy usage, we referred to information from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. They offer key statistics per state which was helpful to us in compiling data and making our final decision for the most sustainable states.
