[ad_1]
in Florida, 600 tons of dead fish piled up on the beaches. in the western USA, droughts contributed Forest fires causing air quality warnings thousands of miles away. Usually wet and temperate Britain, the first heat warning has been issued. Record rainfall in China deadly flood. Each of these events took place within a few days of the past week, and each was likely spurred by climate change.
One way to make a difference on a personal level is to abandon your fossil fuel-powered car. Transportation is responsible for about 29 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, which reports that just abandoning a car will save money roughly 4.6 metric tons The release of carbon dioxide into the environment every year.
Of course, in some places it is easier to go without a car than in others. A recent study by Grass Starter It compared the 150 largest U.S. cities to find the best (and worst) for living without a car. Results were based on measurements of walking, cycling, commuting, safety (e.g. pedestrian fatalities), and weather (some places are too cold or too hot to hoof).
Although San Francisco is 81st out of 150 cities for safety, it placed first, largely due to its mild climate and high transportation scores (and despite its challenging hills). In fact, West Coast cities got four of the top 10 spots, and their mild climates helped move the needle.
Shreveport, La., finished last in the group with the lowest safety score. Like many southern cities, it struggled to rank because of a humid climate and poor transportation systems unsuitable for walking or cycling. It wasn’t the hottest, though: Five Arizona cities – Scottsdale, Glendale, Chandler, Phoenix and Gilbert – tied all other cities for the number of days above 90 degrees Celsius. (San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, and Freemont tied for the fewest days over 90 degrees, along with California, Seattle.)
Washington, D.C. was recognized as having the best commute methods and time, helping it rise to third place. Portland, Ore. placed second, thanks to its reach score, which rewards cities for larger cyclist, walker and rideshare participants.
This week’s chart, based on LawnStarter’s work, shows the top and bottom 10 cities for car-free living.
Sign up here for weekly email updates on residential real estate news. Follow us on Twitter: @nytrealestate.
[ad_2]
Source link