Grist: NYC is Not One of the World’s Greenest Cities
Grist recently produced a list of the world's 15 greenest cities. Streetsblog favorites Copenhagen, Curitiba, London, and Bogotá all made the grade. StreetFilms' posterchild Portland captured the number two spot right behind geothermal-powered Reykjavik, Iceland. San Francisco and Austin were the only other U.S. cities to make the list with Chicago meriting runner-up status.
11:34 AM EDT on August 3, 2007
Grist recently produced a list of the world’s 15 greenest cities. Streetsblog favorites Copenhagen, Curitiba, London, and Bogotá all made the grade. StreetFilms’ posterchild Portland captured the number two spot right behind geothermal-powered Reykjavik, Iceland. San Francisco and Austin were the only other U.S. cities to make the list with Chicago meriting runner-up status.
One notable omission: New York City.
What do you think about that? As much as I gripe about how much better New York City could be doing — that’s pretty much my day job — I still think there’s a very strong case to be made for New York as the greenest city in America.
Aaron Naparstek is the founder and former editor-in-chief of Streetsblog. Based in Brooklyn, New York, Naparstek's journalism, advocacy and community organizing work has been instrumental in growing the bicycle network, removing motor vehicles from parks, and developing new public plazas, car-free streets and life-saving traffic-calming measures across all five boroughs. He was also one of the original cast members of the "War on Cars" podcast. You can find more of his work on his website.
Read More:
More from Streetsblog USA
The Races Transportation Reformers Are Watching This Midterms
What will the midterms mean for US mobility? Here are a few key races advocates are watching.
November 3, 2026
Can NYC Bus Riders Form A Voting Bloc? We’re About To Find Out
Transit advocates have a new plan to turn bus riders into a political force.
November 3, 2026
Tuesday’s Headlines Vote Early and Vote Often
From the federal level to local referendums, this will be a pivotal election for transit and safety.
November 3, 2026
Would Ending Seasonal Clock Changes Make Streets Safer for People Outside Cars?
Saturday night Halloween celebrations and a seasonal time change converged this year to create what some fear were uniquely dangerous conditions on US roads. But would ditching the clock change really have saved pedestrian and cyclist lives?
November 2, 2026
Opinion: Robotaxis Need Clear Rules — Even in ‘Exceptional’ Situations
Maybe a robotaxi is safer than a human driver on an "average" road under "normal" conditions — but what will it do when things get unruly?
November 2, 2026
