A report release by NerdWallet has ranked Orlando as a great place to live if you desire an environmentally sensitive lifestyle. The consumer advocacy website based their analysis of the nation’s 150 largest cities on following criteria:
Median air quality index
Percentage of workers who carpool, bike, walk or use public transit to commute to work
Percentage of occupied buildings with 10 or more residents
Residential buildings with a primary heat source of solar per 10,000 buildings, moving more homes off the grid.
Residential buildings with a primary heat source of coal or wood per 10,000 buildings, which pollutes the environment.
This is the list of the top 10 greenest cities in America:
Honolulu, Hawaii
Washington, D.C.
Arlington, Va.
San Francisco
Miami
New York City
Boston
Orlando
Seattle
Jersey City, N.J.
Orlando’s recent addition of commuter trains and downtown bike share programs continue to contribute to our Green initiatives.
Here is a link to the article by Megan Ribbens on the Orlando Business journal: http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/morning_call/2015/04/orlando-among-10-greenest-cities-in-the-u-s.html?ana=e_orl_rdup&s=newsletter&ed=2015-04-15&u=dymwEYfzIcmIVE0o96saXQ0923d260&t=1429108906
And a link to the detailed report on the NerdWallet website: http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/cities/americas-greenest-cities-2015/
In related news, a local developer is planning an “Agri-Hood” a mixed use development near UCF with 2,900 homes planned around a 9 acre working farm, 11 acres of community gardens, as well as equestrian center ponds, bike and foot paths. Here is a link to the article by Anjali Fluker in the Orlando Business Journal: http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/blog/2015/04/exclusive-new-2-900-home-agrihood-planned-near-ucf.html?ana=e_orl_bn_exclusive&u=dymwEYfzIcmIVE0o96saXQ0923d260&t=1429116221