Greenest States in the U.S.? CT Ranks #8

With Earth Day still reverberating, a new ranking of the nation’s Greenest States puts Connecticut in the top 10, at number eight.  In an analysis of climate change contributions, eco-friendly behaviors and environmental quality in the 50 states, the financial services website WalletHub evaluated those dimensions using 25 relevant metrics to determine the states with the strongest performance “that speak to the current health of the environment and residents’ environmental-friendliness.”

Assessing the “greenness” of Connecticut, the analysis found that Connecticut ranked:

•             27th – Air Quality

•             26th – Soil Quality

•             14th – Water Quality

•             26th – LEED-Certified Buildings per Capita

•             5th – Energy Consumption per Capita

•             14th – Gasoline Consumption (in Gallons) per Capita

The top 11 states were Vermont, New York, Hawaii, Maryland, California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Connecticut, South Dakota, Maine and New Hampshire.

“States and localities are key to solving many of our environmental problems, including global climate change. States already deserve credit for the rapid gain in solar-energy use in the U.S.,” said William Becker, Executive Director of the Presidential Climate Action Project.

The website ConnecticutHistory.org points out that “Connecticut’s natural environment—from its flora and fauna to its waterways, soil, and geological formations—has played a vital, if not always appreciated, role in state history.”