35. Charlotte, NC

Charlotte is named after a British queen—ironic considering it was known as the “hornet’s nest of rebellion” during the Revolutionary War. The “Queen City’s” ranking remains virtually unchanged since 2006. If Charlotte could channel some of that revolutionary spirit toward sustainability, it could potentially reign supreme in the future. Air quality is an issue these North Carolinians wrestle with—they have frequent ozone non-attainment days. Locally, the city adopted greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals in 2007. But air quality issues may not be so easy for Charlotte to correct without multi-state cooperation, since its topography naturally traps pollution blown in from neighboring states. It may be getting some assistance soon, though. North Carolina has filed suit against the Tennessee Valley Authority to force it to reduce emissions from coal-fired plants. As one of the fastest growing regions in the nation (between 2000 and 2008, the city’s population grew 29 percent), Charlotte officials have turned their attention to smart growth. Up until five years ago, the trend was to build new subdivisions on the periphery of the city, but lately, growth has been channeled to downtown areas through redevelopment and infill, says Assistant City Manager Julie Burch.

(Photo by jbarreiros)