The Energy Capital of the World may soon be re-dubbed the world’s renewable energy capital. If Houston’s environmental communications manager, Jedediah Greenfield, is right, then over the next several decades, the city whose name has long conjured up images of Texas oil fatcats will become a world leader in energy efficiency and conservation. As of July 2008, Houston was the country’s leading municipal purchaser of green power, with about a quarter of its energy supplied by wind. In its quest for sustainability, the city comes up against a bigger-is-better culture, where anything goes; it’s notoriously lacking in any sort of zoning code, which means houses, shops, and factories go up wherever it’s most convenient to build them. City officials are making progress helping people get around the sprawling city, which should help several index ratings on our charts. Increased public transit ridership due to rising gas prices has meant the addition of bus lines, and serious consideration of a proposal to expand light rail. Houston is also taking steps to green its buildings, with a dozen city buildings now pursuing LEED certification. Land use planning, recycling, and local food and agriculture remain major areas of opportunity for Houston.
(Photo by Whisper to Me)
City of Houston:
Mayor: Bill White
Director of Environmental Programming: Karl Pepple
Office of Environmental Programming: Green Houston
City Homepage: http://www.houstontx.gov/
During their tour of Texas, Dan Bryant and Michael Garfield brought new meaning to the old adage, “The journey is more important than the destination.” Their road trip snaked through Houston, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, and back. Their goal: to complete the 844-mile trip on a single 12.3 gallon tank. Their car of choice was the Toyota Prius.more »
Submitted by Bob Randall, Ph.D.
Houston's climate is humid year-round and hot most of the year. For 12 months a year, plants and creatures grow and reproduce abundantly in this semi-tropical plant paradise. Or at least they do if not buried in an endless expanse of concrete, asphalt and buildings. Though the Southeast Texas prairie has been largely paved over, heat and rainfall together with the huge Texas expanse, means that there is still a great deal of plant and wildlife here.more »
Submitted by Melissa Rothrock
I am extremely concerned with the current status of Houston. From observing other cities, it seems that Houston is the most polluted and least eco-minded city in the United States.more »
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Scientist K.
No change --at all-- since this article was written. (Additional evidence: the recycleinhouston.com link is broken) Early 2010, and the closest place to Katy to recycle glass is... more »
Connie F.
BCS has been asked to identify an Application Developer within the EH&S application area for one of our clients. more »
Looking for an Outside Sales Representative to promote and sell Lifeline Energy's solar products, services, and components to business and residential customers throughout the San Antonio area. more »
Is there any link between political affiliation and sustainability policy? We ran the numbers!
Wait a second. Ethanol is the answer. I've said it on the show before. It's corn plus magic equals gasoline. Ok? I've seen the commercials. I can get a big Suburban and it's got the flex fuel label on the back and I can just put a can of creamed corn in the tank and I am jaked. That's what I understand. —Stephen Colbert
US City Rankings, next edition!
