40. Nashville, TN

A city known for its rhythm is on its way to mastering the tempo of sustainability. Nashville’s mayor, Karl Dean, recently signed an executive order creating a committee to oversee Nashville’s environmental programs and help bring the city up to snuff when it comes to environmental planning. A breath of fresh air into the city’s formerly lackluster sustainability plan, the order also calls for the appointment of a sustainability manager, reductions in city energy consumption, and recommendations for new air and water quality standards. The new committee might also mean more aggressive tree planting and curbside recycling programs. Looks like the city took a page from the book of Mr. Inconvenient Truth himself, Al Gore, who recently installed solar panels, a rainwater collection system, and geothermal heating on his Nashville mansion to fetch a LEED Gold rating. We’re excited to hear the green movement’s crescendo in “Music City, USA.”