SustainLane 2006 US City Sustainability Ranking

Tucson: Becoming Sustainable in the Sun Belt

More people keep coming to Tucson either as new residents, tourists, or students at the University of Arizona. If you decide to become one of those newcomers, you'll find that Tucson, though still affordable, offers a high quality of life. You'll get sunny skies practically 365 days a year, a vibrant arts community, and nearby wilderness recreational activities including hiking, biking, rock climbing, and skiing on Mt. Lemmon. However, the city's burgeoning population has formed a tenuous relationship with the desert's fragile ecosystem, as is symbolized by the diminishing Santa Cruz River.

Tucson has many innovative projects in the pipeline or already up and running, including a "one-stop shop" landfill program that incorporates diverse options for recycling, waste disposal, and an education facility.

Tucson is ahead of many other Sun Belt cities because it has recognized the necessity for sustainability planning in its future road map. A new city manager and an active city council have placed sustainability at the forefront of their agenda, giving the office of environmental affairs more authority and funding.

This hasn't stemmed car-dependent development, but city incentives to limit sprawl and get people out of their cars are a good first step. Waste diversion, at 14 percent, is quite low compared to that of other cities, but the one-stop-shop landfill could improve that rate through public awareness and ease of use. Finally, in a city where solar is such a viable alternative, the existing rate of only 1 percent alternative energy use is low, though the city is working with solar-energy groups to increase the use of solar power.