17 CA Cities Named Among Greenest In U.S.

CALIFORNIA — A lot of cities tout being environmentally friendly, but when it comes down to it, which ones actually make the cut? Taking into account factors like park space, the number of cars on the road and the amount of waste generated per person, career website Zippia recently released its ranking of greenest cities in the U.S.

Seventeen California cities were included on the list, and the highest-ranked city in the Golden State was San Diego, coming in 5 among 99 cities ranked by the website. To determine the most environmentally friendly cities, Zippia also ranked them on walkability and the average commute length.

Here’s how San Diego scored:

• Walkability: 51
• Tons Of Waste Per Person: 35
• Parkland Per 1,000 People: 34.9
• Average Commute: 23
• Car Ownership: 56.6

Here's how other California cities ranked:

Irvine, #15

• Walkability: 44
• Tons Of Waste Per Person: 35
• Parkland Per 1,000 People: data not available
• Average Commute: 24
• Car Ownership: data not available

Hayward, #23

• Walkability: 40
• Tons Of Waste Per Person: 17
• Parkland Per 1,000 People: data not available
• Average Commute: 24
• Car Ownership: data not available

Fremont, #30

• Walkability: 45
• Tons Of Waste Per Person: 35
• Parkland Per 1,000 People: data not available
• Average Commute: 35
• Car Ownership: data not available

San Francisco, #30

• Walkability: 87
• Tons Of Waste Per Person: 35
• Parkland Per 1,000 People: data not available
• Average Commute: 22
• Car Ownership: data not available

Bakersfield, #40

• Walkability: 34
• Tons Of Waste Per Person: 35
• Parkland Per 1,000 People: data not available
• Average Commute: 19
• Car Ownership: data not available

San Jose, #40

• Walkability: 49
• Tons Of Waste Per Person: 35
• Parkland Per 1,000 People: data not available
• Average Commute: 30
• Car Ownership: data not available

Anaheim, #52

• Walkability: 55
• Tons Of Waste Per Person: 35
• Parkland Per 1,000 People: data not available
• Average Commute: 22
• Car Ownership: data not available

Oakland, #59

• Walkability: 74
• Tons Of Waste Per Person: 35
• Parkland Per 1,000 People: data not available
• Average Commute: 28
• Car Ownership: data not available

Los Angeles, #64

• Walkability: 68
• Tons Of Waste Per Person: 35
• Parkland Per 1,000 People: data not available
• Average Commute: 19
• Car Ownership: data not available

Sacramento, #72

• Walkability: 45
• Tons Of Waste Per Person: 35
• Parkland Per 1,000 People: data not available
• Average Commute: 21
• Car Ownership: data not available

Riverside, #74

• Walkability: 42
• Tons Of Waste Per Person: 35
• Parkland Per 1,000 People: data not available
• Average Commute: 21
• Car Ownership: data not available

Santa Ana, #86

• Walkability: 66
• Tons Of Waste Per Person: 35
• Parkland Per 1,000 People: data not available
• Average Commute: 29
• Car Ownership: data not available

Chula Vista, #87

• Walkability: 43
• Tons Of Waste Per Person: 35
• Parkland Per 1,000 People: data not available
• Average Commute: 30
• Car Ownership: data not available

Fresno, #89

• Walkability: 45
• Tons Of Waste Per Person: 35
• Parkland Per 1,000 People: data not available
• Average Commute: 34
• Car Ownership: data not available

Long Beach, #89

• Walkability: 72
• Tons Of Waste Per Person: 35
• Parkland Per 1,000 People: data not available
• Average Commute: 29
• Car Ownership: data not available

Glendale, #96

• Walkability: 40
• Tons Of Waste Per Person: 35
• Parkland Per 1,000 People: data not available
• Average Commute: 29
• Car Ownership: data not available

Do you agree with the rankings? What could California do to make us more green? Sound off in the comments.

Cities were ranked equally among the five factors using data from Walk Score, the U.S. Census Bureau, Save On Energy and the Trust for Public Land. According to the rankings, St. Paul, Minnesota, is the most green city in the United States.

Here’s a look at the top 10 environmentally friendly cities:

1. St. Paul, Minnesota
2. Honolulu, Hawaii
3. St. Louis, Missouri
4. Madison, Wisconsin
5. San Diego, California
6. Scottsdale, Arizona
7. Anchorage, Alaska
8. Buffalo, New York
9. Orlando, Florida
10. St. Petersburg, Florida

While where you live certainly can influence your impact on the environment, many environmental choices come down to the individual, the study says.

How do you choose to live a greener life? Share your ideas in the comments.