America's Least Wasteful Cities

Naglene, manufacturer of a variety of BPA-free reusable containers, has created an intriguing website rating major American cities on their wastefulness. Check it out: www.leastwastefulcities.com. Not surprisingly, San Francisco takes home the prize, however I was interested to learn that New York City came in 3rd. This would be even more encouraging, had they not ranked 2nd in 2009 which either indicates an uptrend in wastefulness of New York City residents or simply that Seattle stepped it up big time. See the stats on NYC here. Either way, it sounds like my hometown of 14 years is leading the way in sustainable practices, being a part of the solution, as effectively as an uber-metropolis with millions of people in a few square miles can.

Here's the real kicker, you can take a personal wastefulness test by answering a few simple questions and see how you rank among others in the nation. I surprisingly ranked LOWER than the national average in my reuse and recycling practices. What?!? My guess is that the country's most active and eco-conscious are those that are going to the website and taking the test, therefore the millions of average households aren't even accounted for. Phew - I feel better. Sort of.