Vegas 47th of 50 in urban sustainability ranking

Monday, Sept. 22, 2008 | 12:56 p.m.

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SustainLane Media ranking

Las Vegas took the No. 47 spot among the nation's 50 largest cities in a ranking released today on urban sustainability. The city fell from the 27th spot in last year's ranking.

SustainLane Media bases its ranking on 16 economic, environmental and "green" categories, factoring in a city's ability to maintain healthy air, drinking water, parks and public transportation systems, among other qualities.

The Top 3 cities on the list were Portland, Ore., San Francisco and Seattle. At the bottom, the only three cities below Las Vegas were Tulsa, Okla., Oklahoma City and Mesa, Ariz.

The ranking found several trends in cities that rank high, such as increased bicycling, revitalization of downtowns, increased train use, mainstreaming the "green" movement, alternate energy usage and high numbers of neighborhood community groups.

Despite Las Vegas' low ranking, SustainLane Media wrote that the city is making improvements.

"In a unique strategy to curb consumption, the (Southern Nevada Water Authority) pays residents $1.50 for every square foot of lawn converted to drought tolerant landscaping," the organization wrote on its Web site. "The program has been a success; $80 million dollars has been paid out to participants, saving an estimated 20 billion gallons of water a year."

SustainLane began releasing the ranking in 2005.

Discussion: 5 comments so far…

By chengold

9/22/08 at 11:15 p.m.

Suggest removal

I checked their ranking system and discovered 4 inconstancies in the ranking of Las Vegas on your just released urban sustainability; air quality #45 verses #48, local foods and agriculture #11 verses #45 (a big one), housing affordability #35 verses #45 and water quality #45 verses #42.
Maybe you should check it before publish in the paper. I have already notified SustainLane Media about the inconsistencies.
By Educational_Progress

9/23/08 at 7:48 a.m.

Suggest removal

We have some work to do. 49th -----> 1st
By PatriciaLV

9/24/08 at 7:46 a.m.

Suggest removal

chengold, on the "Local Food/Agriculture" list Las Vegas ranks #45, not #11.

I guess I'm not seeing what you're seeing. Can you be a little more specific? Thanks.
By James_Campiglia

9/24/08 at 9:17 a.m.

Suggest removal

Let's see, no jobs or low paying jobs, illegal aliens all over the place. !20 degree heat and Summers that last four months. Water that tastes like a swimming pool, which we are running out of, high crime rates, worthless houses, people addicted to gambling, drinking, smoking. Twice the national average suicide rates.

No surprise we are at the bottom of the list !

James, Casino Chip expert & author...
By KDR81

9/24/08 at 9:50 a.m.

Suggest removal

I have a feeling that being at the top of the list really isn't that good of a thing. Probably high taxes and a very high cost of living.

Portland is a joke of a city anyway. That city's name should be Cronyland. All they managed to do was figure out a way to give billions of dollars to engineers and construction companies with something called "Light" rail.