๐ช๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ?
ย Aโค๏ธ427-word๐งกunder๐2-minute๐read.
Each year WalletHub publishes a โGreenest Statesโ in America study. For some reason they include me on a pre-publication distribution list. Perhaps they believe people actually read my musing.
WalletHub evaluates things like air and water quality, energy efficiency, renewable energy installations and consumption, and emissions per capita. In all, there are 28 criteria.
The embargo was lifted this morning so here are some of the findings:
I should note that WalletHub isnโt keen on year-over-year comparisons partly because the methodology has evolved over the years. However, the changes havenโt appreciably impacted most stateโs position which indicates that they werenโt material.
The overall average state score has changed little since 2023. It peaked at 57.8 in 2024, dipped to 54.9 last year, and rebounded this year to 56.1.
The average score for the top 5 states also peaked in 2023 at 76.5, rebounding slightly this year to 73.4 from 71.7 in 2025.
Over the last two years, the average score of the bottom states has improved a bit from its 2023 low of 31.2 to 32.9 this year.
What does this tell us?
That according to WalletHubโs assessment, not much progress has been made since 2023.
๐ฆ๐ผ, ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฝ ๐ฑ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐?
โถ #5 - Washington jumped four spots from last year.
โถ #4 - New York dropped a spot.
โถ #3 - California vaulted four spots to return to the top five. The Golden State had some of the lowest overall energy consumption, and thanks to the countryโs highest EV adoption - and $5/gallon gas - it also had the fifth lowest per capita gas consumption. ย
โถ #2 โ Hawaii keeps its spot at #2. One reason: according to the United Health Foundation, it has the second-least air pollution. I think it helps to be a tropical island. The state also boasted the eighth-lowest overall energy consumption per capita and the second lowest gas consumption.
โถ #1 - Vermont has held the top spot three of the last four years. Hereโs a shock: part of the reason is because Vermont has the most organic-farm acreage per capita. That is so Vermont.
The Green Mountain State also enjoys the lowest CO2 emission per capital, and the third lowest methane emissions per capita. I suspect it helps to have no heavy industry. Vermontโs top industries include aerospace, semiconductors, and food and beverage manufacturing, along with high-value agriculture, healthcare and tourism.
In other words, most states arenโt in a position to emulate Vermontโs โgreenestโ model.
Tomorrow weโll look at the five least green states.
#wallethub #greeneststate #environment #climatechangeisreal #globalwarming