Fresno, CA

The environmental magazine Grist released a list of the world’s greenest cities. No, Fresno did not make the list. However, it is possible that Fresno could become one of the greenest cities in the world. Several solar projects are planned for the Fresno area, including an 80-megawatt solar plant in west Fresno County. The Fresno Yosemite International Airport will install a two-megawatt system, the largest of any airport in the U.S. California State University, Fresno is constructing a parking structure topped with solar panels, which will supply 20 percent of the university’s electricity.

Using solar energy is smart in an area where it is sunny and warm nine months of the year. Yet the cost of installing solar panels on your home will cost you anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000, according to Solar Developments, an online solar energy equipment supplier. The high cost makes it unaffordable for many Fresno homeowners and businesses. However, the possibility of Fresno becoming the “solar belt” might cause momentum to make solar panels affordable.

The planned solar projects stand in contrast to Fresno’s public transportation, which consists of bus system Fresno Area Express. Riders complain that buses do not run in the evening. A light rail system similar to the Bay Area’s BART is needed in Fresno. The Center for Air Quality and Transit Technology of Central California (CATTCC) conducted a ten-year study titled, “Study for a Fresno Transit System.” The study found that a CyberTran (an electric, lightweight rail passenger system) would be “most suitable for Central California’s transit needs.”

Fresno is the largest city in the San Joaquin Valley, a region considered to be one of the most polluted in the U.S. For Fresno to become green residents must unite and demand more from their local and state governments. As Abraham Lincoln famously declared, the government is “of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

The World’s Greenest Cities

1. Rekyjavik, Iceland
2. Portland, Oregon, U.S.
3. Curitiba, Brazil
4. Malmö, Sweden
5. Vancouver, Canada
6. Copenhagen, Denmark
7. London, England
8. San Francisco, California
9. Bahía de Caráquez, Ecuador
10. Sydney, Australia
11. Barcelona, Spain
12. Bogotá, Colombia
13. Bangkok, Thailand
14. Kampala, Uganda
15. Austin, Texas

Runners up:

Chicago, IL, U.S.
Freiburg, Germany
Seattle, WA, U.S.
Quebec City, Canada