New study names 3 Texas cities among the least sustainable in the U.S.

At least three Texas communities aren't doing their part to create a more sustainable world, according to a new study analyzing U.S. cities' carbon emissions and energy usage.

The analysis, conducted by lawn-care company LawnStarter, ranked Mesquite (No. 200), Pasadena (No. 199) and Grand Prairie (No. 198) at the bottom of a list comparing the 200 largest U.S. cities. Mesquite and Grand Prairie are near Dallas, while Pasadena is in the Houston area.

The study determined its rankings by looking at 26 metrics, which include each city's number of zero-energy buildings, number of alternative fuel stations and greenhouse-gas emissions, among others.

While San Antonio's ranking at No. 64 puts it above the middle of the list, the fossil fuel-friendly Lone Star State didn't do well as a whole in the analysis.

According to the numbers, Houston (No. 83) produces more emissions than any Texas city. Meanwhile, San Antonio, Dallas (No. 85), Fort Worth (No. 157) and Austin (No. 23) have some of the highest annual levels of excess fuel consumption per car commuter. Those same cities also scored poorly on levels of landfill waste per capita.
 

Bringing home the gold star in the study is No. 1-ranked San Francisco, which offers the best access to alternative-fuel stations — nearly 11 per square mile — as well as the most bike-friendly footprint.

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