City Sustainability Accomplishments

Honolulu Ranked #2 out of 50 by SustainLane   

SustainLane surveyed the largest 50 US cities in 2006 as to the percentage of their city vehicles fleets using alternative fuels including biodiesel, hydrogen, ethanol, compressed and natural gas, as well as electric vehicles, gas-hybrid vehicles. Slightly greater weighting was awarded for biodiesel, electric and gas-hybrid vehicles. Las Vegas led the nation with almost 63 percent of its vehicles using alternative fuels, including 450 vehicles using cleaner-burning B20 biodiesel (20%), in addition to using less-polluting compressed natural gas, electric hybrids and zero-polluting hydrogen vehicles.

Other cities ranking high in alternative fuel use included Honolulu; Kansas City, MO; Albuquerque; and Dallas. Denver, which ranked sixth in alternative fuel use with 31 percent of its fleet in that category, announced plans in 2006 to convert 100 percent of its city fleet to alternative fuel by the end of 2007.

For more information visit:
http://www.sustainlane.us/articles/Top_Ten_Alternative_Fueled_
City_Fleets.jsp

Honolulu #15 in top 50 Sustainable Cities   

People know Honolulu, of course, for its location, location, location. The ocean acts as a giant thermostat, warming and moisturizing Arctic winds over thousands of miles. By the time that air gets to Hawaii, it’s a balmy 78 degrees.

Though Honolulu’s population is smallish, at about 375,000, in a single month just as many tourists can pass through the city. Honolulu is also an important transit hub, with a lot of global freight and military traffic.

The need for sustainability can be especially acute for island cities because of their partial reliance on faraway supplies and processing. Honolulu has made strides toward sustainability, but could benefit greatly from further efforts._Honolulu is doing well compared to other US cities, and in certain areas it deserves praise and emulation. In terms of energy, transportation, and overall sustainability planning, however, Honolulu doesn’t distinguish itself from the pack. It has an opportunity to wrangle more energy from its breezy and sunlit clime. Almost 80 percent of the city’s energy comes from oil, and it has virtually no renewables in its total energy mix. Honolulu, already blessed with so much, could show us how to maximize nature’s gifts-and truly shine as a sustainability leader.

See the entire report online:
http://www.sustainlane.us/city_study_15Honolulu.jsp