Atlanta, Georgia – Waste management policies, pollution levels, and general environmental satisfaction vary significantly around the United States. While some areas value fresh air and clean parks, others have issues that compromise their quality of living. A recent study by LawnStarter highlights these disparities, ranking over 300 cities across the country to identify the “dirtiest cities in America.”
Georgia, with its Southern appeal and unspoiled beauty, was not free from examination. Out of all the cities in the Peach State, the study found seven that fit on the list; their evaluations ranged from quite clean to rather alarming compared to other places questioned.
Georgia’s rankings
Atlanta rated highest among Georgia’s participants, at No. 60, making it the “dirtiest” city in the state overall. Atlanta, a busy metropolitan center, has typical problems of big cities like waste management issues and air pollution from vehicle emissions.
Macon trailed at No. 97, clearly unhappy with the state of the local surroundings. Though their lower rankings reflect much better environmental circumstances than their counterparts higher on the list, cities including Athens (No. 221), Warner Robins (No. 222), Savannah (No. 234), Columbus (No. 235), and Augusta (No. 265) were also on the list.
How the rankings were determined
Cities were evaluated in the study on several criteria, including waste management, water quality, air pollution, and resident opinions of cleanliness. Researchers reduced the pool to 303 cities by removing sites missing enough information in important areas using data from more than 500 cities. Calculated as the average of scores across all assessed criteria, each city scored out of 100 points.
This thorough approach underlined the need of comprehensive environmental strategies by showing that even communities with somewhat low rankings, for Augusta, had opportunity for development in particular areas.
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National context
While Georgia had its share of rankings, it was far from leading the pack of the “dirtiest” cities. Top of the list of the dirtiest cities in the US was San Bernardino, California; Detroit, Michigan, and Reading, Pennsylvania followed. Top 10 cities list includes Newark, New Jersey, Phoenix, Arizona, and Houston, Texas as well.
Common problems include high population density, industrial activity, and inconsistent waste management procedures abound in many of these cities.
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Opportunities for improvement
This report offers local governments and citizens of Georgia’s ranking cities a chance to consider issues requiring action. These metropolitan regions might become much more livable if pollution is addressed, garbage disposal systems are improved, and community-driven clean-up projects are encouraged.
Environmental sustainability is a shared duty; while these rankings show present difficulties, they also provide a road map for communities to give green projects first priority and raise the quality of living for their citizens.
For the full list and more insights, visit LawnStarter’s website.
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