The Houston "Green Index" is determined by a smiley face system where three smiley faces is exceptional, two smiley faces is acceptable, and one smiley face is unacceptable. It encompasses thirteen environmental aspects, all ranked from one to three smiley faces, and gives a total score by averaging these scores.
Are existing trees protected and new ones planted throughout the city?
Yes. The Houston Area Urban Forestry Council has existed for over thirty years encouraging tree planting in the Greater Houston Area. They plant 20,000 to 30,000 trees per year. Even when Governor Greg Abbott condemned tree-planting initiatives in Texas, Houston rallied to ensure otherwise.
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Do you have parks to enjoy?
The city of Houston has a wide range of 17 beautiful and scenic parks that are maintained in order to make the advantages of parks felt by citizens of varying economic status. The Parks and Recreation Department of Houstonβs official mission reads: "To enhance the quality of urban life by providing safe, well-maintained parks and offering affordable programming for our communityβ. Houston works hard to make parklife an option for all of its people and this earns them three smileys!πππ
Can you swim in any nearby lakes and rivers?
There arenβt natural lakes or rivers in the bounds of the city of Houston, but there are spots between half an hour and two hours away. This includes Quintana Beach County Park, Twin Lakes, and Crystal Beach -- three different natural bodies of waters for the public to enjoy.
ππWhat is the quality of your water and air?
According to a ratings system reported by bestplaces.net, Houston air quality is 49 out of 100 while the average US air quality is 58. Houston water quality is 37/100 while the average US is 55. This is clearly poor and must be addressed.
πIs there an effective noise pollution reduction program?
In 2011, Houston City Council passed legislation stating that police could hand out tickets to individuals making excessive amounts of noise (within reason). There are sets parameters regarding acceptable noise decibel levels.
πππDoes your city have a recycling program, composting program, and/or hazardous waste collection program, with the goal of reducing the current solid waste output by at least 60%?
The city of Houston does have a recycling program. It accepts paper and other recyclable products, but in 2016, the government stopped accepting glass as a viable recycling option. The city has no official goal in reducing their waste output. The city also accepts compost. For some unique items like batteries, citizens are encouraged to dispose of them at a local drop off location.
ππIs there a mass transit system?
Houston has a government-run transportation system, the METRO, and traveling in Houston is very easy. Greyhound has a large role in servicing the Houston and Greater Houston areas. Amtrak also runs from city to city and stops at the Houston Station north of downtown. Getting to an airport or just across town is not difficult to do. The fact that the government doesnβt even have to pay for its citizens to travel for cheap is a bonus.
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Are there bicycle paths?
Houston does technically have bicycle paths, but citizens report difficulties going on bike rides as the bike lanes are not constants on long rides and force riders to make potentially dangerous routes in many situations. However, there are alternatives to biking in the street such as the Buffalo Bayou Hike and Bike Trail and the White Oak Bayou Greenway. Good bike paths may be difficult to find, but they exist!
πAre all buildings required to meet high energy-efficiency standards?
In 2014, Houstonβs city council passed legislation requiring new residential buildings to surpass environmental regulations under the International Energy Conservation Code of 2009 by 15%! Commercial buildings are forced to comply with a 2008 City of Houston Commercial Energy Conservation Code that is not as strict. While existing buildings are not subject, Houston wants to be practical by only forcing these regulations upon new buildings.
πππHow much of the energy is obtained from locally available renewable resources?
It is hard to measure, but legislation has been recently passed mandating that a fraction of energy must be renewable. Houston is in the process of adopting renewable energy but is not taking large steps at this time.Are environmental regulations for existing industry tough enough and enforced well enough to protect citizens?
Texas tries to regulate businesses to ensure the safety and well-being of its citizens. However, the Texas Supreme Court blocked an air quality ordinance in 2016 to protect businesses. Other than this, industry is fairly regulated to ensure public health.
Do local officials look carefully at an industryβs environmental record and plans before encouraging it to locate in your city?
While some businesses are regulated and are forced to stay within certain environmental boundaries, it is very rare for businesses to be denied acceptance into the city for questionable practices regarding the environment.
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Is ecological planning used to make land-use decisions?
There is little evidence that the environment plays a significant role in government land-use decisions.
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OFFICIAL GREEN INDEX RATING:
2.15 SMILEYS