How Does Maine’s Environmental Quality Compare to Other States?

Although Earth Day has already passed, the month of April is still recognized as Earth Month. That being the case, it's interesting to see how our Pine Tree State compares to others in terms of environmental initiatives.

The folks at WalletHub recently conducted a study comparing all 50 states in the U.S. using 25 relevant metrics across three key dimensions - environmental quality, eco-friendly behaviors, and climate-change contributions - to determine their respective rankings in terms of environmental sustainability. According to the study's findings, Maine emerged as one of the higher-ranking states in this regard, coming in at number 10 overall.

Maine scored particularly well in environmental quality, ranking fourth in the nation. This was based on metrics such as air quality, water quality, soil quality, and the presence of hazardous waste sites. In terms of eco-friendly behaviors, Maine ranked eighth. This was based on criteria such as the number of green buildings per capita, the number of farmers' markets per capita, and the number of bike-friendly communities. Finally, in terms of climate-change contributions, Maine ranked 24th overall. This was based on greenhouse gas emissions per capita, energy consumption per capita, and the number of electric vehicles per capita.

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Maine has one of the highest percentages of renewable energy consumption in the country, which is an important step toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change. Maine was tied for first place in terms of the percentage of renewable energy consumption, along with Washington, Oregon, South Dakota, and Iowa. Additionally, Maine has been working to increase the number of farmers' markets and promote local, sustainable agriculture, which not only supports the environment but also the local economy.

According to the study, Vermont is the greenest state in the U.S. The Green Mountain State obtained the second rank in environmental quality, the first rank in eco-friendly behaviors, and the 33rd rank in climate-change contributions. Following Vermont, the next four greenest states were New York, California, Hawaii, and Maryland.

In contrast, West Virginia was designated as the least green state in the U.S. The state was ranked 48th in environmental quality, 48th in eco-friendly behaviors, and 50th in climate-change contributions. The bottom five least green states were completed by Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Wyoming.

Taking a look at the other states in New England, Connecticut is placed 6th overall, 8th in environmental quality, 11th in eco-friendly actions, and 1st in climate-change contributions. Massachusetts, on the other hand, is ranked 7th overall, 6th in environmental quality, 15th in eco-friendly actions, and 6th in climate-change contributions. New Hampshire is positioned at 12th place overall, 10th in environmental quality, 34th in eco-friendly actions, and 5th in climate-change contributions. Finally, Rhode Island is ranked lowest in New England at 16th overall, 25th in environmental quality, 21st in eco-friendly actions, and 2nd in climate-change contributions. Come on, Rhode Island!

Overall, Maine's ranking in the WalletHub study highlights the importance of sustainable practices and eco-friendly behaviors in protecting the environment and promoting a more sustainable future both here at home, and nationwide.

WalletHub's full study can be found here.