Forbes: CA the 14th Greenest State

This week’s edition of Forbes magazine featured a profile of the “greenness” of all 50 states, ranking them from the most enviro-friendly to the least. Forbes seems surprised that California wasn’t ranked closer to the top given the state’s well-chronicled environmental policies.

Here’s what Forbes had to say about the Golden State:

CaliforniaNo. 14

Score: 37.1 out of 50
Despite the fact that California
routinely sets the bar for environmental policies, it takes a hit in our air and
water quality rankings. At least five of its metropolitan areas, including Los
Angeles, Bakersfield and Fresno–appear on the American Lung Association’s 2007
list of cities with the worst long-term smog and ozone pollution. And 69% of its
major water facilities exceeded their Clean Water Act permit limits at least
once in 2005, according to the watchdog group U.S. PIRG. That’s the 10th worst
percentage in the country.

For a listing of where every state ranks, click here.