Oakland is the greenest city in America, boasting the second-lowest greenhouse gas emissions and the best air quality in the country. In addition to not polluting the air, Oakland also has one of the lowest light pollution levels in the country, allowing residents to better see the night sky.
Oakland is also a great city for going outside and experiencing green spaces, due to the fact that over 12% of the city is designated as parkland, the 30th-highest percentage among the 100 cities in our study. Oakland also has a bike sharing program, along with the 20th-most bicycle lanes and paths per capita, making it easy to travel without burning gas and to get in some extra exercise.