The 5 greenest U.S. states — and the 5 least green
Between keeping the lights on and filling up with gas, energy costs can take a toll on household budgets.
The Department of Energy estimates that a typical American family spends about $5,000 each year on energy, when taking into account utilities, fuel, and oil. But small changes in efficiency can lead to big savings.
To see which states are leading in reducing consumption, WalletHub compared 48 states in two key areas: home energy efficiency and automobile energy efficiency. (Alaska and Hawaii were excluded due to data limitations.)
Analysts looked at residential energy use in relation to local weather conditions and transportation patterns such as average miles traveled and vehicle fuel efficiency.
“Energy efficiency not only helps save the planet, it also helps you save money by reducing the amount of electricity, gas, oil or other types of energy you need to consume,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “While you can take some steps to become more energy efficient on your own, living in the right neighborhood can give you a big boost.”
Keep reading to see which states are at the top and bottom of the list.
