There are a number of sites for finding out how your community stacks up on a variety of environmental factors. Today I discovered Scorecard, which gives in-depth reports on toxics, water quality, air quality, and environmental justice in any zip code you choose. It also provides a sliding scale showing where your community falls relative to other communities in the nation. Mine is pretty bad by most measures, which is depressing.
Another good site is SustainLane Government, which provides a yearly scorecard for major cities based on factors such as public transportation, green building, and planning. Again, my city ranks near the bottom.
Finally, if your interest is in water quality specifically, EPA’s Surf Your Watershed provides a wealth of information, not only on the status of water quality but also about organizations you can get involved with to help monitor water quality and to help with cleanups and advocacy.
