Governor Jim Douglas was recently named one of the nation s top ten Greenest Governors by Greenopia, an online directory of eco-friendly retailers, services, and organizations. The Governor was recognized on the site for undertaking several programs to make Vermont greener. These include the Clean and Clear Water Action Plan, Biofuel initiatives, and programs aimed at making the state government greener. Vermont also has tax incentives in place to help consumers and businesses go green. Greenopia goes on to report that, Vermont has always been on the forefront of environmental legislation and its Governor, Jim Douglas is no exception.
It s an honor receive this recognition, said Governor Douglas. As the greenest state in the country, Vermont is leading the nation when it comes to setting environmental standards. I believe it is important that we do all we can to keep the Green Mountains green.
Greenopia conducts extensive research on companies and products listed in their directory. The Greenest Governors project is an effort to further their mission of informing consumers (and voters) on issues of eco-friendly importance by revealing which state governments are most dedicated to preserving the environment. States and governors play an important role in advancing good environmental policies and initiatives and Vermont is doing its part. From providing incentives for environmentally friendly businesses to efforts to protect air and water quality, Vermont has taken a comprehensive approach to environmental protection.
As Governor, I will continue to do all I can to advance our efforts to clean up impaired waterways, reduce our carbon footprint with tough automobile emissions standards and encourage green jobs in our state, the Governor continued.
We looked at all 50 governors in the US and compared their policies, transparency, and interest group ratings and ranked them. It was a monumental task," said Doug Mazeffa, Greenopia's director of research. "People want to know which Governors are the eco-leaders or laggards, and especially identify those making repeated eco-gaffes.
Source: Governor's office
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