Seattle, Washington

Aptly named “The Emerald City” for its year-round lush green scenery, Seattle has been recognized as a leader in urban sustainability and environmental initiatives in nearly every green city index. Washington's largest city, Seattle has a city population of 586,000 and a greater metropolitan population of 3.5 million. Set between the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges and adjacent to the Puget Sound in the Western quadrant of the state, Seattle is known for its picture-postcard natural beauty, outdoor recreational activities, and broad community support of sustainability efforts. Ubiquitous images of Mt. Rainier, salmon, and orcas reflect the city's strong identification with its natural surroundings. The city boasts numerous green spaces, recycling containers on nearly every street corner, plentiful biking and walking trails that enjoy year-round ...