KXAN Weather: How green of a state is Texas

MIDLAND, TX – FEBRUARY 05: An oil drill is viewed near a construction site for homes and office buildings on February 5, 2015 in Midland, Texas (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

by: Rich Segal

Posted: Oct 17, 2023 / 05:10 PM CDT

Updated: Oct 17, 2023 / 05:27 PM CDT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — There seems to be a ranking or a list of where states stand in various subjects. Texas is usually at the top of many of these lists. However, Texas recently came up short when it comes to being green, according to a study.

The group revealed which states are the most and the least environmentally friendly.

What they did was take several factors into account. They looked at the quantity and the different types of emissions and fossil fuels the state produces.

*Some of the subjects going into the study*

On the other hand, there were other elements that had nothing to do with non-green sources. Residents access to nature, water, and air quality came into play along with if a state uses eco-friendly transportation and energy usage.

Different point values were assigned to each category.

The good news is that Texas did not finish last as the least environmentally friendly state. That distinction belongs to Mississippi. The Magnolia State’s score was 33.7 out of a possible 100.

But Texas could not escape the bottom 10, finishing ninth, ahead of Louisiana, New Mexico, Alabama, North Dakota, West Virginia, Oklahoma and Alaska.

The state scored 40.7 out of 100. The Lone Star State ranks eighth highest in the fossil fuel category with 17,250 thousand short tons. A short ton is an imperial unit of mass and is equal to 2,000 pounds.

The study showed that Texas has the highest CO2 emissions in all of the United States, releasing 624,000,000 tons yearly. It breaks down to 5.93 of CO2 generated per person each year. These numbers, when combined, placed Texas with the eighth lowest air quality, scoring 37 out of 100.

Texas scored high with 2,543 square miles of state and national park coverage. That placed sixth of the 50 states. It also ranked near the middle in air quality and water quality.

Our state also did well with the number of electric vehicles, finishing third with over 80,000 on the roads. California and Florida were first and second.

This study used as many as 13 different sources in determining these scores.