Forbes magazine has selected Vermont as the greenest state in the United States, beating out the wide-open expanses of Pacific and Western states due to those states’ increased carbon footprints. The top three on the list were Vermont, Oregon and Washington, all of which reported low CO₂ emissions per capita and strong energy-saving policies. Air pollution reports in their major metropolitan areas revealed low smog and ozone pollutants. Also, these states recorded high numbers of buildings that had received the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Two surprises on the list were New Jersey, at number seven, and the environmentalist hotbed of California, which didn’t crack the top 10. New Jersey did not stand out in any one category but scored well in all of the categories. Conversely, California had at least five metropolitan areas on the American Lung Association’s 2007 list of cities with the worst long-term smog and ozone pollution. Also, 69 percent of the state’s major water facilities exceeded their Clean Water Act permits at least once in 2005, which was the 10th worst percentage in the country.

At the bottom of the list was Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Indiana and, at No. 50, West Virginia. All suffered from a mix of toxic waste, lots of pollution and consumption with no clear plans to do anything to make improvements.