America's Best and Worst States for a Green Commute

If you’re like the vast majority of Americans, you probably still head off to work every morning in your own car by yourself. But in certain states, commuters are finding greener ways to get to the office, according to Mashable.com. 

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Whether it’s walking, biking, taking public transit, carpooling or simply working from home, leaving your car in the garage can help reduce carbon emissions and protect the environment.

The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2013 American Community Survey reveals which states are getting it right – and which ones have room for improvement.

At the top of the list? Washington D.C.

We know, D.C. isn’t technically a state, but the federal district still gets brownie points for having the greenest commuters in the country. Over half of the city’s commuters (58 percent!) find alternate ways to get to work, Mashable.com reports. New York State comes in second, with 48 percent of its residents using public transportation, walking, biking or carpooling. Both places get a hefty boost from a great public transit network. 

There were a few surprises in the top 10 best commuter states: Hawaii and Alaska both get the highest marks for carpooling at 13 and 12 percent respectively, and at least 15 percent of commuters reported walking to work Alaska, more than any other state in the top 10. 

Wrong. 

Seven of the 10 states that ended up at the bottom of our list are in the balmy south, and all 10 took a major hit for the lack of workers using public transportation. A shocking number of states, including Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi, reported that less than one percent of their residents used subways or public transit. 

Check out the chart below to see how your state ranks:

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