A BREATH OF FRESH N.Y. AIR
Post Wire Services
June 3, 2007 -- Breathe easier, New Yorkers - residents of the Empire State have smaller carbon footprints than those of people in 45 other states, a study shows.
The state ranks 46th in the amount of greenhouse gases generated per person, an Associated Press analysis of government data found.
The main reason? Mass transit.
Surprisingly, states with sparse populations and wide expanses have the highest per-capita pollution rates, in part because of an over-reliance on cars, trucks and airplanes.
Wyoming tops the list of worst per-capita carbon emissions, followed by North Dakota and Alaska.
And the state with the total worst carbon emissions is Texas - which spews more greenhouse gas than the next two on the list, California and Pennsylvania, combined.