Grist Environmental News and Commentary recently published their list of 15 Green Cities.

These metropolises aren't literally the greenest places on earth -- they're not necessarily dense with foliage, for one, and some still have a long way to go down the path to sustainability. But all of the cities on this list deserve recognition for making impressive strides toward eco-friendliness, helping their many millions of residents live better, greener lives.

And coming in at number 2, behind Reykjavik, Iceland, is Portland, Oregon, USA:

Portland, Oregon, U.S.
The City of Roses' approach to urban planning and outdoor spaces has often earned it a spot on lists of the greenest places to live. Portland is the first U.S. city to enact a comprehensive plan to reduce CO2 emissions and has aggressively pushed green building initiatives. It also runs a comprehensive system of light rail, buses, and bike lanes to help keep cars off the roads, and it boasts 92,000 acres of green space and more than 74 miles of hiking, running, and biking trails.

The other 13 are Curitiba, Brazil; Malmo, Sweden; Vancouver, Canada; Copenhagen, Denmark; London, England; San Francisco, California US; Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador; Sydney, Australia; Barcelona, Spain; Bogota, Colombia; Bangkok, Thailand; Kampala, Uganda; and, Austin, Texas, US.