Exeter named 5th greenest UK city

New research reveals Exeter as the joint 5th greenest city in the UK.

The analysis, conducted by the sustainable toilet roll subscription service Oceans, ranked UK cities based on how eco-friendly they were.

The researchers analysed various factors, including the number of EV charging stations, littering reports per 100,000 residents, the average distance to the nearest park, the percentage of annual waste recycled, and the average monthly internet searches for key terms related to eco-living.

Each location was then given an overall index score:

1. Bristol = 35
2. Sheffield = 36
3. Cheltenham and Birmingham = 37
4. Milton Keynes and Solihull = 38
5. Exeter, Cambridge, and Reading = 39
6. Oxford, London, and Coventry = 40
7. Manchester and Leeds = 41
8. Liverpool =42
9. Brighton, Glasgow, and Edinburgh = 43
10. Lincoln and Swansea = 44

Exeter scored particularly well on the average distance to the nearest park.

Oceans officially launched in 2020, in the middle of the global pandemic, after deciding that it was the perfect time for people to start shopping from home and make greener life choices.

They support the Marine Conservation Society, a UK charity fighting for a cleaner, better protected, healthier ocean.

Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson for Oceans said: “This study has certainly shown us that no particular region of the UK is better than any other, with the top 10 containing cities from every corner of the country.

“It has become clear that all UK cities have room for improvement in one area or another, whether installing more EV charging points to keep up with demand or implementing more recycling initiatives to increase the amount of waste being sustainably reused.

“We hope this study will highlight the particular areas where cities need to improve and spark action to address these shortfalls in eco-friendly infrastructure.”

You can view the full findings here.