Corvallis was selected as The Best Green Place in the nation by a popular magazine which conducted a nationwide study.

The study, administered by Country Home Magazine in conjunction with Sperling’s BestPlaces, examined 24 factors in five major categories, including mass transit use, green power policies, biofuel and wind power availability, number of green-certified buildings, farmers markets, organic producers, and air and watershed quality - to determine which metro areas are the best places to live a green life.

After all the points were tallied, Corvallis, Oregon came out on top.

The Portland Metro area also made the top 10, along with Bend, Eugene and Springfield.

The report will be featured in the April green issue of Country Home, which will reach newsstands March 18th, in the annual green issue.

Researchers said green power also played a key role in the city’s inclusion on Country Home’s list. In 2007, Corvallis received utility provider Pacific Power’s certificate of environmental stewardship. The city purchases 15 percent of its power from renewable sources, and in 2006, the city was named a Green Power Community by the EPA.

 More: Going Green

“All across the country people are looking for ways to live greener,” said Country Home Editor-in-Chief LuAnn Brandsen. “Our green places study details a reflection of American cities’ commitment to changing the way we live.”

Sperling's BestPlaces ranked the 379 major metropolitan areas, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. These metro areas are home to over 80 percent of all U.S. residents.

Data was collected from sources which include the Census Bureau, the U.S. Green Building Council, Department of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the GreenPeople.org online directory.

Here is the complete list of the top 25:

2008 Best Green Places:

1. Corvallis, OR

2. Portland Metro area, OR

3. Bellingham, WA

4. Santa Rosa Petaluma, CA

5. Boulder, CO

6. Eugene/Springfield, OR

7. Santa Cruz Watsonville, CA

8. Minneapolis, MN

9. Bend, OR

10. Santa Barbara metro, CA

11. San Francisco metro, CA

12. La Crosse, WI

13. Seattle Metro area, WA

14. Fort Collins Loveland, CO

15. St. Cloud, MN

16. Salem, OR

17. Madison, WI

18. Iowa City, IA

19. Ames, IA

20. San Luis metro, IA

21. Salinas, CA

22. Bremerton Silverdale, WA

23. Duluth, WI

24. Pittsfield, MA

25. Medford, OR