According to a study conducted by the plastics manufacturer Nalgene, Sacramento leads the nation in the use of energy-efficient light bulbs.

The study, called America's Least Wasteful Cities, questioned 3,750 people living in America's 25 largest cities. Participants were asked about how much garbage their households generated, their shopping and transportation habits, and other sustainable behaviors.

Mayor Kevin Johnson said, "I'm proud that Sacramento tops the list in using energy-efficient light bulbs but there's still plenty more work to be done to move us up the list in other categories. Particularly with the challenging economic conditions we're in, we should not reduce our efforts to reuse and recycle."

Besides being number one in the use of energy-efficient light bulbs, Sacramento also received high marks in the purchase of bulk foods to avoid extra packaging, and choosing not to drive for short trips.

Sacramento received its lowest scores in the amounts of garbage its homes generated and the reuse of Ziploc bags and tinfoil.

Out of the 25 cities, Sacramento was ranked 17th overall, after Cleveland but before Miami. San Francisco captured the number one spot, while Atlanta was ranked last.

The study concluded that while many Americans were making small changes, like turning off lights and saving food to make their routines less wasteful, larger steps were generally not being adopted. The study recommended that more Americans air-dry their clothes instead of using electric dryers, take public transportation, and use rain barrels to conserve water.

The full study can be found here.

What do Sacramento Press readers do to conserve?