Going Green: Houston (We Don't ) Have a Problem

Although many may associate Houston with oil and gas, everything from its tourist attractions to its sports teams are keeping Mother Nature top-of-mind.

Here are the top 5 ways Houston's becoming one of the greenest cities in the nation:

1. The city built on gas and oil profits is now one of the top producers of wind and renewable energy in the U.S. (according to the EPA) making sustainable living and traveling in Houston a breeze. In fact, 25% of the City of Houston's total electricity is purchased from wind energy.

2. A growing number of attractions including The Children's Museum of Houston, The Heritage Society and the Houston Zoo have employed sustainable practices. Even the Houston Astros are on board with a variety of efforts, including composting the ballpark infield and outfield grass cuttings to use as fertilizer.

3. While Houston may have a big-city feel, it rates first among the nation's 10 most populous cities in total acreage of parkland with 49,643 total acres (beating out Phoenix's 45,020 acres and San Diego's 47,383 acres), according to a 2011 report by The Trust for Public Land.

4. Visitors can stay a night downtown with a good conscience knowing many hotels are incorporating green features. Enjoy staying at The Houstonian where occupancy sensors turn off the lights when guests leave or at The Magnolia where a full recycling program along with high pressure/low volume bathroom fixtures are just of few of the hotel's sustainability practices.

5. A big city doesn't mean you have to spend the day fighting traffic. With a beautiful 345-mile interconnected bikeway network spanning across 500 square miles, Houston is becoming a pedaler's paradise. No bike? No problem. Check out the Houston B-Cycle bike sharing program.

Take a closer look at Houston's Discovery Green: