By Meg Schulte for FlipKey, by TripAdvisor — Being green involves a lot more than simply trading in your empty bottles for a handful of change from the recycling center each month. It’s something that entire cities have to be devoted to, and many places around the country are stepping up their earth-friendliness in big ways.

In celebration of Earth Day, we’ve rounded up some of the greenest cities to visit in the country. The places on our list show their love for Mother Earth by cutting down on pollution, reducing waste, recycling whenever possible, and literally keeping the area green with plants and trees. Both locals and  visitors alike can enjoy some of the benefits of being green, such as more public parks and accessible bike sharing programs, while staying in these cities. Use our list the next time you’re looking to get your travel on and show the environment some love.

Salt Lake City, UT

Committed to climate change, conservation, and improved air quality, Salt Lake City takes being green seriously. In recent years, the city has doubled the amount of bike lanes offered and opened an extremely popular bikeshare program downtown. Buildings around the city rely on energy from renewable resources like solar and wind power, and tree planting and cleanup events keep the city looking pretty. In the past, Salt Lake City has been recognized as a Climate Action Champion by the White House and has won a Utah Sustainable Business Leadership Award from Utah Business Magazine.

Other cities on the list:

Washington, DC
Cincinnati, OH
Durham, NC
Chicago, IL
St. Louis, MO
Minneapolis, MN
Aurora, CO
Baltimore, MD
Irvine, CA