The Ames-Boone area of Iowa normally doesn't get mentioned around here too much, but it's time to turn things around or our travel destinations at least. Forbes.com runs an interesting health piece which highlights America's greenest and cleanest cities. The listing is based on ozone pollution and particles from data collected by the American Lung Association's 2005 set of statistics and according to other research studies pollution is costing a pretty penny. For businesses it pays to be clean and  for the curious vagabond just looking to roam aimlessly - where better to spend your time than in clean destinations like those found on their list?

Newton, Iowa or Sioux Falls, South Dakota may not come off as exciting as NYC, LA or Miami, but who needs the smog and increased exhaust fumes leaking from almost every vehicle in big city traffic jams? Not me and certainly not you, so if seeing is believing and better for our health plan ahead before being clean suddenly becomes trendy. The top 10 cleanest and greenest areas in America are as follows:

1. Ames-Boone, Iowa
2. Bellingham, Washington
3. Brownsville-Harlingen-Raymondville, TX
4. Cedar Rapids, Iowa
5. Colorado Springs, CO
6. Deltona-Daytona Beach-Palm Coast, FL
7. Des Moines-Newton-Pella, Iowa
8. Duluth, Minn., Wisconsin
9. Eugene-Springfield, OR
10. Fargo-Wahpeton, North Dakota., Minn

For a complete list with all 25 visit Forbes and be sure to check out the slide show. It's so clean you won't believe your own eyes.

Filed under: Activism, Learning, Business, Stories, North America, United States