You’re fully embracing the eco-movement but maybe, your city isn’t. You’re ready for a big move to a green city. But where do you start? Just in case it’s been awhile since your last move, make sure the city of your dreams meets the essential checklist. The city should be affordable based on your income, in proximity to family, friends or job opportunities. Also consider the climate, as well as how the state deals with taxes. Once you’ve considered those, put the city to the environmental test and check it against these green requirements to see if your future city makes the cut.

Green Employment Opportunities

If you’re looking to live a green lifestyle, it’s crucial that the entity you work for 40 hours a week is rich in green culture. The top three cities for green job opportunities are currently Boston, Chicago and San Francisco. According to Forbes magazine, when looking for “green” hiring, the most desired experience is in energy efficiency, environmental compliance or sustainable supply chain. But green employment doesn’t necessarily need to be in the environmental field.

Judge all potential job opportunities by how much companies focus on their environmental impact, developing alternative energy sources and overall sustainable practices. Take for instance, Sears Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, which has made environmental sustainability one of its core pillars. The company was the 2014 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year. It takes green business practices seriously, whether through paper disposal in-office or energy-efficient dishwasher manufacturing on the assembly line.

Public Transportation

Unfortunately, having a gas guzzler in most U.S. cities is necessary, minus a few rare gems where public transport is all you need. New York City has got it dialed in with 24-hour service and the most reliable system of trains, buses and the subway in the entire country. Close behind is San Francisco with its public transport and bike friendliness. If you travel a lot, consider your proximity to the airport and if public transport alone would get you there.

Walkability Scores

Ideally, a city not only has excellent public transportation and bike lanes, but is also manageable on foot. A company called Walk Score, has done the dirty work of ranking cities based on their walkability scores, or how easily one can get around and navigate the city on foot. Rankings are from 0, an extremely car dependent city, to 100, a Walker’s Paradise. According to Walk Score, the top walking-friendly cities for 2015 in the U.S. are New York, San Francisco and Boston.

Preparedness for the Future

Just because a city is environmentally friendly now, doesn’t mean that they’re prepared for the environmental changes in our near future. A green city should be ready to face and mitigate potential environmental disastersas a result of climate change. For example, Chicago, with the Chicago Climate Action Plan, is planting lots of trees to combat the hotter heat waves and reducing stormwater runoff by 80 percent in the face of harder downpours. Honolulu, Hawaii, is relying on their abundant amount of renewable energy — the sun — by installing the highest per capita rate of photovoltaic solar panels. Los Angeles, although a bustling metropolis, is at the forefront of efficient and green street lighting reducing their overall carbon emissions with LED lamp posts. If you’re considering a long-term or permanent move, this requirement should definitely be met by your city of choice.