Behind the methodology

Key themes

• Vehicle miles traveled — the largest contributor to a city’s emission levels — bounced back since taking a dip in 2020.
• Biking sustained popularity, but pedestrian activity “dropped significantly.”
• The number of electric vehicles per 100 people is still relatively low. Read: We’re still not seeing a large saturation of EVs; most cities saw fewer than one EV per 100 people.

How we ranked

• VMT: No. 54
• Fuel economy: No. 73
• Transit ridership: No. 50
• EV penetration: No. 56
• Biking activity: No. 65
• Pedestrian activity: No. 87
• Truck miles traveled: No. 77
• VMT change: No. 43

• 54th Symphony Designers’ Showhouse | Wednesday, May 1 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Symphony Designers’ Showhouse, 1100 Valentine Rd., KCMO | $20-$25 | Tour a home in the Roanoke Historic District and see how talented designers transformed 20 spaces.
• Tap Takeover | Wednesday, May 1 | 5 p.m. | Barley’s Kitchen + Tap, 11924 W. 119th St., Overland Park, KS | Menu price | Join this tap takeover and keep the glass when you buy a KC Bier Co bier on draught.
• Little Shop of Horrors | Wednesday, May 1-Sunday, May 19 | Times vary | Kansas City Repertory Theatre, 4949 Cherry St., KCMO | $39-$83 | Feed the need for musical hilarity with this delicious sci-fi smash about a man-eating plant.

• Alive After 5 | Thursday, May 2 | 5-8 p.m. | Leavenworth Main Street, 416 Cherokee St., Leavenworth, KS | $5-$15 | Shake things up with a Cinco de Mayo celebration featuring the KC Symphony Mobile Music Box and themed culinary delights + beverages.

• Yappy Hour | Friday, May 3 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Shawnee Town 1929, 11501 W. 57th St., Shawnee, KS | $5 | This 1920s downtown square and farmstead is turning into an off-leash dog park (and human happy hour) for one night only.
• Yalla Midwest: Belly Dance Jam | Friday, May 3 | 6-8 p.m. | St. Mark Hope and Peace Lutheran Church ELCA, 3800 Troost Ave., KCMO | $25 | Set your feet free on the dance floor with live music by Bayati and other classic Middle Eastern tunes.

• On a group ride
• Leading your kids’ biking school bus
• Or simply waving to your neighbors as you roll by

• The City of KCMO began rolling out 162,000 trash carts to homes across the metro, as well as instructional pamphlets detailing how to put them to use. This program, similar to last year’s recycling cart program, is funded by $8.5 million allotted in the city’s $2.3 billion budget.

• The Kansas legislature wrapped up its 2024 session with a vote on whether to use modified STAR bonds to fully fund Chiefs + Royals stadium plans, incentivizing the teams to make the jump across state lines. If plans make it through both congressional houses, we’ll let you know. (Kansas City Star)

• KC Jurassic Farm opens at Olathe’s KC Pumpkin Patch from Saturday, June 1 through Sunday, June 16. The family-friendly favorite festival offers photo ops with 20-ft-tall dino statues, as well as the farm’s usual 30+ activities for all ages. Pre-season tickets start at $21.95.

• For the vicarious thrill-seekers, Kauffman Center announced talks by two cable TV adventurers coming this fall. Tickets for “Walking with Ghosts” with paranormal investigator Amy Bruni + “Josh Gates Live!” hosted by the Discovery Channel explorer go on sale Friday, May 3 at 10 a.m.

• Lenexa’s Cedar Station Park is now open with upgrades as part of a $1.3 million renovation project. Phase one, which was unveiled yesterday evening, targeted accessibility around Mize Lake. (Johnson County Post)

• “Summer Vacation,” a new group exhibition featuring artists across the country, is coming to Upper Level Gallery in the Crossroads on Friday, May 3. The show is themed on playfulness + breaking out of the every day, and runs through Saturday, June 1.

• Irish pub-themed fast casual chain Bennigan’s is lending 14 of its more popular menu items to KC Craft & Co. The “Bennigan’s On the Fly” concept is meant to situate the brand in existing venues, like the OP Holiday Inn where KC Craft & Co. resides. (Kansas City Star)