Here’s some news I’m not so proud to report.

Texas has been experiencing quite a bit of growth over the last few years. Yes, that’s a good thing, but unfortunately growth has a downside as well.

As populations become more crowded, problems such as an increase in litter and pests tend to arise. And it can take a long time for the city’s infrastructure to adjust to the increased demand for sanitation services.

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With that being said, both Houston and San Antonio found their way onto LawnStarter’s list of the dirtiest cities in the U.S. It’s certainly not shocking considering the aforementioned growth, but it would be nice to see them turn it around.

The study compared the 200 biggest cities in the country using metrics such as air and water quality, percentage of homes with signs of pests, and waste regulations.

When it comes to Houston, the cockroach problem I wrote about a while back is the most glaring issue. It also ranked toward the bottom of the list when it comes to pollution and living conditions and citizen satisfaction with city cleanliness.

San Antonio didn’t do much better. The city has the 2nd worst living conditions in the U.S., behind only New York City. Like Houston, San Antonio also scored low in citizen satisfaction with city cleanliness.

Don’t get me wrong – this isn’t an indictment against either one of the cities. I’ve been to both on multiple occasions and I think highly of them. Instead, think of this post as more of a call to action.

Because we all want to keep Texas beautiful.

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