Mayors think green at N.Y. summit

Indeed, some of the larger cities, particularly from emerging economies, are coming to learn, says Kathryn Wylde, CEO of the partnership. "It's pretty hopeless for Stockholm and Austin to do anything to fight global warming if Mumbai and Shanghai are not," she says.

The sessions are intended to illustrate how making changes can also result in business opportunities, cost savings, and job creation. The participants will listen to Ken Livingstone, mayor of London, describe the city's use of "congestion pricing" to reduce traffic in London's central business district. Other topics include green buildings, water management, renewable-energy strategies, and waste management.

Most of the cities that were invited have populations of at least 5 million. But smaller cities will be sharing their expertise – such as Seattle, pop. 580,000. It has the largest number of LEED-certified green buildings in the nation, says Mayor Greg Nickels. (LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.) "We have led by example, and the private sector wants to emulate it," he says.

For instance, the city government has reduced its own emissions 60 percent from 1990 levels. At the meeting, the mayor is likely to describe how City Hall captures rainwater and reuses it for landscaping and toilets. "We're saving 1 million gallons of water per year," says Mr. Nickels.

One of Seattle's latest initiatives involves financial incentives for people to turn in their gas-powered lawn mowers for electric mowers. "Each gas-powered mower puts out 80 pounds of carbon a year, so this is something individuals can do and make a difference," he says.

The mayor of Austin, Will Wynn, will meet with business leaders to describe how the city is trying to cut emissions – in what he calls "the most polluted state in the nation." "We start with conservation," says Mr. Wynn. "The cleanest energy is energy you don't have to produce."

Austin gives away tens of thousands of compact fluorescent light bulbs, pays for weatherization for residents, and buys solar shades (screens for heat control), says Wynn. But one of his more innovative approaches is the installation of "programmable thermostats."

"We have the ability to turn off the air conditioning for no more than 10 minutes per hour, but it saves a bunch of money," he explains. "When we have peak demand, we turn the A/C off – shave down demand in a modest but measurable amount."

The mayor of Salt Lake, Rocky Anderson, will be on a "Wealth from Waste" panel. Salt Lake City has vastly increased its recycling program and its recovering of methane from landfills. One unusual program involves a law firm that is renovating a mansion for its offices. It will use heat from sewer pipes to heat the offices.

"The payoff is in 8 to 10 years so you come out economically ahead," he says.

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