Mayors Vow To Cut Electricity Use 10%

At annual conference, U.S. mayors agree to enact Energy Star program At their annual conference, U.S. mayors from across the country agreed today to a coordinated goal of reducing energy use by 10% in both public and private buildings. The U.S. Conference of Mayors endorsed the federal Energy Star Challenge -- a goal of reducing energy use 10% in commercial and industrial buildings -- as part of a broader Climate Protection Agreement. The goal does not include private residential buildings, which taken together use a tremendous amount of energy, and which are also major contributors to climate change. While many local governments have retrofitted old government buildings with energy efficient technologies and required new government construction and often industrial and commercial construction to meet strict energy use standards, few have addressed the more politically fraught issue of private homes. Still, the goal -- if enacted by the group's members -- could have a significant effect, both in actual results and in setting a good example for private building owners. The U.S. Conference of Mayors represents America's 1,139 cities with populations of 30,000 or more. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that if the energy efficiency of commercial and industrial buildings in the United States improved 10 percent, business would save $20 billion annually and reduce greenhouse gas emissions equal to those from about 30 million vehicles. More than 100 organizations, including state governments, leading associations, cities and counties have taken the Energy Star Challenge. Businesses, organizations, and governments that are leaders in energy efficiency use about 30 percent less energy than their competitors. For more information, click here. -- Dan Shapley, news editor