12 Cities Leading the Way in Sustainability

Salt Lake City is developing a tradition of electing mayors who are leaders in sustainability. Rocky Anderson, who left office in 2008, established the Salt Lake City Green program, which aimed to reduce the carbon emissions produced by city government buildings by 21 percent over the course of a decade. By Anderson’s last year in office, the city had exceeded its goals and reduced emissions by 31 percent. The mayor who followed Anderson, Ralph Becker, has continued efforts to green the city by installing solar-powered parking meters throughout the downtown area. He has also championed alternative fuel vehicles, and installed electric vehicle charging stations in the city to prepare for — according to a city announcement — a “new wave of affordable, electric-only vehicles.”