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Sierra Club Launches Cool Cities Campaign
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by Jim Kotcon | 2006

The Feds cannot, or will not, cool off this Global Warming, so America's mayors are taking the lead. Read about how you can help with West Virginia's first Cool City

What’s a Cool City?

Over 300 cities in the US have signed the U. S, Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement. This pledges the city to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to levels 7% below 1990, providing a local pledge to comply with the Kyoto Protocol by 2012.

Because of the failure of the federal government to provide leadership, the Cool Cities Campaign was launched by the Club to encourage this grassroots solution to global warming. Cities that have signed on to the Pledge will develop a solutions Plan which identifies the ways that they will reduce their emissions. Three common components include purchasing fuel efficient cars for municipal fleets, investing in energy efficiency, and purchasing or generating their own renewable energy from sources such as solar, wind or hydro power.

The cities that have already signed on have a combined population of over 50 million Americans. Several cities in West Virginia, including Morgantown and Shepherdstown, are considering this initiative.

How to make your town a Cool City?

First, log on to the Cool Cities web site at: www.coolcities.us and get brochures, and the activist tool kit. By registering, you can get regular updates, and make contact with leaders across the US.

Contact local leaders, teachers, friends, neighbors and co-workers and ask them to join in the campaign. Educate your mayor or city council as to the importance of local action, and urge them to sign the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Then, make sure that they follow up by inventorying energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Work with them to develop a solutions plan. Most importantly, make sure the city shifts to more efficient vehicles, reduces energy waste, and develops renewable energy sources.

A major strength of the Cool Cities Campaign is that the specifics are decided locally. This local control assures that every city can do their part, and identify the most cost-effective ways to meet their targets. In most cases, the strongest selling point with city officials is that the City can save money, lots of it, by reducing their energy consumption. To help emphasize this part of the Cool Cities Campaign, the Club has produced a Cool Cash guide, which lists dozens of cities and specifies the kinds of steps already taken and who is saving money doing it.

Regardless of whether your city endorses the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, or inventories its emissions, real environmental progress comes not from signing agreements or developing plans, but from the concrete steps that actually reduce emissions. Get started now!

For more information, call Jim at 594-3322