Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker announced an executive order Tuesday aimed at increasing energy efficiency at city facilities.
Sustainable Salt Lake Plan 2015 has already been focused on converting city fleet vehicles to more eco-friendly energy use. Mayor Becker says this new order creates an Energy Management Steering Committee and requires City Facilities to develop and track their energy conservation plans.
“We think that with this kind of effort and a much more specific targeted effort with each agency, we’re going to achieve that much more success,” says Becker.
Sarah Wright is the executive director of Utah Clean Energy. She says vehicle exhaust is at the top of the list of targets for reduction. But she says energy use by government and private business through heating and cooling buildings is also a contributing factor.
“They are becoming a bigger part of our air pollution and they’re about 75% of our greenhouse gas emissions,” says Wright.
She says Mayor Becker’s plan shows how it’s possible to save money and reduce pollution at the same time.
