Steve Schainker sometimes makes his rounds as Ames city manager in a two-seater Zenn, an electric car. The tiny vehicle, plugged in to an electrical outlet behind City Hall, tops out at 25 mph and gets 35 miles to a charge. It is one of the more visible elements of an EcoSmart program designed to save fuel and to cut carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to climate change.
Ames, Ia. -Â Steve Schainker sometimes makes his rounds as Ames city manager in a two-seater Zenn, an electric car.
The tiny vehicle, plugged in to an electrical outlet behind City Hall, tops out at 25 mph and gets 35 miles to a charge. It is one of the more visible elements of an EcoSmart program designed to save fuel and to cut carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to climate change.
!ADVERTISEMENT!
Ames is one of 34 Iowa cities that have pledged to create strong local policies and programs to reduce global warming. From Shenandoah to Cedar Falls to Davenport to Des Moines, cities large and small are overhauling vehicle fleets, checking buildings for energy efficiency, and changing light fixtures to save money and cut greenhouse gas emissions.
The efforts are paying dividends at the bank and in the air.
Interactive graphic: Building greener cities and counties
"There is an immediate impact," said Roya Stanley, chief of Iowa's Office of Energy Independence. Stanley and others monitoring the cities' efforts say they provide models for businesses and residents, cut emissions, and build a market for green equipment and supplies.
Some experts, however, say the cities' images are benefiting right now more than the atmosphere. Iowa cities and their U.S. counterparts lag European municipalities that are trying to meet or exceed Kyoto ProtocolÂ
Article Continues:Â http://data.desmoinesregister.com/climatechange/climatechange.php
