The city of St. Louis says Lambert Airport and the municipal water division are the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases.
The city's so-called greenhouse gas emissions inventory looks at 2005 data and will serve as the benchmark for improvements that are being made in the city of St. Louis. Catherine Werner, the city’s sustainability director, says this is the first time that they’ll measure the effects of their reduction efforts.
"When we have all of the data, we’ll be able to prioritize and be strategic about where we can get the best bang for our buck in terms of doing retrofits or performing efficiencies so that we can save dollars for the government, for the taxpayers," Werner said at a City Hall press conference today.
Werner says the city has already implemented some changes, including the use of alternative fuels at the airport and with city vehicles. It is also undergoing energy audits of its buildings and facilities.
The city is also one of ten around the country selected to participate in a project (ICLEI Star Community Index) that will track sustainability efforts using a new national framework.