Smoggy versus foggy

An eco-battle of sorts appears to be brewing between the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco, both of which are in the midst of implementing major environmental ordinances.

During a meeting on Earth Day (April 22), the Los Angeles City Council, led by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, took a bold environmental step by voting to require large commercial and residential developers to adopt green-building measures. The decision makes Los Angeles the largest city in the nation to pass such rules, reported the Los Angeles Times.

Under the new law, developers of high-rise residential and commercial buildings of more than 50,000 square feet must construct their projects within the guidelines of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) as established by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Another Times article comparing LA’s efforts to those being considered in San Francisco shows the City by the Bay is attempting to make more aggressive strides when it comes to sustainability. Mayor Gavin Newsom’s push for even stricter building guidelines will go before the Board of Supervisors this month.