Where the U.S. government has failed miserably to drive innovative and productive responses to climate change, such as technological solutions that could ultimately fuel the economy, states and now even cities are taking matters into their own hands.

Denver plans to penalizing heavy energy users, among other measures, with a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of taking 500,000 cars off the road.

Today, from the Rocky Mountain News:

“The new plan is aimed at making Denver a national leader in reducing gas emissions that have been linked to global warming, giving a major push to alternative energy, stepping up recycling and changing building codes to encourage energy conservation.”

Mayors of several major world cities, frustrated with national and global inaction, pledged last month to develop their own plans to combat climate change.

Meanwhile here in Phoenix, they just build more highways. Sooner or later, the “build more” mentality will have to give way to a “build smarter” approach as oil (and water) become more scarce, and the cities and states (and, cough-cough, nations) that shift gears now will be economic powerhouses, while the others will be left in the dust, or rather left to choke on their own exhaust.