AUBURN - Auburn may not be as far ahead of some of the nation's better-known “green” cities, but the city has long been digging geothermal wells and powering its wastewater treatment with methane captured from the landfill.

On Saturday, a summit of about 70 energy experts, business leaders and members of the public convened to brainstorm ways to take local environmentalism to the next level.

Held at Cayuga Community College, the symposium was the first step toward developing a comprehensive energy plan for Cayuga County #- a plan, organizer Michael Long hopes, will balance energy efficiency with economic development and improve the quality of life in the community.

Long, who works as director of capital projects and grants for the city, believes that local governments play a key role in showing how energy sustainability can save money and retain local jobs. During the renovation

of Memorial City Hall in 2004, for example, the city installed a thermal heating and cooling system produced by McQuay International, a local maker of heating and air conditioning systems that was trying to break into the thermal energy market.

“Auburn is doing what other cities are still talking about,” said Dr. Rhea Jezer, professor of environmental policy at Cazenovia College and keynote speaker at the event. “Auburn is literally an example of what can be done and what will be done.”

Although renewable energy sources are important, Jezer said, the first step toward sustainability is energy conservation. Switching to a hybrid, shopping at farm stands and walking as much as possible are a few of the ways individuals can reduce their carbon footprint.

“It's a mindset that people have to have,” she said. “Everybody has to realize that what they do really does count.”

For Diane Brandli, member of the Central New York-based Greening USA, Jezer's message reminded her that the power to make a difference lies on the grassroots level. Her colleague, Mark Ranalli, agreed, adding that the event had motivated him to push harder for the kinds of policy changes he wants to see, too.

“We need to make our political appointees, political officials more accountable for something, rather than letting them just talk the talk,” he said.

Indeed, Auburn's example was something most agreed was needed on a national scale.

Discussions on issues such as housing, economic development, water management and transportation also sparked new ideas for bike share programs, permeable pavement parking lots and community gardens.

“I think this whole conference made Auburn a more appealing place to live,” said William McCracken, a network services technician and self-described 'energy enthusiast'. “Before, I kind of liked Auburn. Now I really like it.”

For others, many of the ideas simply felt out of reach.

“For the low-income family, it's not about saving your planet, it's about saving your family,” said Christine Dopp, a single mother who supports her children with the help of food stamps and a housing choice voucher (formerly Section 8). “The economics of it are failing low-income families.”

But according to planning and economic development expert Jennifer Haines, prosperity for area residents in the future might lie in moving toward energy efficiency today.

“The key for Auburn and Cayuga County to move forward economically is to talk about energy conservation,” she said. “We really need to bring some passion and some energy to the subject and see how we as individuals can make a difference. And we can.”