Florida Governor Charlie Crist has unveiled a Web site giving interested citizens access to a balanced scorecard for state government, allowing them to see how well the state believes it is performing. At floridaperforms.com, Floridians can track key indicators and view trends in six broad areas: public safety, education, health and family, transportation, economy and taxes, and the environment. The site also provides an opportunity for residents to send feedback directly to the governor.

Chicago's Mayor Daley is launching a multifaceted campaign to encourage residents to switch from bottled water to tap water, to save both money and the environment. In addition to a bottled water tax, the "Tap Water Delivers" program will distribute stainless reusable steel containers decorated with messages on water conservation and health.

In an effort to combat global warming and help protect the city's sewers and pipes, the city of San Francisco is experimenting with the largest cooking oil recycling program thus far in the United States. The city's Public Utilities Commission has started picking up—free of charge—used cooking oil and grease from food preparation establishments such as hotels and restaurants. The city hopes to eventually have the facilities to convert the oil into biodiesel to fuel the city's buses and fire trucks.

Research in behavioral economics is gaining ground with public officials and increasingly shaping public policy. Surveys aimed at measuring the "happiness" of citizens are being used to supplement traditional economic indicators, such as GDP per capita. Citizens are asked to indicate their satisfaction on issues ranging from commuting and childcare to public safety and urban planning. European governments are leaders of such "well-being research."

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the American Bar Association (ABA) have announced a new agreement to provide broader legal services to more low-income victims of major disasters. While the ABA has worked with FEMA in the past to ensure that victims receive help, the new agreement now empowers attorneys working under its auspices to provide assistance in securing FEMA aid and other governmental benefits.

In North Carolina, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education has adopted a formal policy designed to aid public school students without fixed, regular residences. The new policy allows these students to bypass standardized barriers to education, letting them enroll in school immediately without documentation, ensuring transportation, and providing access to other school-related services.

In a controversial move, Boston police are launching a program that will call upon parents in high-crime neighborhoods to allow detectives to search for guns in their children's bedrooms without a warrant. Under Safe Homes, officers will travel in plainclothes to homes where they believe teenagers have guns and ask the legal guardian for permission to search. Parents will retain the right to deny the request. However, if police find a gun, they will not charge the teenager with unlawful firearm possession unless it is linked to a crime. The plan is modeled after a similar program launched in St. Louis in the 1990s.

Mayor Greg Nickels and the Seattle Housing Authority have launched a program to replace over 40,000 traditional incandescent light bulbs with more efficient compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) in its affordable housing units. The CFLs will lower residents' electric bills by as much as $234 per household over the life of the bulb, last six to ten times longer than a regular bulb, and prevent more than two million pounds of carbon dioxide from being emitted into the atmosphere.

In a unique program, veterans wounded since September 11, 2001 are eligible to apply for a full scholarship to the University of Idaho. Operation Education provides financial support and resources—such as tuition, fees, books, on-campus housing, and childcare—to veterans and their families as they enter the university and reenter civilian life.

The US Department of Energy has selected Utah for a study to evaluate carbon sequestration, as part of a larger effort to capture and reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases. The process involves pumping carbon dioxide deep underground for long-term storage. If successful, the process would significantly offset current fossil-fuel pollution.

The Patriot Express Loan Initiative, administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA), assists military personnel who wish to start businesses, purchase equipment, and conduct other business-related activities. The program is available to both veterans and active service members, as well as their current or widowed spouses. Loans are available for up to $500,000 and qualify for the SBA's guaranty.