California's Sacramento metropolitan region is not one that would come immediately to mind for a model of green growth. The capital city and its neighbors have a reputation for sprawling residential developments, long commute times and poor air quality.

But starting about five years ago, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments began work on an overarching plan for the region's growth. The Sacramento Regional Blueprint aims to keep the area as an attractive place for businesses and families to settle and at the same time make it easier for everyone there to live with a lighter impact on the earth.

I spoke with Mike McKeever, the executive director of the Council, about the challenges presented by changing a city's way of life, how builders and businesses are benefiting from the new plans, and if this kind of smart growth has got legs.