The majority of Anderson's trips are paid for by the groups sponsoring the events he attends. The groups paid a minimum of $7,300 for Anderson's flights and hotels, although that number does not include several trips for which the city did not keep records. Anderson spent $3,700 of city money, the bulk of which was for two trips to the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the New Cities Project, another organization of mayors.

A positive image

Putting a price tag on what the mayor does at national and international environmental events is difficult, Anderson and two of his advisers said. Instead, the city sees benefits through better word-of-mouth exposure, and now the city has a better image than ever before, said Alison McFarlane, Anderson's economic-development adviser.

"Years ago, I worked for the Utah Travel Council . . . one study that was most disturbing for me was that people did not have a positive or a negative impression of Salt Lake City or Utah — they had no impression at all," McFarlane said. "What a pitiable situation to be in. You say, 'Salt Lake City,' and nothing comes to mind. If you were to do that now, I think the results would be far, far different, and I think a lot of that is due to Rocky's activism."

Recognition has come from circles closer to home, too, Love said.

"I think that many of my constituents appreciate the dialogue," Love said. "Whether it's the freedom forums or drug prevention or environmental issues, I think they're glad that they have a mayor who is creating those forums and talking about those things."

The mayor's environmental involvement got the attention of Norman Tabish, a longtime west-side resident who lobbied Anderson to nix a recycling plant proposal in his neighborhood last year.

"I honestly believe that if there's anything that would interfere with the health and welfare for anyone in the city anywhere, he would stand up and fight for it," Tabish said. "I couldn't have anything bad to say as far as the environment and the time he takes off — I think what he does eventually leads back to all of us."

'What's in it for me?'

On the other hand, residents, businesses and other officials are concerned about items other than global warming.

"The constituency in Salt Lake are saying, 'What's in it for me? What's this guy doing for me as the mayor?' " said Bill Martin, a managing partner of commercial real estate brokerage house Commerce CRG, which did more than 400 land and lease deals in Salt Lake City in 2005.