Most people may think of San Francisco or Denver when they think of green cities, but what about Indianapolis, Indiana? Indianapolis is making strides to become more sustainable through initiatives of SustainIndy.
The city of Indianapolis and Mayor Greg Ballard plan to use best practices to make Indianapolis one of the most sustainable cities in the Midwest.
Recently, the Indianapolis Department of Public Works teamed up with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5, the Indiana Recycling Coalition, the Indiana Sports Corporation, Republic Waste Services, and other private waste management and recycling services to assist local hotels and restaurants with recycling during the 2010 Men’s Final Four basketball tournament in Indianapolis last weekend.
“The City of Indianapolis, through the Office of Sustainability, is leading by example, but we can’t achieve our goal alone. We’re partners with the business and nonprofit communities in this effort, and we look forward to continuing to work together to make Indianapolis truly sustainable for future generations,” said Mayor Ballard in a press release on the Office of Sustainability Web site, Sustainindy.org.
Following the games, the EPA plans to complete a report that details the success of the hotel and restaurant recycling effort. In addition, EPA plans to calculate the environmental benefits from an electronics collection drive involving volunteers from the Local Organizing Committee.
The restaurant and hotel recycling program is part of the SustainIndy initiatives described on the Web site as being focused on reducing the environmental impact of city operations and working with private partners to ensure that our community remains vibrant and healthy for many future generations of Indianapolis residents.
According to the Indianapolis Department of Public Works, in 2007 and 2008, 3 percent to 5 percent of households participated in the city’s curbside recycling program. The Indianapolis Business Journal reported that this level of participation is far less than in cities like San Francisco and Austin, where curbside recycling program participation is at about 70 percent.
However, SustainIndy is making an impact in Indianapolis with programs to address energy and emissions, such as the Central Indiana Clean Air Partnership (CICAP), a voluntary business partnership opportunity to encourage businesses to make decisions to positively impact clean air quality.
Other programs include solid waste and recycling, water and land, green building and development, bikeways, and the quality of life, which comprises amenities and services to make Indianapolis’s neighborhoods unique places to live and work. These amenities include a diverse and growing number of transportation options, parks, green spaces, greenways, and farmer’s markets.
The EPA for the first time ranked the Indianapolis metropolitan area among the top 25 cities with the most ENERGY STAR labeled buildings. Buildings that have earned EPA’s ENERGY STAR perform in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide.
Indianapolis ranked 23rd out of the top 25 cities in 2009.
The city of Indianapolis and Mayor Greg Ballard plan to use best practices to make Indianapolis one of the most sustainable cities in the Midwest.
Recently, the Indianapolis Department of Public Works teamed up with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5, the Indiana Recycling Coalition, the Indiana Sports Corporation, Republic Waste Services, and other private waste management and recycling services to assist local hotels and restaurants with recycling during the 2010 Men’s Final Four basketball tournament in Indianapolis last weekend.
“The City of Indianapolis, through the Office of Sustainability, is leading by example, but we can’t achieve our goal alone. We’re partners with the business and nonprofit communities in this effort, and we look forward to continuing to work together to make Indianapolis truly sustainable for future generations,” said Mayor Ballard in a press release on the Office of Sustainability Web site, Sustainindy.org.
Following the games, the EPA plans to complete a report that details the success of the hotel and restaurant recycling effort. In addition, EPA plans to calculate the environmental benefits from an electronics collection drive involving volunteers from the Local Organizing Committee.
The restaurant and hotel recycling program is part of the SustainIndy initiatives described on the Web site as being focused on reducing the environmental impact of city operations and working with private partners to ensure that our community remains vibrant and healthy for many future generations of Indianapolis residents.
According to the Indianapolis Department of Public Works, in 2007 and 2008, 3 percent to 5 percent of households participated in the city’s curbside recycling program. The Indianapolis Business Journal reported that this level of participation is far less than in cities like San Francisco and Austin, where curbside recycling program participation is at about 70 percent.
However, SustainIndy is making an impact in Indianapolis with programs to address energy and emissions, such as the Central Indiana Clean Air Partnership (CICAP), a voluntary business partnership opportunity to encourage businesses to make decisions to positively impact clean air quality.
Other programs include solid waste and recycling, water and land, green building and development, bikeways, and the quality of life, which comprises amenities and services to make Indianapolis’s neighborhoods unique places to live and work. These amenities include a diverse and growing number of transportation options, parks, green spaces, greenways, and farmer’s markets.
The EPA for the first time ranked the Indianapolis metropolitan area among the top 25 cities with the most ENERGY STAR labeled buildings. Buildings that have earned EPA’s ENERGY STAR perform in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide.
Indianapolis ranked 23rd out of the top 25 cities in 2009.
