Cool Cities Program Spreading in Indiana

By David Maidenberg, Chapter Director

January 29, 2008

The Sierra Club's campaign to fight climate change at the local level is growing in Indiana. Club members and allies are convincing city officials to take steps to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by city operations through energy efficiency, buying greener cars and switching to renewable energy.

From Calumet to Columbus, Hoosier Sierrans are spreading the message that GHG reductions can save money for financially hard-pressed municipalities while reducing carbon footprints.

In Indianapolis, the focus is on newly installed Mayor Greg Ballard, where citizens are urging the new mayor to continue efforts undertaken by the previous administration including "Indy GreenPrint" recommendations.

Activities are also underway in Carmel, Fishers and Indianapolis. To the east, Ball State University Professor James Eflin and eight students are beginning a Cool Counties Campaign for Delaware County. In Columbus, the Sierra Winding Waters Group got on the Cool City bandwagon early.

Other Hoosier cities whose mayors have signed the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement include Bloomington, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Garrett, Gary, Michigan City, New Albany and Richmond. If you are interested in working on a Cool Cities Campaign in these or other municipalities in Indiana, contact state coordinator Bowden Quinn at 317-822-3750 or bowden.quinn@sierraclub.org. For more information, visit the Cool Cities website: www.coolcities.us .

------------------------------------------------------

In the article below, Christine Fiordalis, Michiana Group Chair and Chapter VP, speaks out for the Cool Cities campaign at a public forum of the Blue-Green Alliance.

Speaking out for the environment

Blue-Green Alliance offers ideas for change.

By SUE LOWE
South Bend Tribune Staff Writer

January 25, 2008

SOUTH BEND -- Joe Carbone has issues with light bulbs.

Christine Fiordalis wants South Bend and Mishawaka to use energy more efficiently.

And Jackie Smith and LuCinda Hohmann want to talk to people about jobs and the environment.

They're the people who spoke during a Blue-Green Alliance news conference at the United Auto Workers hall in South Bend on Thursday that was part of the Michiana Call to Action week.

Carbone, chairman of St. Joseph Valley Jobs for Justice, said after the press conference that General Electric Co. has a patent on the mercury vapor fluorescent bulbs that can replace incandescent bulbs in lamps.

But, Carbone said, the bulbs are made in China. He and others would like to see them made in the United States.

"We have standards on handling mercury," he said. "It (making them) would be done safely here."

Recent legislation would phase out the use of incandescent bulbs over the next four years, making sale of the bulbs even more profitable, according to Carbone.

He spoke in support of the "Screw That Bulb" campaign being conducted by the International Union of Electronic Electrical Salaried Machine and Furniture Workers, commonly called IUE.

Fiordalis, president of Michiana Sierra, called on the mayors of South Bend and Mishawaka to sign on to the Cool Cities initiative, a campaign to reduce the creation of carbon and use ore efficiently.

“It’s a perfect opportunity to assess our local situation and engage with one another to address global warming and the effects of climate change,” she said.

Smith, co-organizer of Michiana Call to Action, talked about people coming together to create “another world” that is better for people and the environment.

Hohmann, Midwest field organizer for Environment America, said a recent study shows that Indiana got 39,221 new jobs by converting some old manufacturing to make parts for equipment such as wind turbines, solar panels and the components that go with them.

Top Stories from the Indiana Chapter