Indiana Living Green - August 2012

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collegeeco-activism primer

C O N T E N T S

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PUBLISHER Kevin McKinney [email protected]

EDITORIALEDITOR Jim Poyser [email protected]

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Jennifer Troemner (Indianapolis)

CONTRIBUTORSRobert Annis, The ApocaDocs, Lynn Jenkins, Shelby Kelley, Rita Kohn, Joe Lee, Mark Lee, Renee Sweany

INTERNSJordan Martich (Ball State), Olivia McPherson (Hanover), Bethany Tatham (IUPUI), Sarah Ward (IUSB), Joshua Watson (IUPUI), Renee Wellman (Carmel High School)

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CorrectionsIn our Squandered Indiana July cover story, “IPL’s Green Power option,” we stated, “a typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours in a month and enrolled at the 10 percent level would pay only $1 additional on his or her IPL electric bill.” This should read “A typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours in a month and en-rolled at the 100 percent level would pay only $1 additionally on his or her IPL bill.” We apologize to IPL and our readers with interest in purchasing the truly remarkable Green Power option. Sign up at iplpower.com.

Also in our July issue, we misstated the phone number for Energizing Indiana. The correct phone number is 1.888.446.7750.

Lastly, we stated in our July issue of Watts & Whatnot that the Nature Conservancy’s downtown headquar-ters was converted from an existing commercial structure into a beacon of sustainability, overlooking the fact that it was actually built new, using salvaged brick, en route to becoming the first commercial building in In-dianapolis to achieve LEED platinum status. We also failed to note that the project was handled by AXIS Architecture + Interiors.

09 Back to school eco-activism primerWhether you are currently in college, or think-ing of going to one, here’s your one-stop-shop to know what these institutions offer in terms of opportunities to nourish the planet.+ COVER ILLUSTRATION BY JOE LEE AND

INTERIOR ILLUSTRATION BY SHELBY KELLEY

AUGUST 2012

D E P A R T M E N T S04 Gardening with Lynn04 Doom & Bloom08 Watts & Whatnot09 Back to school19 Advocates23 Green Biz25 August Events25 Green Reads27 Green Marketplace29 Ask Renee29 The PANIQuiz31 Life is an Egg by Joe Lee

ILG /// AUGUST 2012 /// INDIANALIVINGGREEN.COM 3

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Is it too early to think about politics, given the election is still three months away?

Hardly.I’ve gotten into politics

lately, having recently pub-lished a story in our companion publication, NUVO, about Chris

Mooney’s new book, The Republican Brain. Normally, I try to avoid politics. To my mind it’s slowing down real progress when reckoning with climate change and the speed at which our habitat is deteriorating.

Plus, like a lot of people, I don’t like to be pigeonholed as one thing or another. In the most recent election for my township, I voted for a Republican, a Democrat, and an Independent. See, when I’m voting for my town council, I’m voting for my neighbors. I might disagree with a candidate on an issue, but I know the candidates personally and know they have my neighbor-hood’s larger interests at heart.

The problem, as I see it, is that politics is too abstract. It’s one thing to vote for your neighbors, assessing their political party as one aspect of the overall equation. It’s another to vote for a larger-scale office. The further you extrapolate outward – mayor, representative, senator, governor, president – the more abstract it becomes.

People become mythological fabrications fueled by marketing companies, supported by lobbyists and soft, corporate money.

The compelling conclusion of Mooney’s book (see pgs. 5 & 6) is that conservatives and liberals actually have different brains.

You might say conservatives are from Venus, liberals are from Mars.

Mooney explores politics, ideology and human behavior by describing a series of traits. Conser-vatives are generally hierarchical in their out-look, believing “society should be highly struc-tured and ordered, including based on gender, class, and racial differences.” Conservatives are also individualist in their philosophy, believing “we are all responsible for our own fates in life and people should be rewarded for their choices and punished for their faults and that govern-

ment should not step in to prevent this.”Liberals, being more egalitarian and communi-

tarian in nature, believe the opposite.Hey, viva la difference, right? Isn’t a little

friction good for the culture? Disturbingly, over the past few decades, hierarchical-individualistic conservatives don’t trust science. And, even more disturbing, the more educated the con-servative, the more sure they are that science is untrustworthy. That means there are a whole lot of people who disbelieve climate change is human-caused, so they aren’t responding to signs of our impending disaster.

You liberals? Beware of the “enlightenment syndrome.” As Mooney points out numerous times in his book, liberals fail on many levels — they’re wishy-washy, over-intellectual, too nuanced — but their biggest gaff is believing that reason will win out. That if we just lay out the right set of facts, conservatives will see the light.

Mooney posits — and I agree — we need each other. Perhaps there was even a time when these two persuasions were part of the same brain. Back when we were more in harmony with nature itself.

Compelled by artifices like elections and politi-cal affiliations, we’ve been steered by marketing geniuses to inhabit one house over another.

So here’s what I’m looking for in the coming election.

A liberal who believes in science and under-stands that we are on the cusp of the REAL Apocalypse, which is the slow but certain unrav-eling of our ecosystem’s balance, and that we will soon spin out of control if we don’t profoundly reduce fossil fuel consumption, slow down consumerism, eliminate waste and own up to our true cost of impact on the planet.

But what that liberal has to be is a conserva-tive: a decisive, single-minded, stubborn and courageous person who will take this science and develop policy and initiatives that seize this most vulnerable moment of human existence and transform it into lasting change.

Anybody out there? Alas, if someone fitting this description emerges,

chances are they will be labeled the Antichrist.

doom & bloom with Jim Poyser

Anybodyout there?

GARDENING WITH NATUREby Lynn Jenkins

The glories of bugsGetting gardeners

excited about but-terflies and birds is easy. But interesting them in the glories of bugs is trickier. Before you scream “yeech,” check out facts shared by entomolo-

gist John Thieme at a presentation during Gardens of Zionsville tour in June.• There are nearly 100,000 known insect species in the U.S. and Canada.• There are over 10 million species unidentified worldwide.• At least 95 percent of insect species are beneficial or harmless.• Loss of habitat is the most challeng-ing problem for insect survival.

Thieme described yellow jackets as causing the most harm to humans, and the Japanese beetle as the gardener’s worst pest. (See my comments in last month’s column). However, when nature is in balance, most insects are valuable. They are food to other insects, birds and mammals. They pollinate. And they are great decomposers; we’d be knee-deep in decaying litter if it weren’t for the insects.

A few of Thieme’s suggestions to work WITH — not against — these gifts of nature include:• Rotate crops.• Interplant crops; no monocultures.• Plant “trap crops,” e.g. a rose bush for Japanese beetles planted far from your garden and patio.• Learn about beneficial insects and their good deeds in the garden. For starters, visit the Indiana Organic Gardener’s Association quarterly meetings. gardeningnaturally.org

More good news:• Several counties are offering the well-respected Purdue Master Gar-dener Program beginning in August or September. hort.purdue.edu/mg/basic_training.html• The Indiana Master Naturalist Course is also being offered across the state, including at Indy’s Holliday Park in August. hollidaypark.org The Indiana Master Naturalist program is designed to teach about Indiana’s natural history and natural resources. Programs begin-ning in September include Goshen, Kokomo and Danville. in.gov/dnr/parklake/6321.htm• Indiana DNR’s Division of Nature Preserves will revive an old tradition on Saturday, August 25, with a day of field trips with a focus on prairie landscapes. On the Prairie-Savanna Field Day, their staff will lead hikes at various nature preserves in the northwest region of Indiana. in.gov/dnr/naturepreserve.

Got a gardening question or a tip to share? Contact Lynn at [email protected]


I first met Chris Mooney in 2011 when he spoke at the Center For Inquiry. This interview took place early this summer.

Indiana Living Green: When you were here in Indy, I was struck by your politically neutral stance. Yet The Republican Brain is a partisan title.

Chris Mooney: In the book, I talk about the bi-ases on the left, but I don’t think it’s equal and I don’t think they’re the same kind of biases. So as I dug deeper into the psychological research I really realized that the Republican brain was what I was writing about.

ILG: Were there alternate titles considered along the way?

MOONEY: One was … The Science of Truthiness.

ILG: What did you think about the Heart-land billboard campaign equating environ-mentalists to serial killers? The reaction against it apparently led to a deterioration in Heartland Institute’s power.

MOONEY: They certainly lost a lot of funders. Will they cease to exist? I don’t know.

ILG: When you were watching Heartland un-raveling, what were you observing in terms of your understanding of psychology?

MOONEY: I thought it was a case of black-and-white thinking. Basically, they revealed that they think about the global warming issue in a binary, evil kind of way. They think of environ-mentalists as tantamount to the Unabomber, so if there was ever a case study in the lack of nu-ance that would be it. This is what you expect more from the right than on the left.

ILG: Is there something about this experi-ence that helps us find common ground between the two persuasions?

MOONEY: No, it says the opposite. It says exactly this: People who deny global warm-ing, deep down, are engaged in us vs. them thinking and they think the environmental

movement is really a socialist movement and wants to wreck economies.

How is common ground possible when people are thinking in this way?

You know, I really wish that conservatives would let liberals back into the tribe with them. Environmentalists are not allowed. It doesn’t make sense to have things that way when both are living in the same country.

Everybody gets their own information now; everybody has their own media. We’re divided into teams and the other team is the bad guy. American politics is not integrally complex, it’s very binary and the media is very binary.

ILG: A Pew report came out last month that said Americans have never been so profoundly divided along political lines.

MOONEY: Well, that’s what a lot of people have been saying, so it doesn’t strike me as new. The right has mobilized an authoritarian streak, and authoritarians are us-and-them thinkers. They’re black-and-white thinkers; that’s one of the cheap traits that go with authoritarians. Plus, intolerance of ambiguity and need for order and need for structure. So I fully agree that we are much more polarized than we have ever been. I think it is a reflection of the right getting more and more authoritarian.

ILG: What are some of the authoritarian tools in achieving this?

MOONEY: Look at the labeling that goes on in politics, labeling people socialists, labeling people communists … it essentially marks them out as enemies. You see a ton of that today. You have a president who is a moderate being called a socialist, and that’s making him out as

the enemy and marking him as not part of the group. Of course they also claim he’s not born in the United States and that he’s a Muslim — that’s a different kind of “out” group.

ILG: How is this labeling augmented by unlim-ited corporate campaign contributions?

MOONEY: Well, in as far as campaign commercials are divisive and push people’s emotional buttons… it just means there will be more of that. Irrespective of whether it’s campaign season or not, you have FOX and FOX’s audience, including a large number of authoritarians, and FOX is always construct-ing this battle. It’s constructing its own real-

ity for conservatives and Limbaugh is doing it, too, throwing people out of the tribe.

ILG: In your personal life, does your tribe include conservatives?

MOONEY: I’m way more conservative than most liberals I know. I’m temperamentally blended. I hate liberal’s disorganization, it drives me crazy. I really like people do-ing things on time, being really confident and ordered and structured — that’s what makes conservatives appealing to me.

Obama never inspires me more than when he talks about killing Osama Bin Laden. There are a lot of people on the left who just recoil from that, whereas I

Kicked out of the tribe


Chris Mooney on the psychology of ideology

“I really wish that conservatives would let liberals back into the tribe with them.”

— Chris Mooney

Author Chris Mooney


think Obama’s at his best as a tough, strong leader, making strong decisions.

I’ve got this conservative streak, so I was really supportive of John McCain in 2000. When Democrats are running I always like the ones with a military background. So I’m a liberal in the current context but I’m a centrist liberal, you know?

If politics in the US were sane and bal-anced there might be many more situa-tions where I would end up supporting Republicans, but it’s absolutely impossible to support them now because they’re an authoritarian party and I am extraordinari-ly against authoritarians.

ILG: So you feel the authoritarian obsession on the right is sort of nudging you in a liberal

direction that you wouldn’t normally inhabit?

MOONEY: I’m the kind of person who’d be out there in the center if the center was a sane place. But the center’s basically a bogus place where you pretend the groups are equally biased, but then they’re not equally biased and all the evidence is clear they’re not behaving in the same way.

ILG: How do you think someone of a conserva-tive, authoritarian persuasion sees himself?

MOONEY: It’s not easy for me to put myself in authoritarian shoes, except the closest I’ve been is after 9/11, when everybody was feeling fear. I was living in Washington D.C. and we felt there was anthrax in the mail, you know? I certainly lost a lot of nuance and wanted to support a strong leader, George W. Bush, and even things like racial profiling sounded better to me than they certainly do now because you just want to preserve your life. In that situation fear is the most powerful emotion.

It overrides everything else and it makes people authoritarian, or something like authoritarian, and so I felt myself shift. It only took a little time and then you shift back to normal — what’s normal for me anyway.

So the thing is to think that there are probably people going through life that way all the time. They feel like the world is more threatening, and so I shifted into that kind of worldview for a while after 9/11 — most people did. I think it’s a very natural thing; it makes sense human beings are built to be able to do that.

ILG: As climate change becomes more obvious, do you ever think, ‘Okay, this denial can’t go on much longer’? I mean, we could have sea level rise of ten meters and people would still disbe-lieve climate change. How long can this go on?

MOONEY: Sea level rise is not going to

happen fast, in the near term. So people will always find a way to rationalize. Look, if Greenland split into the ocean, and sea level shot up in tens of meters, the crisis would be so big that everything would change.

I’m not sure it’s something we expect in coming decades. So barring that, I fully expect people to be able to try and rational-ize most of it. Now, if there was another weather-related event that people inter-preted in terms of climate change — rightly or wrongly — and it became the dominant force like Hurricane Katrina did...you could conceivably have a change where basically the whole national narrative changes and that can be really profound.

But barring that, no, I expect people to basically continue to deny, deny, deny, until we pass a law to deal with the issue and the world just finally takes action. Then I think there will be less reason to deny.

I think denial is all about the status quo and what people don’t want, and once

that changes then there is less of a need for denial. That’s when it will become less relevant and less emotionally driven because there will be other things to get emotional about.

ILG: I come away from reading your book that we all preach to our choirs.

MOONEY: We do, you know, no argument.

ILG: Do you have any advice on how to expand beyond the choir format?

MOONEY: What I take away from all this is that conservatives are going to be very hard to reach. However, the people in the middle who are blended are going to have some lib-eral traits. So for the liberal to make inroads to the center it’s really important to under-stand the conservatives.

That should lead the left to curb some of its excesses, and there are a lot of kinds of curbs I think could be useful. I’ll just take the one when President Obama starts doing his swagger about how tough he is, he killed Osama Bin Laden. I would say ‘Guys, realize that that’s what works to get to the center.’ I mean, there’s a reason he’s doing it. It also seems to be part of who he is, but it’s politi-cally brilliant.

ILG: So you think there are people out there that respond to swagger and go ‘Oh! Obama’s a hawk after all?’ My perception is that it does no good at all with the Republican Party, they never budge a centimeter.

MOONEY: But it isn’t for them, it’s for the middle and I think that the majority of people support that and I think the polls will show that. The approval rating went way, way, way up when he killed Osama Bin Laden.

I think it’s only a certain kind of liberal who doesn’t understand the appeal of that.

Conservatives do so well because there’s this great emotional appeal to being conservative because you become part of a team and every-body supports you and it feels great to belong. I don’t think we understand the conservatives enough; it would help us if we did.

ILG: I am concerned your book will only be read by people willing to think about how they think. And the irony here is you’re using science to talk about a whole population that doesn’t believe in science.

MOONEY: No, no, I know, and they’re very upset. They could, if they wanted to, grapple with this information. Then they could find an understanding that shows many conser-vative strengths, but there’s weakness in the areas of science and facts.

Conservatives really ought to just make their peace with that. I mean, they’ve got many other strengths and it doesn’t have to be a battle.

ILG: In fact, your book argues that we actu-ally need each other, but the tragedy is that we are separated in this polarized world and cannot work together.

MOONEY: I would love to live in a world where we work together, but getting us there is difficult to contemplate right now. I think the left, the center left — the Obama left — is really, really ready to work together, but I don’t think the right is. I think that’s what you’d expect based on the characteristics of the group, espe-cially when you get the right kind of extreme.

ILG: Where do you see all of this research into neuroscience and psychology taking you?

MOONEY: Once you go down this road and understand the psychology of ideology, you don’t go back because you can’t look at politics the same way ever again. You can’t look at politics as some kind of rational actor. It makes so much more sense this way, and it was laying there just sort of in plain sight in the scientific literature.

I’m just reporting on the research and the researchers say I’m reporting on it right.

Keep up with Chris Mooney at desmog-blog.com and the Point of Inquiry podcast at centerforinquiry.net.


“I’m way more conservative than most liberals I know.”

— Chris Mooney

WATTS & WHATNOT

Indiana BMV updates rules involving cyclists

The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles and the City of Indianapolis revealed changes in the newest edition of the Indiana Driver’s Manual that address issues for cyclists in traffic and in the 64 miles of on-street bike lanes in Indianapolis.

Drivers and cyclists have been confused since the city established bike lanes on roads, but offered little guidance on how traffic behavior would change. Interactions between automobile drivers and cyclists are explained in the new version, and study questions have been added to ensure that the information retains importance. The additional information prepares drivers for bike related lane markings and list situa-tions to keep in mind while driving.

The BMV, the city and Bicycle Indiana

teamed up to create the educational material and increase the number of cycling-related ques-tions on the driver’s written knowledge test.

The BMV driver’s knowledge test will now be able to include six questions about bike lanes, which is twice the previous number. The changes will be effective by the end of July. The Indianap-olis Bikeways Plan hopes to install a total of 200 miles of bike lanes over the next 12 years.

— Jordan Martich

Global Warming: new perspectives

A new survey shows that Americans no lon-ger view climate change as the most pressing environmental concern. The study was con-ducted as a series of phone interviews between June 13-21. Eight hundred and four adults nationwide participated, and the study has a margin of error of 4.5 percent. Most people be-

lieve that climate change is an issue caused by anthropogenic pollution, and people think that government and big business should do more to fix it. Here is a breakdown of the results:

• 18% say global warming is their top concern (down from 33% in 2007)

• Nearly 75% say the earth is warming, and some-thing needs to be done

• 78% say global warming will be a serious problem if left alone

• 55% say the U.S. government should do a great deal to solve the problem

• 61% say American businesses should do the same • 22% still think climate change stems from natural

causes alone • 18 % say the government is doing enough • 13% say businesses are taking sufficient action • More than 50% of Democrats say global warming

will have serious effect if nothing is done, while only 23% of Republicans say the same.

— Josh Watson

The Indiana CAFO Watch Group confer-ence will be held on Saturday, August 4 at the Mill Creek Civic Center, located at 17 Veterans Boulevard, Chesterfield, Ind., from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The group will distribute communication tools and techniques for participants to effectively educate their neighbors on the environ-mental impacts of CAFOs.

Indiana has roughly 2,000 confined feeding operations, 628 of which are the larger CAFOs.

These large CAFOs are responsible for about 80 percent of all livestock raised in Indiana, which includes approximately 850,000 cows, more than 3.6 million swine, and more than 42 million birds per year. These animals are mass produced in assembly-line fashion and generate vast amounts of manure.

Attendees can network with other envi-ronmentalists concerned about the quality of industrialized food production, water and air pollution, and the impact of CAFOs on Indiana’s agricultural economy.

“If people are interested in finding out more about how the farm bill will affect their consumer dollars, more on arsenic and other animal feed issues, we invite them to attend,” Barbara Sha Cox, event organizer, says. “We are a grass roots group and most of our work is done networking with others in our group and other grassroots groups.”

A full schedule of the conference in-cludes lectures by some of Indiana’s most important environmentalists. Six speakers will give presentations on a variety of top-ics, each followed by a period for questions from the audience.

Lynn Henning, family farmer and winner of the 2010 Goldman Environmental Award for North America (The $150,000 prize is the largest awarded to grassroots envi-ronmentalists worldwide), will give a talk entitled “Reclaiming Agriculture” at 9:35 Saturday morning.

At 10:55 a.m. Terry Spence will give the talk “The Impacts of Failed Farm Policies to Independent Producers and Consumers.” Spence is a second-generation farmer with an eco-friendly resume across the board.

Following a break for lunch, Patti Truant presents “Arsenic and Pharmaceuticals in Poul-try Feather Meal: Recent Research and Impli-cations” at 1 p.m. Truant is a PhD student with experience in environmentalism, agriculture, journalism and public health research.

Cheryl Burdett will speak at 2:15 on “EPA Inspections at Animal Feeding Operations.” Burdett is a CAFO program manager based in Chicago, and has been an enforcement officer with the EPA since 2003.

Bruce Palin will discuss “Updated Con-fined Feeding Rules.” Palin has worked with the state’s regulatory committee for solid waste for 36 years, currently with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

The last speaker will be Matt Pearson, fer-tilizer administrator with the Office of Indiana State chemist, on “OISC Fertilizer Rules.”

The closing comments are expected to end at 4 p.m. The $10 registration fee includes a continental breakfast and lunch buffet made by local farms, which will be serving meat, vegetarian and vegan op-tions, alongside seasonal and locally-grown fruits and vegetables.

“There needs to be a common ground where the issues can be discussed and problems solved. There would be a lot less strife in the rural communities if there were discussions,” Cox says. “In that respect, we hope that what people learn can be taken back to their com-munities and used for productive discussions.”

Email Barbara Sha Cox at [email protected] for a registration form and call 765-962-2184 with any questions. Send a check made out to Barbara Sha Cox, or a money order for $10.00 per person, and registration form by Friday, July 20, 2012, to P.O. Box 1572 Rich-mond, Ind., 47375. If you must register later, call the above number to check for openings.

CAFO Watch conference promisesexpertise, inspiration by Jordan Martich


CAFO Watch Group’s Barbara Sha Cox


illustration by shelby kelley

back to school eco-activism primer BY ILG STAFF

Welcome to our first ever, as-comprehensive-as-we-could-make-it, survey of Indiana colleges and universities, regarding their sustainability efforts. We here at ILG firmly believe that all the cool kids (of ALL ages) looking to choose a college will be factoring in the relative

“greenness” of the institution. So here is a feast of information for you and yours.

Note when we say “activism” we don’t necessarily mean political or oppositional activity, though that is certainly a part of the overall effort. No, mostly what we mean by activism is GET OFF YOUR BUTT and

do something for the planet. Plant a garden, ride a bike and/or chain yourself to a coal plant.

Note also that each one of these institutions will be presented on our website, complete with live links to the offices and organizations mentioned.

Anderson UniversityLOCATION: AndersonESTABLISHED: 1917STUDENT POPULATION: 2,000

Anderson University works towards sustainable food service with local suppli-ers, biodegradable products, a commu-nity garden and several other campus programs for environmental education. Other recycling and conservation policies involve students in reducing the impact of pollution daily and provide practical environmental management information through seminars, presentations, convo-cations and messages directed at students.

ACTIVIST GROUPS• Community Garden:A student group initiated a community garden on campus in the spring of 2010. The group began with fundraising to support its project, tilling the land, erecting an equipment storage shed and leasing garden plots to community members and students.• The Sustainability Committee was cre-ated in order to plan activities, strengthen commitment to sustainable practices, and facilitate education on sustainability.

Ball State UniversityLOCATION: MuncieESTABLISHED: 1918STUDENT POPULATION: 22,000PRESIDENTS’ CLIMATE COMMITMENT: YES [see sidebar above]

This university prides itself on initiatives to-ward sustainability, whether through student organizations or academic committees. Ball State’s Center for Energy Research and Edu-cation Service has been awarded by several organizations for its work toward sustainabil-ity. The university is also constructing a geo-thermal heating and cooling system to end reliance on the coal-fired boilers that were being used, currently the biggest geothermal project in the nation.

ACTIVIST GROUPS• The Ball State Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, which is a student sub-unit of the American Fisheries Society, fosters interaction between professionals, faculty and students in the fisheries field. It regularly hosts various talks given by fisheries professionals. The chap-ter is also active in the community. For example, it cleans up part of the White River every year.• The Wildlife Society is an international non-profit scholastic and scientific associa-tion. The Ball State chapter was founded in 1997. The organization’s mission is to increase stewardship, ensure responsible

use of wildlife resources for the benefit of society, and enhance the ability of wildlife professionals to conserve diversity and sustain productivity.• The Ball State University Energy Action Team (BEAT) is a student organization who’s goal is to reduce energy consump-tion on campus and provide resources for sustainable energy education.• The Ball State University Natural Resourc-es Club raises environmental awareness in relation to preservation and conservation of the natural world through student service projects, speakers and various activities.• Students for a Sustainable Campus is self-described as a “grassroots organization that promotes sustainability on campus.” The orga-nization has sponsored many activities includ-ing Recyclemania, a reusable bottle program, Step It Up, as well as improving the universi-ties recycling program, and helping to “green” the campus’ housing and dining options. Their overall goal is to reach a net zero energy status and carbon footprint on the campus.• The Ball State University United States Green Building Council Students is a self-described interdisciplinary and diverse group of students with unique talents. In order to become future leaders in the green building industry, the group explores the use of passive design and renewable energy in relation to the natural world.

• Ball State University Council on the Envi-ronment is a University-Wide Clearinghouse for Sustainability Initiatives. The organiza-tion was founded on March 26, 2001 by Warren Vander Hill (the Vice President of Academic Affairs). The council is comprised of not only students, but also representatives from each of the university’s colleges, and members of the Muncie community. Their mission is to provide an open forum for en-vironmental issues and promote education on sustainable practices.• The Academy for Sustainability is an univer-sity knowledge group that focuses on research, education, and service. The Academy for Sus-tainability helps to develop financial support for education (including immersion trips, higher education, and community leadership). Their goal is to work towards solving complex issues such as social justice, economic equality, and en-vironmental sustainability. The purpose of the organization is to serve as a center for collabo-ration and information, connecting university partners, faculty, staff, students, and community members, to achieve common goals. • The Center for Energy Research/Educa-tion/Service (CERES) at Ball State Univer-sity is an academic support group. Their mission is to develop and maintain resources as well as educate the community. Principal issues include energy use, conservation, and contemporary alternative energy solutions.


Presidents’ Climate Commitment Because of concern about global warming

and its effects on all aspects of human life, numerous university presidents have made a commitment to take defi nitive action to stop and reverse damage done to the earth. The presidents who sign this commitment recognize the importance of reducing the greenhouse gases in order to create a more stable environment. The signers of the PCC believe the benefi ts of changing our lifestyle will greatly outweigh the challenges, and it is the responsibility of the colleges and universi-ties to become leaders and set an example by taking action. This includes minimizing waste, developing LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) buildings and buying at least 15 percent of the energy consumed on campus from renewable resources.HISTORY: At an AASHE (Association for the Ad-vancement of Sustainability in Higher Education) conference in 2006 at Arizona State University, 12 university presidents decided to start the Presi-dents’ Climate Commitment.NUMBER OF SIGNATORIES THUS FAR: 677.MORE INFO: presidentsclimatecommitment.org

college eco-activism

Butler UniversityLOCATION: IndianapolisESTABLISHED: 1855STUDENT POPULATION: 4,660 PRESIDENTS’ CLIMATE COMMITMENT?: Yes[see sidebar, pg. 10]

The Center for Urban Ecology (CUE) aims to be a national leader in its field. Established in 2004 by faculty and staff from the Department of Biological Sciences, the organization spurs conversation at Butler and in the city of Indianapolis about the fundamental importance of ecological knowledge for a sus-tainable future and how living things interact and relate with urban environments.Butler University’s Sustainability Advisory Council, comprised of administrators, faculty, staff and students organizes workshops, film screenings and speakers fo-cused on sustainability. It success-fully campaigned for green power and the purchase of exclusively Energy Star certified appliances for the school. Additionally, the council has made sure cleaning products used on campus are environmentally friendly.

ACTIVIST GROUPS• The Butler University Resale Network sets up sales of un-wanted items from dorm rooms and apartments. Proceeds ben-efit many local non-profits.

• Launched last school year, Green Operations focuses on education and the significance of learning in the process of sus-tainable living. Green Operations is a committee of the Council on Presidential Affairs, a division of Butler University’s Student Government Association.• Student ECO (Environmental Concerns Organization) is one of Butler University’s largest student organizations. Student ECO’s goals are to help improve sustainability efforts on campus, raise aware-ness about environmental issues and promote positive lifestyles. An initiative of the Council on Presidential Affairs, Student ECO organizes many campus events, including a monthly film series, Butler earth week, hiking trips, Butler campus farm assistance and green fundraisers. It also organizes Butler’s Recyclemania, a multi-campus recycling competition.• Formed in 2007 and com-prised of students, faculty and staff, ECO Dawgs is a committee focused on the efficient use of resources in the campus com-munity and stewardship of the environment. ECO Dawgs has assisted in getting cardboard compactors and placing recy-cling stations on campus and has helped other student environ-mental groups in their objectives.


Start/Finish Line:435 Mass Ave. – in the heart of the Mass Ave Cultural District. See European-style racing up close and personal as cyclists from around the Midwest race by you at 25-35 mph as they compete for $5k in cash and $5k in prizes!

Discover Mass Ave:Grab a meal or stick around for a cool beverage in the afternoon as you shop, stroll, or just hang out with family friends in the heart of Indy’s Mass Ave Cultural District. This arts and theatre district offers a variety of public art, top-notch galleries, live music and theatre as well as eclectic restaurants, shops, and night spots.

Race Headquarters:Race Registration and Information will be on the east side of the Chatterbox Building at 435 Mass Ave. Race day registration permitted for all races.

New Belgium Beer Garden:The Beer Garden will be located at the corner of Mass Ave and Alabama St.

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Earlham College LOCATION: Richmond, INESTABLISHED: 1832STUDENT POPULATION: 1,181

The Center for Environmental Action serves as the university’s hub of ecological stewardship. The CEA develops and promotes experiential, field-based learning opportunities both on and off-campus for students and faculty. The CEA also aims to serve as a resource and catalyst for interdisciplinary, collaborative teaching and learning on environ-mental matters across disciplines.

ACTIVIST GROUPS• The Earlham Environmental Action Coalition (EEAC) mission is to make Earlham a sustainable campus as well as to be a leader in environmental activism. It is working with environmental agen-cies to bring awareness of current legislation. The Energy Action Coalition and EEAC are working together to make Earlham’s funds go to eco-friendly companies. • The Agricultural Program and Miller Farm gives students hands-on experience with sustainable farming practices in their three

organic gardens. Students are urged to come up with their own environ-mentally friendly ventures. • The Geology Club is a way for students to gain more knowledge in the field of geology. Students gain hands-on experience with different geological concepts through various types of field trips. The field trips are to differ-ent types of developed geological areas near Earlham’s campus. • Earlham Volunteer Exchange (EVE) This organization is led by Earlham students and was started in 1974. Its mission is to have Earl-ham students engaged in volun-teering opportunities in nearby ar-eas. An important initiative for the organization is to provide different learning opportunities for students interested in volunteering.


DePauw UniversityLOCATION: GreencastleESTABLISHED: 1837STUDENT POPULATION: 2,390PRESIDENTS’ CLIMATE COMMITMENT: YES[see sidebar, pg. 10]

DePauw is no place for under-achievers. The campus aims to be carbon-neutral by 2040, and to reach that ambitious goal, the Office of Sustainability is drawing on the enthusiasm and determina-tion of the student body, through a variety of organizations, programs and events throughout the year. Among its projects is the DePauw Nature Park, which educates and inspires students as they indulge in the park’s 520 acres of wildlife and 10 miles of trails.

ACTIVIST GROUPS• The DePauw Cycling Club cele-brates all the reasons for loving your bike, from the low environmental impact, the freedom from gas prices, and the bonding that comes as they zoom together down the road.• Indiana is filled with a secret trove of beautiful rock faces just begging to be climbed, and the Rock Climbing Club seeks to bond with our natural wonders by climbing every one of them.• The DePauw Environmental Club is focused on making a green impact on campus and their community, through discus-sion, volunteer work and events throughout the year.

Franklin CollegeLOCATION: FranklinESTABLISHED: 1834STUDENT POPULATION: 1,060PRESIDENTS’ CLIMATE COMMITMENT: YES[see sidebar, pg. 10]

Franklin University takes a collab-orative approach to environmental responsibility. Students from all majors are involved in programs throughout campus: math students find the most efficient uses of elec-tricity, the chemistry department converts used cooking oil into bio-

diesel to run the school lawnmow-ers, members of the Campus Green Team work to upgrade inefficient lights, and all the students are encouraged to participate in Frank-lin’s robust recycling program.

ACTIVIST GROUP• Environmental Activists Restor-ing the Habitats and the Campus Green Team: (E.A.R.T.H.) brings the community together through volunteer work and outdoor events to build an appreciation for the en-vironment and the natural habitat.

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Goshen College LOCATION: Goshen, INESTABLISHED: 1894STUDENT POPULATION: around 900PRESIDENTS’ CLIMATE COMMITMENT: YES[see sidebar, pg. 10]

The Department of Sustainability and Environmental Education was established in 2007 shortly after the Presidents’ climate commit-ment; the office is run by professor and utilities manager Glenn Gilbert and their focus is wetland, prairie and savanna restorations as well as sustainable agriculture. Merry Lea and Rieth Village was the first building project in Indi-ana to earn LEED platinum certifi-

cation, it is a 1,150-acre nature preserve and learning center.

ACTIVIST GROUPS• EcoPax is concerned about all environmental issues on campus and in the community. It takes ac-tive steps to change unsustainable practices on campus and surround-ing communities, and have a large part in implementing composting in the campus dining hall. • Eco-Sustainability Committee merges Christian faith with the care and concern for nature and all creation. They encourage sustainable practices and the reduction of fossil fuel use.

Hanover CollegeLOCATION: HanoverESTABLISHED: 1827STUDENT POPULATION: 1000

The Community Stewardship Initia-tive is a student organization started in 2011 that focuses on all obstacles surrounding the environment and social justice. It aims primarily to coordinate community events to meet the needs of the community and to raise campus awareness of such issues and increase interest in making positive changes in both global and local arenas.

ACTIVIST GROUPS• The Nature and Outdoor Club offers outdoor enjoyment

as well as opportunities for community service to improve the environment. Nolan Hahn [email protected]• Geology Professor Ken Bevis has a community garden at the edge of campus to increase interest in sustainable living. • The Rivers Institute spreads information about rivers and their environments. • People for Peace is a club which generally promotes peace but also has traveled to Appalachia to explore coal mining practices and its impact on the environment and the community there.

Indiana State UniversityLOCATION: Terre HauteESTABLISHED: 1865POPULATION: 11, 494PRESIDENTS’ CLIMATE COMMITMENT: YES[see sidebar, pg. 10]

The Presidents’ Council on Sus-tainability, the hub for sustain-ability practices, is responsible for overseeing the working groups, which focus on improv-ing sustainability practices with-in ISU. These working groups are composed of students who inspect sustainability practices within ISU and develop mission statements and goals to work

toward. The Presidents’ Council includes the president of Indiana State and its vice presidents.

ACTIVIST GROUPS• The Sustainability Team has filled requirements of Presidents’ Climate Commitment including: a review of gas emissions, goals for actions leading to climate neutrality, climate neutrality and sustainability having a role in cur-riculum and hosting a forum on sustainability.• The recycling center began in 1990 as a campus wide project and now has expanded to a com-munity recycling center.

IU Bloomington LOCATION: Bloomington, INESTABLISHED: 1820STUDENT POPULATION: 42,464

The Student Sustainability Coun-cil at Indiana University, Bloom-ington encourages dialogue and cooperation between its member organizations to counsel the Indiana University Office of Sus-tainability from the viewpoints of the students, to diminish the adverse effects of the University on the environment, to encourage social and economic integrity and to involve the Indiana University student body in these problems.

ACTIVIST GROUPS• Coal Free IU is a movement started in 2009 to aid Indiana University-Bloomington’s con-version from coal to 100 percent clean and sustainable energy sources. This is a portion of a national operation to shut down or substitute campus-based coal plants and end the schools’ reli-ance on the coal-generated pow-er they consume. It is officially supported by the Sierra Student Coalition and Sierra Club on over 30 university campuses.• Greeks Go Green facilitates the move to a more ecologically friendly Greek community. The group sends information to the Greek community on how to be-come more sustainable and sets up recycling programs for all the Greek houses. Most of all, Greeks Go Green desires to set a positive example for the whole campus.• Net Impact tries to study and share various ways that sus-tainability can be assimilated into business. The assembly concentrates on the connection between public, financial and environmental problems. Net Impact Undergrad is a new proj-ect started in 2007 through an experimental program with 24 undergraduate divisions. Net Im-

pact’s membership has generally been comprised of MBAs, grad students, and young specialists who want to use their influence to benefit the economy, human-ity and the environment.• Revitalizing Animal Well-Being (RAW) attempts to encourage healthy, cheerful lives for all walks of life (including humans) in Bloomington. The organiza-tion does this by backing public guidelines and laws that defend animal welfare and respecting the connections humans share with animals. RAW is an extensive orga-nization which welcomes any staff and students who want to serve as advocates for animals, regardless of their level of experience.• Students Producing Organics Under The Sun (SPROUTS)’s goal is to bring Bloomington residents and IU students together in order to teach them about the process of organic food production.• Volunteers in Sustainability (ViS) members gathered in 2008 from a wide array of studies in IU’s schools to decrease IU’s adverse impact on the environ-ment, encourage public and economic integrity, and involve the Bloomington and IU popula-tions in these problems. The organization arranges practical volunteer projects, performs mi-nor research ventures, holds edu-cational sustainability awareness campaigns, and promotes panels, lectures and group deliberations. • The student union is a part of the American Cetacean Society (ACS), the world’s first whale preservation society. They strive to successfully shield ce-taceans and their environment. The ACSSC have confidence that research and activism can work in collaboration. Students are encouraged by the society to use their knowledge to assist whale populations.

Indiana University-Purdue University of ColumbusLOCATION: ColumbusESTABLISHED: 1970STUDENT POPULATION: 1,700

The Purdue Sustainability Council was formed in 2007 and

is actively identifying issues, dis-cussing options, educating the campus community and making recommendations on the future direction for sustainability ini-tiatives. It has spearheaded wa-ter and resource waste minimi-zation programs and recycling initiatives on its campuses.

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Indiana Wesleyan UniversityLOCATION: MarionESTABLISHED: 1985STUDENT POPULATION: 3,200 on main cam-pus, 15,200 in total

Since 2009, the Indiana Wesleyan University Creation Stewardship Initiative serves as the college’s office of sustainable programs. The Cre-ation Stewardship Initiative seeks to educate and raise awareness around the IWU campus about sustainability and stewardship. They ask what re-sponsibility Christians have in taking care of the environment.

ACTIVIST GROUP• The Creation Care Alliance works as the student branch of the IWU’s Creation Stewardship initiative, provoking students to take action and demonstrate the ideals of stewardship on campus and in the surrounding communities.

University of Notre Dame LOCATION: Notre Dame, INESTABLISHED: 1842STUDENT POPULATION: 5,000

Established in 2008, Notre Dame’s Office of Sustainability has imple-mented game day recycling pro-grams for football Saturdays which employs students. The program collected 173 tons of trash last year. Each dorm is being given a water bottle re-filling station, and in 2010, the Office of Sustainability started a community garden, using the harvest in the dining food service.

ACTIVIST GROUPS• GreenND provides leadership and communication between

other environmentally-related student groups. • Students for Environmental Action seeks to educate the Notre Dame community as well as sur-rounding communities on issues related to environment, social, political, economic, and people. • The Energy Advisory Board formed in 2007, and provides leadership and advice on energy-related issues, as well as develop-ing programs in support of the energy center mission.

Ivy Tech State CollegeLOCATION: Multiple locations in IndianaESTABLISHED: 1963STUDENT POPULATION: 174,000

Ivy Tech encourages its students to look at the world in a greener light. Because the school is spread across the state, the available programs and organizations vary slightly from campus to campus.

ACTIVIST GROUPS• Indy Green Space is Ivy Tech’s environmental blog, spreading the news of develop-ments, controversies, and events to the student body.• A Building Dashboard is available for Ivy Tech, allow-ing students and staff to track the amount of electricity and natural gas is being used by the various buildings on an hourly, daily, weekly or monthly basis.

Indiana University Purdue University of IndianapolisLOCATION: IndianapolisESTABLISHED: 1969STUDENT POPULATION: 30,000

OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITYThis recently created office (2011) serves to help coordinate and sup-port the numerous sustainability efforts currently happening on campus, as well as inviting com-munity members onto its advisory board to reach out beyond its campus parameters.

OTHER OFFICESCreated in 1997, IUPUI’s Center for Earth and Environmental Science (CEES) has come to full bloom in recent years, earn-ing recognition as a Signature Center of Excellence in 2007. As part of its initiative, CEES has a wide array of research and education programs, covering everything from general stew-ardship, to ecosystem restora-tion, to GeoInformatics, as well as service learning opportuni-ties and outreach programs to strengthen the community.The Richard G. Lugar Center for Renewable Energy is located in IUPUI’s School of Engineering and Technology. Founded in 2007, this center is a nexus for technol-ogy, research and education to address and create innovations in clean energy, from hydrogen to fuel cells to bio-fuels.

ACTIVIST GROUPS• Developing IUPUI Gar-dens Sustainably (DIGS) only stepped into the limelight recently, but since then it’s grown like a weed, spreading the message of urban gardening across Indianapolis. • Environmental law is a grow-ing field, and the Environmen-tal Law Society aims to get its members in touch with the major topics through discussion and debate. • The Student sustainability Council of IUPUI (SSC) works to connect student activists with organizations around Indiana in order to develop and support sustainable practices on campus and in the community.• The School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) works to make a student’s time at IUPUI the best it can be, through a smorgasbord of events and a focus on IUPUI’s role in the community.• Go Green, IUPUI’s mission is to make the campus greener and more environmentally friendly, through a variety of events and programs. • A chapter of Citizens for Global Solutions, the CGSI works to bring nations together to find solutions for worldwide problems and make the world a better place to live.• Heifer International aims to make an impact on world hunger and poverty, and creating sus-tainable lifestyles for people on campus and abroad.

Marian UniversityLOCATION: IndianapolisESTABLISHED: 1937STUDENT POPULATION: 2,615

Some campuses try to be ‘green’ in the figurative sense, but it’s hard to get greener than the Nina Mason Pulliam EcoLab: a 55-acre stretch of wetland, forest and prairie on campus, which oversees environmental education and outreach programs, both lo-cally and nation-wide. EcoLab’s programs are targeted at K-12 students and families as well as university students, in hopes of bringing sustainability to the entire community.

ACTIVIST GROUPS• Hunting and fishing gives us some of the biggest advocates of wildlife conservation, and the Bass Fishing Club is determined to keep wildlife beautiful so future generations can enjoy their favorite pastime. • The Global Studies Club aims to raise awareness of issues that span the globe, and climate change and environmental stewardship are no exceptions.• The recently resurrected Green Life Club is a student-run organization which teams up with College Mentors for Kids to green the campus and their community, and teach the younger generation about sustainability and environ-mental stewardship.

an


With reporting help from: Jordan Martich (Ball State) Olivia McPherson (Hanover), Anthony Orozco (University of Cincinnati), Jennifer Troemner (IUPUI, graduated 2012), and Sarah Ward (IUSB).

University of IndianapolisLOCATION: IndianapolisESTABLISHED: 1902STUDENT POPULATION: 5,345

The University of Indianapolis offers majors in Environmental Science, Environmental Geology, and Environmental Sustainabil-ity, and supports environmental programs and education, but it lacks a dedicated office of sustainability. The UIndy Physical Plant oversees campus maintenance, and strives to make UIndy a sustainable and low-impact center of education.

ACTIVIST GROUP• PAWS, or Promoting Animal Welfare and Safety, is a student initiative to promote the health and ethical treatment of the other creatures with which we share our planet.

Purdue UniversityLOCATION: West LafayetteESTABLISHED: 1869STUDENT POPULATION: 39,637

The Purdue Sustainability Council is led by Director of Sustainabil-ity Michael J. Gulich, a LEED accredited professional and an architect responsible for advancing sustainability efforts on campus by collaborating with students, faculty and staff. The Council concentrates on energy conservation, responsible use of land, increasing awareness about sustainability, buying green, pollution prevention and waste minimization. Additionally, it runs an active tree protection program and policy to protect about 8,000 campus trees from construction and maintenance damage.

ACTIVIST GROUPS• Boiler Green Initiative, a campus-wide student organiza-tion, focuses on enhancing sus-tainability initiatives on campus and its surrounding communi-ties and challenging the Purdue

community to become environ-mentally engaged. • Carbon Neutrality at Pur-due addresses environmental issues with a specific focus on reducing the carbon footprint of Purdue University and the surrounding community. They work with the administration on incorporating energy effi-ciency and sustainable practices into their strategic plan. • Ecology Club helps connect environmental clubs at Purdue and people who are interested in ecology and expanding that interest and creating a means of using that knowledge. They also help local organizations with volunteer work. • Purdue GreenBuild focuses on increasing knowledge and under-standing of green construction and by aiding members to become LEED Green Associates and Accredited Professionals. They ad-vocate for a greener environment around campus and the surround-ing community through education.

University of Southern IndianaLOCATION: EvansvilleESTABLISHED: 1965STUDENT POPULATION: 11,000

ACTIVIST GROUPS• The Live On, Live Green program governs over the residence halls to encourage students to reduce reuse and recycle. This includes six re-cycling stations around campus to promote green living. It is managed by a staff, with one staff member assigned to each building and ad-ditional staffers as well. • HEAR (Human, Environmental, and Animal Rights) is an open forum for students to express their ideas about any issues regarding the rights of the aforementioned groups. • Has a “Bright Ideas Box,” an online forum to submit ideas to improve campus sustainability.

Indiana University South BendLOCATION: South Bend, INESTABLISHED: 1916STUDENT POPULATION: 7,712

The Center for a Sustainable Future was founded in 2008, and is cur-rently organized under Director Mike Keen and Assistant Director Krista Baily. The center has hosted an e-waste recycling event for the past three years, and supports com-

munity events like the rain barrel auction and the Michiana Food Summit and collaborates with Notre Dame and the city of South Bend on community Energy Day events.

ACTIVIST GROUP• The Sustainability and Well-ness Club is responsible for the campus housing community gar-den, and proposed and received partial funding for purchasing material pertaining to sustain-ability for the campus library.

University of EvansvilleLOCATION: EvansvilleESTABLISHED: 1854STUDENT POPULATION: 2934

OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY• Living Green is the directory of green resources and services on campus. It is a branch of the residence life department and offers links to all things regard-ing sustainability and environ-mental awareness, including local recycling centers. It also has participated in the national 8 week recycling competition Recyclmania for the previous 2 years. Living Green ensures 1100 acres of land in Vectren State park for student use to study, local meat and produce

used in the cafeteria, and conducts ecology research into the effects of pollutants and the impact of industrial waste on the environment.

ACTIVIST GROUPS• Eco Action Initiative is a student group which works on transforming older buildings into greener structures. • Environmental Concerns Orga-nization is a student group which focuses on recycling and other green community projects. • The campus recycling pro-gram makes recycling stations conveniently available. It also offers volunteer and work study positions to students.

VincennesUniversityLOCATION: VincennesESTABLISHED: 1801POPULATION: 13,500

The VU Green Task Force, the main effort on campus in pro-moting a more sustainable and green campus, had a brief hiatus but will be starting up again shortly. Its efforts rested mostly in making more available recy-cling and other green tasks. It is led by Professor Daniel Vaughn.

ACTIVIST GROUPS• Biology Club, a student run organization, has done work on the nature preserve and worked to create a rain garden center.• The Jasper campus sponsors Earth Week.• The Blue+Gold=Green campaign promotes recycling, and depends on individuals within a building to manage the recycling. • In 2009, a habitat restoration project was set in motion, funded by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

University of Indianapolis

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Ball State is often considered the forgot-ten stepchild to larger state schools such as IU and Purdue, but thanks to an ambitious new geothermal project, it is blazing new paths in large-scale energy efficiency and the world is taking notice.

The Muncie-based university is halfway through one of the most ambitious energy revamps in the nation, moving from pri-marily dirty coal to more of a reliance on geothermal and natural gas.

“No one has done a system like this before,” said Jim Lowe, Ball State’s Director of Engineering, Construction and Opera-tions, who spearheaded the project. “It’s a fantastic, forward-thinking project that will show the benefit of large-scale renewables … (and is) a great example of how we can reduce the U.S.’s dependence of foreign energy sources.”

University officials are pleased with what they’ve seen since the system went online after Thanksgiving last year. But despite the promise of $2 million in an-nual savings and reducing the university’s output of hundreds of thousands of tons of various pollutants, the second phase of the project is far from assured.

SIX TIMES MORE EFFICIENTWhen most people think geothermal heat,

they envision drilling deep into the earth and capturing the warmth generated far, far

underneath the earth’s surface. But that’s not how Ball State’s system works. Thousands of 400- to 500-foot boreholes have been drilled below the frost line in three fields across cam-pus. In hotter months, pipes carry warm water from the school’s cooling system through the soil — which is 55 degrees year round — to chill it. In the winter, cold water is pumped through the pipes and the ground helps heat it.

The borehole fields were strategically placed under green space and parking lots, allowing any repairs to be easily made.

Lowe estimates 25 percent or more of the heat generated by coal is lost through the plant’s smokestacks. The geothermal system is much more efficient, retaining all of the heat and, as a bonus, generating no pollutants. In the summer, the excess heat is recycled and used to heat water in buildings linked to the system.

Experts estimate the new system is 650 percent more efficient than the previous coal-fired version.

More than 1,000 miles of pipes were laced through the boreholes and connected to 10 miles of pipes, which currently connect 47 campus buildings to the geothermal system. More than 20,000 gallons of water are heat-

ed or cooled every minute under campus to serve 6 million square feet of space.

The system is designed to expand with the growing campus and has the capacity to supply several new buildings with heat and chilled air.

Lowe said Ball State’s geothermal project is about three times bigger than the next largest in the United States.

TURNING OFF COALCombined with the recent mild winter,

the first geothermal plant allowed the uni-versity to shut down — at least temporarily — all four of its coal-fired boilers, greatly reducing its carbon emissions.

Switching from coal was a massive undertak-ing. Ball State has relied on coal for heat for more than 100 years, since the school’s first building was constructed in 1898. When the campus expanded in 1918, so did the reliance on coal. The current set of coal boilers were constructed in the 1940s and ’50s and had been discharging 200 tons of particulate matter into the air annually since.

Experts estimate the new system is 650 percent more effi cient than the previous coal-fi red version

BSU GEOTHERMALblazes a new path By Robert Annis

college eco-activism

^Submitted Photos

Facilities director Jim Lowe atop the new geothermal building. (left) The facility in its phase two stage of construction. (top)


Ball State’s effort is about six times larger than any previous geothermal proj-ect undertaken in the United States, and the world has taken notice. Lowe says TV crews and officials from Germany, Japan and other countries have toured the new facility. Stanford, Ohio State and Kentucky are universities planning similar, if some-what smaller, geothermal projects.

“Military installations have been doing geo-thermal for years,” said Scott Conlon, director of projects for Ohio State University. “Energy costs are increasing dramatically, as are the costs to mitigate (carbon emissions). It was a simple decision once we did the research.

“What Ball State is doing is a great idea — geothermal works much better the bigger you get. We’d love to be able to do a central plant like they have. It’s very im-pressive, but we’re not at that point yet.”

As part of a federal stimulus grant, Lowe said Ball State will be closely monitoring its energy usage and posting the data for interested parties.

ENTER GEOTHERMALGeothermal wasn’t really considered

when Ball State began to investigate replacing the four coal boilers in 2004. Engineers planned to build new coal-fired boilers that would also burn biomass — renewable organic material such as wood,

agricultural crops and waste and even municipal waste — with the hope of going 100 percent biomass in the future.

But with federal emission regulations tightening and the potential costs skyrock-eting, university officials decided to look for other alternatives. Enter geothermal. Many Hoosier K-12 schools use similar systems, but on much smaller scales.

Ground was broken in 2009, and the first boreholes were drilled in the fall of 2010. The state-of-the-art energy station was completed in June 2011. Lowe estimates more than 2,300 jobs were created by the project, though most are temporary construction jobs.

“(We are) deeply impressed with the foresight and innovation of Ball State University’s geothermal project,” said Jesse Kharbanda, executive director of the Hoo-sier Environmental Council. “Ball State’s ambitious project is bringing cleaner air to East Central Indiana, saving significantly on long-term energy costs and showcas-ing their campus as a major innovator in an always competitive collegiate field. Ball State’s dynamism has also sparked wide-spread, renewed interest in geothermal technologies, which is already accelerating development of America’s geothermal sup-ply chain, and which will mean more Amer-ican jobs in renewable energy technology.

Ball State typically burns 36,000 tons of

coal a year, releasing 85,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions into the air and costing the university an average of $3.3 million a year. Although Ball State will save that money by no longer buying coal — at least in the future — Lowe estimated it could spend up to $1 million more for the elec-tricity used to pump the water through the pipes, though he said there hasn’t been a noticeable spike in electrical usage so far.

The cost of the geothermal system is about $80 million, but Ball State has raised only part of the funds, mostly from a $45 million appropriation from the state legislature and a $5 million federal stimu-lus grant. So far, only the north side of campus— with the exception of one or two buildings — has been connected to the sys-tem. The south side will be connected and an existing HVAC building converted into a pump station when the additional funding is obtained, but Lowe refused to speculate on when that might happen.

Lowe said the university is seeking grants and other funding options to begin the second phase. Barring another abnor-mally warm winter, Lowe said half the coal-burning boilers will return to duty until the second phase is completed.

Will the project be completed? Of course, but in the current economic and political climate, it may take a while.

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HIKING TRAILS


I survived four years at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., living as a green (read: poor) stu-dent. To help in-coming students,

here are some green lifestyle tips:

You’re going to need things:Discarded items line the

sidewalks of Indiana’s college towns every May and August, as leases end and begin. Fraternity pledges haul couches in Roman phalanx formation as part of the autonomous waste ecosystem that supports college life. Participate cautiously in the Great Waste Migration, and don’t expect to find any iPads (but call us if you do!)

You can, however, expect work-ing lamps, clean dishware, iPod docks, phone chargers and even furniture. Ask a friend with a truck for help, or just carry it yourself. Be sure to check for the smells, stains and structural damage before taking anything home. A thorough cleansing can turn any garbage futon into a cherished member of your living room.

You’re going to use things:Look for a recycling program

in your area. If your campus has shown initiative start a group that will. You’re never alone on issues in college and one resource at any university is con-sistently under-utilized: dreamy-eyed students with free time.

Start your food waste. Search for composting guides and get neighbors involved. Talk to your landlord about the benefits for the soil and the reduction in sewage bills. Grow a garden if you have the space. Since many col-lege rentals exist on a year-to-year basis you may have to focus on short-term crops and herbs.

You’re going to read things:Tablet PCs and other vehicles

for information are available for tech-savvy students. These range widely in price and qual-ity, but an e-reader is going to save time and money (provided you don’t go app-crazy), as well as paper and forests.

Look for used books around campus. Older students are more than willing to sell the eighty-pound books that they’ve hauled around. Share costs with a classmate and set up a schedule to study together in the library. Even if ‘studying’ includes cell phones, Facebook and Netflix, at least you can tell your parents that you’ve been to the library.

You’re going to get hungry:Find out where a farmers’

market is held. If you go out to eat stick with locally-owned places that support the farms around you.

You’re going to want to party:It’s got something to do with

those hormones. Remember to buy local, use recyclable party supplies and hold attendees to the strict environmental standards you hold yourself to. Drink-ing local can be tricky. Visit the locally-owned dives and ask about what’s on tap. You’ll feel better sipping on something with a high environmental grade (even if your grades pale in comparison).

You’re going to go to places:Bring your bike. You know the

one, in the back of the garage, hanging between your posters of Larisa Oleynik and Aldo Leopold. Dust it off, fill the tires and ride. Or maybe you want something new, like the specialized frames that some use or the fixed-gears that a generation of DIY-ers love.

Buses and trains are fantastic ways to get around campus, town and meet people. A veteran of pub-lic transportation can impress oth-ers by standing without handrails, showcasing incredible balance (a valuable impression to make, espe-cially with all those hormones).

If all else fails, walking is still honest.

You’re going to want to come home:

Probably to celebrate Earth Day with your loved ones. Gather friends and fit into a fuel ef-ficient vehicle, then let the sing-a-long begin. If you live farther than most, consider green ways to get there without breaking the bank (or our Ozone-layer).

Green lifestyle tipsfor incoming students

college spotlight by Jordan Martich


As a member of Carmel High School’s Class of 2012, I have spent the last few months reflecting on everything my classmates

and I experienced over the last four years. We excelled in athletics, aca-demics, and performing arts while raising thousands of dollars for different charities. We even planted some seeds for environmental awareness among the student body.

The Carmel Green Teen Micro-Grant Program helped to kick off a focus on sustainability at CHS during the 2009-2010 school year by providing grants to fund a variety of small projects. Members of the Green Lights Club distributed free CFL bulbs and informational bro-chures to their neighbors. They con-vinced 105 Carmel homes to switch their light bulbs. This prevented 52.5 tons of carbon dioxide emissions over the life of the CFL bulbs.

The following year, the Environ-mental Club organized the place-ment of recycling bins in all three cafeterias — with funding from the Carmel Green Micro-Grant Pro-gram. They also held a community aluminum can drive to recycle packaging after everyone’s Thanks-giving feasts. A Sustainable Living Club was started last year, too.

For the most part, these clubs were created and run by students. Other folks were busy, too. As I researched this article, I discovered that CHS administrators and the Carmel Clay School Board had already taken great strides toward environmental sustainability.

For example, the school district uses bio-diesel in their buses and has a no-idle policy at all schools. Each school has an adult Green Team and uses an Integrated Pest Management program on school properties. Virtually all computers and electronics are recycled. Seven Carmel schools, including the high school, received Energy Star Awards in 2010.

I was surprised at the extent of changes and programs that CHS and other Carmel schools had implemented to become more environmentally friendly. I had always considered myself engaged and aware of issues regarding environmental sustain-ability – but I was pretty clueless. However, most students at CHS are even less aware than I am. Many don’t even know the stu-dent environmental groups exist. Even after a year, many haven’t noticed the recycling bins in the cafeterias – they throw drink bottles in the trash. Even fewer know about the actions taken by adults and administrators throughout the school district.

In the future, I know that Car-mel High School can achieve great-ness in the arena of environmental sustainability as it has in academic and extracurricular activities. How-ever, this will not happen unless the student body becomes aware and then committed. If the administra-tion and student leaders water the seeds for environmental awareness among the student body, the stu-dents will undoubtedly rise to the challenge and set higher standards for sustainability at CHS.

high school activism by Renee Wellman

Keeping Carmel greenReflections of a CHS grad

ApocaPoetry Contest In honor of the Year of the Apoca-lypse, Indiana Living Green, along with the Writers’ Center of Indiana (www.indianawriters.org), is an-nouncing a poetry contest. Not just any poetry contest, but a contest with a theme: the Apocalypse, ya know, 12/21/12. Here’s the deal. You must write your poem in the style of James Whitcomb Riley. That’s right, the Hoosier Poet himself. Write in the dialect, keep

to the form and rhyme about the Apocalypse, with an Indiana angle.

Send your submissions (limit two) to [email protected].

The winner gets $250. We will print any we think are decent or hilarious. Deadline: Oct. 1, 2012; we’ll announce – and print — the winner (and many of the non-winners) in December, of course, just in time for The Endtimes.

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Ask Renee Sweany, of Green Piece Indy, a question about living in an environmentally

friendly way and get an eco-friendly answer!

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As my children become grown, they deal more readily with my snarky sense of humor. I have recently taken a new approach to

reminding them of their respon-sibilities for caring for God’s good creation. When I catch the hot water running too long, or the door left open or the lights left on, I often say, “So, I see you hate God!”

No, it still isn’t taken well. But the point gets made.

When we fail to realize or recognize our complicities in the destruction of the planet — in ways both great and small — we fail to honor the creating God we worship.

I still marvel at folks who, with no reason that they can articulate and none I might discern, make what I now consider to be unholy choices in their lives. Whether it be buying that oversized vehicle or running the air conditioner at full tilt in the height of summer or flying when a more efficient mode of transportation would serve, folks still don’t seem to get it.

The planet — this astonishing gift of God’s divine creativity — is in need of our tender care, our undivided attention and our con-stant awareness of the impacts of what many take as uncomplicated choices that carry no consequence beyond themselves.

This, dear fellow creatures and communal compatriots, has got to stop.

The national founder of Interfaith Power & Light, The Reverend Sally Bingham, sum-marizes the central message of a collection of essays on churches and climate change (Sacred Acts: How Churches Are Working to Protect Earth’s Climate) in this way: “To show our love for God, we don’t destroy what God loves. To obey the commandment to love our neighbor, we don’t destroy our neighbor’s air, land, or water.”

A basic premise of my faith is summarized in what we label “stewardship.” It recognizes that the natural world is a creation of God, belongs to God and is in our

hands to protect and preserve for current and future generations.

That is the message we must convey loudly and broadly in these days.

But how? How do we foster awareness? How do we get folks — even those living in our own homes — to snap to attentiveness about habit or thoughtlessness and their impacts on the Earth and on all future generations of creatures, including us human beings?

Surely the answer isn’t to shame folks into proper behavior. The God I seek to know is a God of love, compassion, community, forgiveness and mercy — and creativity. These are the tools that we are called to place into service of the task before us — despite my tongue-in-cheek behavior with my family. We need to equip, encour-age, exhort, excite, empower and embrace one another as we realize a vision of a new way of treating the manifold gifts of God in the abundant goodness of the Earth.

This is what Hoosier Interfaith Power & Light is attempting to do. Since our formation in March of 2011, we have been working hard to get people and congregations together in order to support one another towards the goal of loving the creation and the Creator well. We are organizing regional affili-ates across the State of Indiana, creating communities of purpose and solidarity in this work. There are already groups in Indianapolis, Muncie, and Bloomington. Other beginnings are being made in Evansville, Lafayette, Franklin, Richmond and Terre Haute.

If you would like to assist in be-ing part of this movement to love God more fully — in our thought-ful and restorative efforts to care effectively for creation — send us a note. Our website will help (www.hoosieripl.org). Our email is [email protected]. We would love to hear from you and we believe that God will feel and appreciate the love.

Rev. Dr. Lyle McKee is Chair of Hoosier Interfaith Power & Light, Inc. and Pastor at St. Thomas Lu-theran Church in Bloomington.

A powerful wayto love God

hoosier interfaith power & light by Rev. Dr. Lyle McKee

EVERY THURSDAYFROM 4PM - 7PMJUNE 7 - SEPTEMBER 27CORNER OF 82ND & HAGUE ROADFamily atmosphere -Fresh produce, baked goods, dairy, fl owers, honey, jewelry, kettle corn, lamb, olive oils, pasta and lots more! Live music - Be sure to stop by the Flavor Cafe’ for a gourmet hamburger or a coney!


GREEN BIZ

What started as a one-on-one partner-ship with Big Woods Brewery in Nashville, Ind., landscaper Amy Gras’ sustainable agriculture operation is a model for col-laborations between home gardeners and homebrewers, between landscapers and farmers with breweries.

The solid waste left over from the brewing process is referred to as “spent grain.” Gras had a hunch these spent grains could serve as an alter-native to conventional agriculture’s reliance on chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides — applications that have proven harmful to humans and ineffective for essential soil regeneration.

Gras’ original approach to sustainable agriculture developed via the use of effective microorganisms (EM).

“EM is about directing microbial activity towards health and growth,” Gras explains. “Sus-tainable agriculture has a living vital soil at its core. Bacteria often get a bad rap because some are harmful. EM introduces us to the real allies, [referred to as] beneficials, as a form of compost-ing that speeds up the process of decomposing vegetable and animal scraps while eliminating unpleasant odors during the process.”

One agent for acceleration is Bokashi, “basi-cally a medium on which the EM can eat and live. It is widely used in urban composting as it ferments the kitchen waste instead of aero-bically composting,” Gras says.

Gras was researching how to mix up a batch of Bokashi at the same time McCabe, one of her landscaping clients, was opening Big Woods as a brewpub and production brewery.

“The recipes I was finding called for rice bran [as one of the ingredients] so I figured spent grains would be a perfect medium for making Bokashi. I arranged with Jeff to get his grains from brewing. His only stipula-tion was to get them regularly.”

Gras set up her Bokashi composting opera-tion in her greenhouse.

“The first few batches went well and I was pretty excited. But when I ran out of space and tubs while the grains kept coming I dumped the mash around my garden and began seeing some interesting things. First, the fresh grains would completely kill any grass or weeds in a matter of days. Then the worm population would explode.”

Gras noticed the soil structure under the spent grain changed dramatically. “I haven’t tilled my own garden in three years,” she says. “Often I don’t even use a shovel to plant; I just reach in with my hand, pull back the soil and plop in the plant. The grains are hot and sugary when they are fresh so they will burn whatever they are put on. When my garden paths become too weedy, I throw down spent grains, let them do their work and when they are done (a few days to a week) I scrape the decomposed weeds up on the beds as mulch around plants I have growing.”

When McCabe’s apple trees were totally stunted because the soil had been stripped to hard clay, Gras put spent grains around the trees that didn’t die. Gras reports, “Within a year every tree fruited and all put on significant growth. I have used

grains at people’s homes where none of their plants would grow because when you scratched back the mulch, all you found was impenetrable clay that would be like concrete in the dry summer and rot plants in the damp winters. We put down grains and then mulch on top of that and the fol-lowing summer instead of a pickaxe to dig a hole, I could use a shovel.

“I’ve also combined spent grains as a potting mix with old composted sawdust from a local mill. This definitely is a bi-product with multiple applications agriculturally speaking,” says Gras, who is “retiring” to be a full-time mom.

Gras, whose background includes biology and social anthropology, believes sugars in spent grains feed local microorganisms in the soil, causing a huge spike in bacteria and microorganism populations. This changes the tilth of the soil so that is contains proper structure and nutrients to grow healthier crops with stronger root system.

Gras wants her positive experiences to entice landscapers, gardeners and farmers to develop partnerships with Indiana’s craft brewers to utilize spent grains in concert with Kyusei Nature Farming. “People interested in grains can look to their local microbreweries for what is feasible. The responses from brew-ers will probably be as varied as their beers; isn’t that what makes local so great?”

Learn more about Kyusei Nature Farming from An Earth Saving Revolution by Teruo Higa and at lankasekaikyusei.org/activities/nature-farming/.

Kyusei Nature Farming pairs with craft brewingGrains and gains

By Rita Kohn

^Photos by Mark Lee

Amy Gras, working with John Heimbaugh (left and right), with her three year old son, Elijah Larson, helping out, too.

Big Woods Brewery:Located in Nashville, Ind., at 60 Molly’s Lane.

Five locally-brewed beers on tap at a time.

Vegan and vegetarian meals offered.

Many dishes feature sea-sonal vegetables as well as local produce and meats.

Founded in July of 2009 by Tim O’Bryan, Ed Ryan and Jeff McCabe.

Info: 812-988-6000; bigwoodsbeer.com

Expires August 31, 2012

AMISH ACRES ARTS AND CRAFTS FESTIVALAugust 2-5Nappanee, Ind. Nobody parties green like the original old school artisans, the Amish! This annual gathering features more than 300 artists and crafters at Amish Acres as they sell their wares and ply their trade in a setting of frivolity and fun. Lots of good food and continuous entertainment - and it’s the 50th year for this festival so expect an extra special atmosphere. 800-800-4942

INDIANA STATE FAIRAugust 3-19Indianapolis. 2012 is the Year of the Dairy Cow at this year’s event. Look forward to interacting with local dairy farmers and sampling the fruits of their labor while learning about Indiana’s farming economy. At the DuPont Food Pavilion enjoy native Indiana foods, agricultural demonstrations, garden-ing workshops and a marketplace to support the Hoosiers who feed us. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources will showcase exhibits on Indi-ana’s resources, along with strategies for sustaining them. Indiana American Water presents the Path-way to Water Quality, which informs visitors of their role in conserving and creating a healthy aquatic environment throughout the state. And if spending time with your environment isn’t thrilling enough the fair also includes the Midway, the concerts, fair food and even an appearance by MC Hammer. 317-927-7500

CAFO WATCHAugust 4Chesterfield, Ind. The CAFO Watch Conference at the Mill Creek Civic Center will seek to educate participants to communicate about the health and environmental effects of confined animal feeding operations. This is a grassroots group that wants to raise awareness in Indiana and the rest of the world. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the conference begins at 9:30. Speakers include Lynn Henning, Terry Spence, Patty Truant, Cheryl Burdett and Bruce Palin. Their presentations will cover top-ics ranging from the impacts of failed farm policies on consumers and producers to pharmaceuticals and EPA inspections. Participants must register by July 20 by sending a registration page and a money order or check to Barbara Sha Cox at P.O. Box 1572 in Richmond, IN 47375. Late registration requires calling 765-962-2184 to check for [email protected]

GREENING YOUR HOMEAugust 9, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.Indianapolis. Through this workshop, you can learn about loss in your home and how trees really can impact your pocketbook. Guest Speaker Ron Zmyslo, owner of Preserve Restore Maintain Indy, will share updated blower pressure door technology and energy efficiency technology and research. The Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership will present and share how their programs, such as EcoHouse, can assist as you plan home improvement projects and save money. This workshop will also share how Keep Indianapolis Beautiful can play a role in making your home green. If you are a SOLAR, Adopt-A-Block,

or green team member you will receive a discount. Please contact Ashlee at the email address below to register for the workshop at a discounted [email protected]

4TH ANNUAL CUMBERLAND ARTS GOES TO MARKETAugust 18, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.The stretch of Saturn Street from Cumberland Town Hall to Cumberland First Baptist Church has come to life the past four years and will do so once again. Original, hand-made crafts are sold at booths while musicians, like the Irish Airs, perform. The festival of-fers food including Thai, frozen treats, barbeque, and Chef Dan’s Southern Cooking Food Truck. Peruse the produce that farmers have brought, or participate in any number of fun-filled activities.317-894-2645, cumberlandfbc.org

PLANTING THE FALL GARDENAugust 18, 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.Indianapolis. Now is the time to plant a garden that will last through the winter. If you establish a garden with a bit of cold-weather protection, you can harvest in January. Master Gardener Ginny Roberts has knowledge and experience, and she is ready to teach. Don’t miss this free informative session at Unleav-ened Bread Cafe, 3001 Central Avenue, 46205.317-644-8286

GREEN GENERATION 2012August 23, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.Indianapolis; Taylor Hall Courtyard. This component of IUPUI’s Welcome Week celebrates a commitment to sustainability on campus and off. Green suppli-ers, organizations, speakers and events will educate students and community members on the impact of going green. Interact with experts and representatives on the environmental issues that concern you most. The event is hosted by IUPUI’s Office of Sustainability. [email protected]

COLD SPRING ENVIRONMENTAL MAGNET SCHOOL OPEN HOUSEAugust 25, 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.Indianapolis. Join Indy’s leading public magnet school for environmental studies as they rededicate the building after a year of renovations. There will be a welcome and orientation presentation in the gym-nasium followed by tours that point out the school’s interesting features. Cold Spring aspires to be the pre-mier environmental school in Indiana by partnering with like-minded organizations to establish a practical knowledge about our planet. Cold Spring is located at 3650 Cold Spring Road, Indianapolis, Ind. 46222.317-226-4155

DIG INAugust 26, Noon - 5 p.m.Indianapolis. Celebrate Indiana’s agriculture in style as Indiana chefs, brewers, wineries, and food artisans as-semble in White River State Park for an afternoon of good eats, drinks, music, and demonstrations. Guests will be able to sample signature dishes made with an array of locally produced ingredients. Dig-In promises to blend gourmet and gardening in one fun event. [email protected]; 317-607-8715

OKKERVIL RIVER AT UPLAND BREWING CO.August 31, 6 p.m.Bloomington, Ind. Okkervil River, as part of Upland’s Hillbilly Haiku Americana Music Series, is coming to Indiana at Bloomington’s Upland Brewing Company. There will be an outdoor concert that benefits the Sycamore Land Trust. Tickets will go on sale for $20 on June 15 at the Upland’s Bloomington Brew Pub, the Indy Tasting Room, the Buskirk Chumley Box Of-fice, and online at www.hillbillyhaiku.org. Purchasing tickets on the day of the show will cost [email protected]


GREEN READS

AUGUST EVENTS

COOLER SMARTER: PRACTICAL STEPS FOR LOW-CARBON LIVINGThe Union of Concerned ScientistsIsland Press | $21.95q

Maybe it’s just me, but every time I see the organizational name, The Union of Concerned Scientists, I have to chuckle.

Picture the concerned scientist, lab coat, furrowed brow, saying aloud, Gee, the envi-ronment does seem to be collapsing around us at an alarming rate. I’m concerned!

Of course, if they called themselves the Union of Freaked-Out Scientists, they might run into accusations of sentimental-ity, which would be ruinous, given we don’t want our scientists to feel anything.

So these mildly panicked scientists have convened to produce a state-of-the-apocalypse how-to book on reducing your carbon footprint.

Authors issue an ambitious challenge: reduce your carbon emissions by 20 percent over the coming year. These reductions often result in lower energy costs, so it’s a win-win scenario: planet and pocketbook.

It’s an easy-to-read and –use book, writ-ten without jargon in cool, clear prose, with helpful — and doable — suggestions on tack-ling all the essential areas of our profligate, world-destroying consumer behaviors.

Oops! Got a little emotional there!There’s even a section on approaching

your elected officials, trying to influence their decision-making. Call it a section written by the Union of Utopian Scientists.

This book is not one to take to the beach for fear you’ll be scorched by the sun. Nor can you drink it if you are parched by drought. You can read it, though, and follow its regi-men and hope in your heart it makes a dent in the coming eco-trainwreck.

Or, if you prefer, you can wait until the Union of Hysterical Scientists finish their Broadway musical.

— JIM POYSER

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Health & Wellness

Celadon Road with Amy SmithSelling organic, eco-friendly, and fair trade personal and home care products. Shop, host, or sell.

myceladonroad.com/17906/Relief from Chronic PainManual Therapies including cra-niosacral work. Serving clients since 1985. Lynne Hirschman, MS, PT. 317-205-9020.SUSAN CLEARWATER, RN HOLISTIC NURSE PRACTITIONER & HERBALISToffering help for a wide range of health issues. Specializing in mood problems (anxiety, depression, bipolar, ADHD), women’s health & menopause, digestion, respiratory problems, boosting immunity to reduce colds & fl u, counseling, body work, and much more. Call for appointment: 812-335-0640. Center for Wholism at 2401 N. Walnut St, Bloomington, IN.

Local Farms

Community SupportedAgricultureLocal Fruit, Produce and EggsMake a change to 100% local farm produce this seasonCertifi ed Naturally [email protected] Family Farm1949 Sunny Acres DriveBedford, INChemical free, custom grown heirloom and European fruits and vegetables for professional chefs. Produce of exceptional quality and fl avor for the home chef. CSA shares available - summer/winter.

localharvest.org/heartland-fam-ily-farm-M9428

Farmers’ Markets

ALC’s Farmer’s MarketEvery Thursday from 4pm- 7pm, June 7 - September 27, corner of 82nd and Hague Road.

alcindy.com/ALCfarmersmarket.html

Buy Fresh, Buy LocalStarting on May 1stOpen Saturday from 8:00 am to Noon11501 East Washington Street

town.cumberland.in.us

Every Tuesday from 4pm-7pm, May 22- September 25, at the intersection of South Meridian and McCarty, across the street from Shapiro’s Delicatessen

Geist Farmers’ MarketCome visit us starting May 3rdThursday 2:30 - 6:30 p.m.Holy Cross Lutheran Church8115 Oaklandon Rd.

geistfarmersmarket.com

Supporting locally grown and pro-duced foods for over 15 years!Opening Saturday May 5 for the 2012 season.Find us at brfm.org

Unique atmosphere, vendors and producersNorth United Methodist Church38th and MeridianThursdays 4:00 to 6:30 p.m.Opens June 2

We’ve moved to the McCords-ville United Methodist Church. Open Wednesdays June 20 thru Sept. 5, from 4:00 - 7:30 p.m.

mccordsville.org

binfordfarmersmarket.com62nd and Binford Boulevard (Hawthorne Plaza)Saturdays: April-Oct and holi-days, 8am to 1pmConvenient parking and lots of variety!

Products & Services

Offering retail sales of cloth dia-pers and accessories, gift sets, baby slings, and natural parent-ing products. We provide one-on-one diaper consultations, lo-cal workshops, and on-line gift registries.

ecologicalbabies.com

Olry PhotographyEco-Friendly Wedding, Engage-ment & Event PhotographersProud to be certifi ed members of Greener Photography’s Leadership Circleolryphotography.com

Reface, don’t replace! ECONOMICAL AND ECOFRIENDLY! Our environmentally friendly countertop resurfacing system gives you a whole new look us-ing your existing countertops. Call 317-431-5198 to schedule your free in-home estimate.

ecocountertopsusa.com

myenergyoutfi tter.comEnergy Outfi tter has the home performance experts to improve the comfort and reduce the en-ergy waste in your home.

Specializing in attic and founda-tion insulation and solar electric energy systems.

Call today for a free estimate 317-797-3500

Organic Foods

Endangered Species Chocolatechocolatebar.comEndangered Species Chocolate is committed to providing premi-um, ethically traded, all-natural and organic chocolate bars. 10% of net profi ts are donated to support species, habitat and humanity. Indulge in a cause.

Litterally Divine Toffee and Truffl esNatural chocolates made with organic and locally sourced ingredients. Found at Traders Point Creamery Green Market

litterallydivinetoffee.com

An Indy Food Co-op store, Pogue’s Run Grocer is a full-service natural and organic grocery featuring affordable, fresh, healthy, and locally-pro-duced products.

poguesrungrocer.org

Community

Cumberland Arts Goes to MarketA Celebration of Art and CommunityAugust 18, 2012, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.Festival held along Saturn Street, one block south of Cumberland Town Hall, 11501 E. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46229.

One hundred art, craft and farmer market vendors.

Indiana State FairAugust 3-19The midway lights up with rides, the food highlights Indiana’s ag-riculture, adorable animals are everywhere and free entertain-ment can be found throughout the grounds.

in.gov/statefair

MAKING INDIANAPOLIS A BETTER PLACE TO RIDE A BICYCLE.DONATEHelp Support our causeJOINBecome a memberVolunteerBe a part of the action

theindycog.com/membership

Gardening Services

Spotts Garden ServiceOrganic. Sustainable. Earth fi rst. We design, install, and maintain beautiful, earth-friend-ly gardens. Love your garden. We do.

SpottsGardens.com317-356-8808


Binfords Farmer Market

Saturday, August 4

9:00am-12:00pm

Abundant Harvest UMC

Saturday, August 11

8:30am-12:00pm

Stadium Village Farmers

Market Master

Tuesday, August 14

3:30pm-7:30pm

Northminister Presbyterian

Church Collection

Saturday, August 18

9:00am-2:00pm

Johnson County

Solid Waste

Saturday, August 25

9:00am-12:00pm

A cleanerenvironment.A strongerworkforce.

“Rush Hour Recycling” Check Facebook for details

754 N. Sherman Dr.Indianapolis, IN 46201

Tel: 317.532.1367www.RecycleForce.org

The ApocaDocs’ Pre-Apocalypse News & Info Quiz (PANIQuiz) tests your knowledge of current environmental news. Brought to you by the ApocaDocs, Michael Jensen and Jim Poyser. Check your results (at the bottom), then see www.apocadocs.com to find out more.

THE PANIQuiz


1. What does a new report say eating organic can create in a person?

__ a. Colon cancer__ b. Snobbery__ c. Better formed poop__ d. Cleaner, whiter teeth__ e. A depleted bank account

2. What, according to new research, may explain current rates of obesity, autism and mental illness?

__ a. Improved research__ b. Consumerism__ c. Innoculations__ d. The 1940s__ e. Faulty evolution

3. Why is the natural gas industry trying to block the 2030 zero-carbon building goal?

__ a. Because they are run by the Koch brothers.__ b. Because the policy is unnatural.__ c. Because they are anti-environment.__ d. Because they want to hasten the end of

the world.__ e. Because the policy harms its image.

4. According to new research, what is more important than getting climate science right?

__ a. NOTHING__ b. Where you went to school__ c. How you feel__ d. Getting climate science wrong__ e. What your friends think

5. How does a potential new type of male contraceptive work?

__ a. It regulates a gene.__ b. It makes one attractive only to himself.__ c. It regulates the jeans.__ d. It makes other men look really attractive.__ e. It makes women look unattractive.

6. Sequoia National Park is distinctive in what way?

__ a. The redwoods have turned blue.__ b. Snowmobiles are fiercely prohibited.__ c. Highest number of suicides of any national

park in the country. __ d. The Sequoias will soon not be able to

survive climate change.__ e. Worst air pollution of any national

park in the country.

7. What does an expert think killed 900 dolphins off the Peruvian coast?

__ a. Algal bloom__ b. Eutrophic waters (dead zones)__ c. Plastic garbage island__ d. Sound waves from seismic tests to find oil__ e. A dolphin serial killer

8. What’s a possible outcome of the geoengineering tactic of sending sulfur dioxide particles into the atmosphere?

__ a. It will make the air taste like matches.__ b. It will make the sky fall.__ c. It will dissolve the moon.__ d. It will turn the sky white.__ e. It will alter the morphology of all

creatures.

9. Why are hummingbirds disappearing throughout western North America?

__ a. They don’t like cowboys.__ b. Due to global warming, their sustenance

— the lily — has disappeared.__ c. They’ve been shot for humming off key.__ d. They’ve been hunted to near extinction.__ e. They’re still around — just moving too

fast to see!

10. Why do some experts believe the New Mexico wildfire is burning at lower intensity than usual?

__ a. Mountain pine beetles pulpy bodies reduce the intensity.

__ b. Forest managers let earlier, allowing lightning-ignited fires to burn as nature intended.

__ c. Trees killed by mountain pine beetles burn more slowly.

__ d. Firefighters are using foam instead of water.__ e. Its heart just isn’t into it!

Correct Answers: 1 (b): Snobbery. (TIME); 2. (d): The 1940s (Bloomberg News); 3. (e): Because the policy harms its image. (InsideClimate News); 4. (e): What your friends think (USA Today); 5. (a): a. It regulates a gene. (Public Library of Science); 6. (e): Worst air pollution of any national park in the country. (Associated Press); 7. (d): Sound waves from seismic tests to find oil (New York Times); 8. (d): It will turn the sky white. (Climate Central); 9. (b): Due to global warming, their sustenance — the lily — has disappeared. (National Science Foundation); 10. (b): Forest managers let earlier, allowing lightning-ignited fires to burn as nature intended. (E&E Publishing)

A SK RENEE

Q: I have managed to eliminate waste by reusing shopping bags. However, Indy requires my trash to be bagged. So, now I buy bags for my waste basket where

before I used shopping bags. Any place that sells 4 and 8 gallon size can liners that are eco-friendly? Since we recycle, a 13 gallon kitchen trash can would last a week before emptying. (pee-ew)

Additionally, if disposable products and trash bags are eco-friendly, what does that mean to us city folk where the trash is incinerated versus a landfill?

Thanks, Carolyn

Ah, the green double-edged sword. You’ve managed to reduce, but now you can’t reuse. I’ll start by saying, “Way to go!” Reduce should always be your goal. Here are a few thoughts on how to replace your reused plastic shopping bags.

You can now find trash bags made from re-cycled plastic. It used to only be off-brands or Seventh Generation that made recycled trash bags, but now even Hefty makes a line of trash bags that are made with 55% recycled plastic. Considering that other bags are made from virgin plastic (read: petroleum), recycled content is ideal. Look for them in your favorite grocery or super store.

Most lidded trash cans include a remov-able bucket. The directions usually tell you what size of trash bag fits the bucket, but why not just collect trash in the bucket, dump the bucket right into the City trash can, and skip the bag altogether? Naturally, this isn’t ideal for all trash, but you might be able to reduce a few of the small can bags around the house.

As for compostable or biodegradable trash bags, I’m not a fan. First, it takes very particular conditions to make these bags actually biodegrade. Second, and to answer your second question, if you’re putting your trash out for the City of Indianapolis pick-up, it’s going straight to the incinerator, which means it never has a chance to biodegrade.

I hope this was so helpful that you don’t want to put it straight in the trash. Perhaps you’ll even reuse it by forwarding to a friend!

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Look for the September issue of ILG on stands

August 27.

TransportationOur team of ILG

correspondents explores sustainable options for

transportation.

Eating well, living well and feeling good...half-hour weekly radio program.

SAT. 11:30AM &WED. 5:00PM

AnotherDayofLiving.com

Documents

Indiana Living Green - August 2012