Report outlines city’s sustainability efforts to combat climate change – Indianapolis News | Weather Indiana | Indiana traffic

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The 2023 Indianapolis Thrive Report focuses on eight elements of sustainability and resilience as ways to build community against climate change.

These topics include the built environment, the economy, energy, food and urban agriculture, natural resources, public health and safety, transportation and land use, and waste and recycling.

The Indianapolis Office of Sustainability says it has been working with community stakeholders over the past year to take stock.

One of the bigger highlights of the report is the number of green buildings in the city, currently 451. The target for 2025 is 498.

“It could be an electric vehicle charging infrastructure, a bike rack, maybe close to a bus stop or a walking trail,” said Lindsay Trameri, community engagement manager at the Indianapolis Office of Sustainability. “And then also the actual building itself, so when we look at the HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) system, are there any low flow taps?”

The report says the Indianapolis Department of Public Works plans to hire five climate-conscious employees who will focus on stormwater, infrastructure and forestry.

“Part of this is incorporating green infrastructure, and these are things like rain gardens,” Trameri said.

Citizens Energy Group is nearing the end of DigIndy, a twenty-year project to create a new tunnel system to prevent rainwater and sewage from mixing.

“If it rains and it rains a lot, or if there is a lot of snow and that snow melts, it can overflow into our waterways,” Trameri said.

When it comes to green transportation, the city has already surpassed its 2025 target with more than 4,000 registered electric cars. Cycling and walking were other concerns.

“The city has made a tremendous effort to increase the number of bike lanes, as well as trails and greenways, and to preserve the bike lanes that already exist,” Trameri said.

Indianapolis does not have universal curbside recycling. The Office of Sustainability hopes to change that by 2026 and add a compost option.

“We are very aware that Indianapolis has tremendous opportunity when it comes to our circular economy and diverting more waste,” Trameri said.

The city government says it is making significant progress toward net-zero emissions by 2050.