By the end of 2020, the Town of Zionsville will have a complete Climate Action Plan to present to Mayor Emily Styron and Zionsville Town Council. The finished plan will provide the Town of Zionsville with a strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change.
Part of this action plan involves incorporating public input by engaging residents and community stakeholders. Zionsville residents, businesses and organizations are asked to complete a series of Climate Action Plan surveys:
Earlier this year, as one of 11 communities selected to be part of Indiana University’s second Resilience Cohort, the Town of Zionsville conducted a comprehensive inventory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This inventory was the first step in the climate action planning process. Through the inventory, it was found that residential and commercial energy makes up nearly 60% of greenhouse gas emissions. Zionsville emitted 358,439 tons of Co2 equivalent in 2018. The inventory was followed by a brief climate and sustainability interest survey. Nearly one-third of the 360 respondents noted that they would like to see increased incentives and/or decreased barriers to solar power.
“Our community joins others to benchmark our current environmental condition and to set goals and policies to sustain a healthy community,” said Mayor Emily Styron. “Our Climate Action Plan is an important step to making a change locally. We are requesting the community’s involvement and input as we put the plan together and actions in place.”
For more information on Zionsville’s Climate Action Plan and greenhouse gas inventory, visit: www.zionsville-in.gov/climateactionplan.