May 2024 Newsletter
Greetings!
When you celebrate Mother’s Day, don’t forget about Mother Earth! To match the urgency of the climate crisis and protect the future for kids and grandkids, cut through the noise and focus on high-impact actions. Consider actions like voting green, electrifying your home and vehicle, embracing solar at home and at school, and demanding that Duke transition to clean energy…
VOTE GREEN on May 7
The most important thing to do to fight climate change is to vote! We need elected officials who will build more sustainable and resilient communities. Here’s a good non-partisan resource and suggested voting strategy from Voters for a Green Indiana. Please share with family and friends who care about climate.
Electrify Your Home & Save
Join us on Thurs, May 16, 6 p.m. at the Carmel Clay Public Library. Sam Carpenter, executive director for the Hoosier Environmental Council, will explains how funds made available to all of us through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) can help you move away from fossil fuels. Learn about tax credits for insulating your home, replacing a gas furnace with an electric heat pump, installing solar or purchasing an electric vehicle. These investments are good for your pocketbook and the planet. Learn more and RSVP.
Solar for Carmel Clay Schools
Climate change is the biggest threat to a student’s future. CCS is one of the largest sources of carbon pollution in Carmel and so it has a moral obligation to do something about it. We believe it’s time for CCS to invest in solar. Solar saves energy dollars that can be redirected to the classroom and protects the school district against rising electric rates; it brings hands-on STEM learning experience for students and protects their future by reducing the school’s carbon pollution. Fishers, Noblesville and Sheridan schools have solar. Schools across the country are going solar, and now the IRA includes 30% incentives to make solar more affordable for schools as well as homes, businesses and cities. If you support solar for CCS, please sign the petition.
Solar for Non-Profits
On Wed. May 15, 7 p.m. join Solar United Neighbors on Zoom to learn about solar for schools, house of worship, and non-profit organizations. SUN will cover solar technology, economics, financing and more. The program is free and there is no obligation. Learn more and RSVP.
Tell Duke to Protect the Future for Kids & Grandkids
Duke is the largest single source of carbon pollution in Indiana, so of course they’re phasing out their coal plants, right? Wrong. Duke has not decarbonized as swiftly as other utilities, and, incredulously, recently said they are delaying closure of coal plants! Duke is currently working on a 20-year energy plan which will determine how quickly they transition to clean energy or not, and also just filed for a 19% rate increase. Part of the rate increase is to increase the profit margin for stockholders while they burn the world down with carbon pollution. Another part is to cover costs to clean-up coal ash, costs that the Court of Appeals already said could not be charged to customers! Read more here. Sign the petition to stop Duke from raising rates to prop up expensive coal plants!
Congratulations to the Winners
CGI’s Earth Day Art Contest is a fun way to celebrate our Earth while learning about sustainable living! Congratulations to the 2024 winners: Lorelai Meeks (K), Hazel Bancroft (1st gr), Maisie Shea (2nd gr), Zelia Bancroft (3rd gr), Jemima Shaneck (4th gr, Drew Maddy (5th gr), Weston Twilla (6th gr), Adeline King (7th gr), Dharini Selvakumar (8th gr), Madison Bowser (Solential), Madeline Kramarz (Earth Hour Facebook Favorite), and Haisley Fowle (Earth Day Facebook Favorite). Check out their artwork to be inspired!
We give our youth a platform, empowering them to inspire our community to live sustainably. Many thanks to the teachers, parents, green team, girl scout troop and religious youth leaders who worked with our young people on this important environmental education program. Thanks to our judges: Indrani Sarkar, Kelli Curnutte and Linda Lutes, and to Mayor Finkam for recognizing the winners!
Special thanks to volunteers: Cindy Muse, Madelyn Zalon, Alexia Lopez, Richard Lopez, Madeline Schiffman, Ella Lipnik, Ashlyn Walker, Darcie Williamson, Ashley Knox, Beth Maier as well as our generous partners and sponsors. And a huge thanks to Linda Downer for managing the art contest and coordinating with everyone!
Easy Ways to Go Green
Make sustainability your top priority. Everything we do impacts our earth in some way. Change habits that will improve our environment. We can do this together! Here’s how to calculate your household carbon footprint and some easy ways to go green.
JOIN US
100% of your membership supports CGI’s many free programs. Become a member today 🙂
Sincerely,
Leslie Webb
President
Carmel Green Initiative
www.CarmelGreen.org
Become a member!