Support a Regional NWI Greenhouse Gas Inventory

We are fundraising for the Northwest Indiana region to participate in Indiana University’s (IU) Resilience Cohort program. If successful we will be one of only a few regions in the country to conduct such a comprehensive inventory and the FIRST in the state of Indiana.

The Resilience Cohort is a program offered by IU’s Environmental Resilience Institute that provides towns, cities, and counties in Indiana the resources, technical assistance, and a potential intern(s) to complete a greenhouse gas inventory.

A greenhouse gas inventory is a first step to becoming a resilient community. With a greenhouse gas inventory, communities will know how much emissions they contribute and where it comes from. With that knowledge, communities can create an emissions reduction plan that can save taxpayer money, improve air quality and public health, mitigate the effects of climate change, and so much more.

In Phase 1,  we held a contingency fundraiser and raised $2588 to show our viability as a collaborative partner with the Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC), an ideal organization we see for coordinating regional participation. Thanks to YOUR  efforts, on September 17, NIRPC’s Executive Board passed Resolution 20-24 that allows NIRPC to coordinate a regional application to the Resilience Cohort program, effectively making it easier and more affordable for Northwest Indiana communities to participate.

Now that we have cost figures finalized for Resilience Cohort, our new goal is $16,500.

It may sound like a lot but it’s not. Paying for an inventory through a private firm can range from $15,000-$50,000 per community. This program would allow communities to participate at a fraction of the cost. For about every $1,000 fundraised, an additional community can participate in completing a greenhouse gas inventory.

AND through our fundraising efforts, we hope to make this even more affordable.

With $16,500 we can fund enough inventories that are representative of our diverse region while also covering more than 50% of the Region’s population.

This means:

• Representation for our most populous cities and towns AND rural and unincorporated areas.
• A strong Northwest Indiana peer network that can help communities that have not yet taken steps to complete a greenhouse gas inventory to begin to do so
• The potential for better air quality, improved public health, greater gains in environmental justice, and thousands, if not, millions of dollars saved in taxpayer money.
  
  

We are asking YOU to donate and encourage others to donate to this incredible opportunity. 

No amount is too small! Please donate and encourage others to as well. Over 700,000 people make up Lake, Porter, and LaPorte Counties. We are in this together. We breathe the same air and drink the same water. If we work together, we can make more impact than if we work alone. Let’s do this!

Earth Charter Indiana, a 501(c)3 organization, is acting as our fiscal sponsor.