HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 06-20-22-02 Climate Action PlanSPONSORS: Councilors Aasen, Campbell, Nelson and Hannon
This Resolution was prepared by Jon A. Oberlander, Corporation Counsel, on 6/8/22 at 10:12 a.m. No subsequent revision to this Resolution has
been reviewed by Mr. Oberlander for legal sufficiency or otherwise.
RESOLUTION NO. CC 06-20-22-02
A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARMEL, INDIANA,
ADOPTING THE CARMEL CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Synopsis: Adopts the Carmel Climate Action Plan, which sets greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets
and provides strategies to reduce emissions for government services and operations as well as the
community as a whole.
WHEREAS, The City of Carmel (“Carmel”) has a long-standing history of sustainability efforts to lessen
our city’s impact on the environment; and
WHEREAS, a changing climate poses a serious threat to our planet, our country, and our community;
and
WHEREAS, by acting now to reduce greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions, Carmel can reduce the severity
of the impacts from climate change as well as reduce operating costs by increasing energy efficiency, reducing
fossil fuel use, and implementing cleaner technologies; and
WHEREAS, by increasing the efficiency of our buildings, vehicles, and electricity, our
community will save money, conserve energy, reduce waste, reduce pollution, promote local job creation, and
enhance equity; and
WHEREAS, on February 20, 2017, the Carmel Common Council passed Resolution No. CC 02-20-17-
04 to strive to reduce Carmel’s carbon emissions, and to create a Climate Action Plan (“CAP”) that includes
obtaining a baseline measurement of citywide emissions; and
WHEREAS, in 2019, Carmel conducted community-level GHG emissions inventories for the years 2015
and 2018; and
WHEREAS, Carmel collaborated with Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute in 2020
and Gnarly Tree Sustainability Institute in 2021 to develop the Carmel CAP; and
WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the citizens of Carmel to adopt the Carmel CAP.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Common Council of the City of Carmel, Indiana,
that:
Section 1. The forgoing Recitals are incorporated herein by this reference.
Section 2. The Common Council hereby adopts the Carmel Climate Action Plan as set forth in Exhibit
A, which is attached hereto and incorporated by this reference.
Section 3. The Common Council hereby endorses the 42 strategies set forth in the Carmel Climate Action
Plan that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide a common vision and high-level policy direction
that will guide Carmel towards achieving net zero GHG emissions by 2050.
Resolution CC 06-20-22-02
Page One of Two Pages
DocuSign Envelope ID: 242BDDC8-C88D-4BE6-8E3B-F9C5759011FE
SPONSORS: Councilors Aasen, Campbell, Nelson and Hannon
This Resolution was prepared by Jon A. Oberlander, Corporation Counsel, on 6/8/22 at 10:12 a.m. No subsequent revision to this Resolution has
been reviewed by Mr. Oberlander for legal sufficiency or otherwise.
Section 4. The Common Council hereby directs all City departments to immediately begin
implementation of the actions identified in the CAP by examining their operations and selecting measures
to implement; coordinating with other departments and agencies; and participating in – or leading- City-
wide initiatives.
Section 5. The CAP will be reviewed and updated periodically to take advantage of the most current
information and technologies
SO RESOLVED, by the Common Council of the City of Carmel, Indiana, this ____ day of ________,
2022, by a vote of _____ ayes and _____ nays.
COMMON COUNCIL FOR THE CITY OF CARMEL
___________________________________
Kevin D. Rider, President Jeff Worrell, Vice-President
___________________________________ ____________________________________
Sue Finkam Laura Campbell
___________________________________ ____________________________________
H. Bruce Kimball Anthony Green
___________________________________ ___________________________________
Adam Aasen Tim Hannon
___________________________________
Miles Nelson
ATTEST:
__________________________________
Sue Wolfgang, Clerk
Presented by me to the Mayor of the City of Carmel, Indiana this ____ day of
_________________________ 2022, at _______ __.M.
____________________________________
Sue Wolfgang, Clerk
Approved by me, Mayor of the City of Carmel, Indiana, this _____ day of ________________________
2022, at _______ __.M.
____________________________________
James Brainard, Mayor
ATTEST:
___________________________________
Sue Wolfgang, Clerk
Resolution CC 06-20-22-02
Page Two of Two Pages
DocuSign Envelope ID: 242BDDC8-C88D-4BE6-8E3B-F9C5759011FE
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August3rd
August
August
3rd
1st
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May 2022
Carmel
Climate
Action Plan
CITY OF CARMEL,
INDIANA
i
Acknowledgments
The Carmel Climate Action Plan would not have been possible without the crucial input from the Carmel
community. The City of Carmel thanks all of those who contributed to this initiative.
CAP Development Team
This Climate Action Plan was developed by Gnarly Tree Sustainability Institute (GTSI) in collaboration
with City of Carmel staff from the Water and Wastewater Utilities Department and the Department of
Community Services.
Sue Maki – Utilities, City of Carmel
Alexia Lopez – Department of Community Services, City of Carmel
Stephanie Hayes Richards – Founder and Managing Principal, GTSI
Emily Giovanni – Senior Consultant, GTSI
Rachael Sargent – Consultant, GTSI
Carolyn Townsend – Research Associate, GTSI
City of Carmel Staff
Michael Allen – Parks & Natural Resources Director
Jim Barlow – Police Chief
Jennifer Brown – Extended School Enrichment/Summer Camp Series Director
John Duffy – Director of Carmel Utilities
Mike Hollibaugh – Director of Community Services
David Haboush – Fire Chief
Nancy Heck – Director of Community Relations and Economic Development (CRED)
Robert Higgins – General Manager/Superintendent: Brookshire Golf Course
Christina Jesse – Residential Permitting Coordinator
Jeremy Kashman – City Engineer
Terry Killen – Street Commissioner
Michael Klitzing – Director of Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation
Barbara Lamb – Director of Human Resources
Brent Liggett – Deputy Building Commissioner
David Littlejohn – Alternative Transportation Coordinator
Eric Mehl – Recreation & Facilities Director
Henry Mestesky – Director of Redevelopment Commission
Daren Mindham – Urban Forester
ii
Timothy Renick – Director of Information and Communication Systems
Kevin Whited – Transportation Development Coordinator
Indiana University Environmental Resilience Institute
This Climate Action Plan was developed with support from the Resilience Cohort, a program offered by the
Environmental Resilience Institute (ERI). ERI is an initiative of the Indiana University Prepared for
Environmental Change Grand Challenge. Special thanks to the 2020 Indiana Climate Fellow, Miranda
Frausto.
ICLEI USA ‐ Local Governments for Sustainability
This Climate Action Plan was developed with support from ICLEI USA in partnership with the Indiana
University Environmental Resilience Institute Resilience Cohort.
Stakeholder Contributors/Participants in Community Stakeholder Meetings
Lindsey Berry – Helping Ninjas
Leo Berry – Helping Ninjas
Mark LaBarr – Duke Energy
Representatives from Carmel Clay Schools EAC
Natalia Rekhter – Mayor’s Advisory Commission on Human Relations
Ramona Rice – Carmel Clay Schools Green Team
Jack Russell – Chamber of Commerce
Ashten Spilker – Carmel Against Racial Injustice
Michael Wallack – Mayor’s Advisory Commission on Human Relations
Leslie Webb – Carmel Green Initiative
Dan Weiss – Duke Energy
iii
Contents
Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................ 1
1. Introduction and Background ............................................................................................................ 5
1.1 What is Climate Change? ............................................................................................................................................. 5
1.2 Climate Change in Carmel ...........................................................................................................................................6
1.3 Climate Change Adaptation Versus Mitigation ......................................................................................................... 9
2. Emissions Baseline and Goals .......................................................................................................... 10
3. Plan Development .............................................................................................................................. 13
4. Climate Strategies ............................................................................................................................. 14
Public Education (PE) ...................................................................................................................................................... 15
Energy and Built Environment (EB) ................................................................................................................................17
Transportation (T) ........................................................................................................................................................... 22
Water and Wastewater (WW) ........................................................................................................................................ 25
Solid Waste (SW) ............................................................................................................................................................. 27
Local Food and Agriculture (FA) .................................................................................................................................... 29
Greenspace (G) ................................................................................................................................................................ 32
5. Next Steps .......................................................................................................................................... 35
Appendix A. Stakeholder Engagement Process .................................................................................. 36
A.1 Community Workshop Series ................................................................................................................................... 36
A.2 Youth Climate Townhalls ........................................................................................................................................ 40
A.3 Stakeholder Meetings ............................................................................................................................................... 41
Existing Climate Strategies in Carmel ........................................................................... 45
URLs for Listed Resources .............................................................................................. 50
1
Executive Summary
While a changing climate poses a serious threat to all life on our planet, the City of Carmel is prepared to
address those challenges as they occur at the local level. The City of Carmel has a long‐standing history of
sustainability efforts and has made formal commitments to addressing global climate change, including
joining the Global Covenant of Mayors, Resilient Communities for America, and the Mayors National
Climate Action Agenda. Carmel, like the rest of the world, is already experiencing the effects of a changing
climate including shorter winters, changing growing seasons, more days in the year with extreme heat,
increased flooding, and extreme weather events.1 The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
predicts effects will only worsen if global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are not significantly reduced.2
This Climate Action Plan (CAP) will serve as Carmel’s guide towards achieving net zero GHG emissions by
2050, in line with its commitments under the Mayors National Climate Change Agenda, which aims to
uphold the goals of the Paris Agreement at the municipal level. It builds on Carmel’s already extensive
sustainability work, including the Bike Carmel initiative, roundabout installation efforts, and parkland
preservation (see Appendix B for a full list of existing initiatives). The CAP specifies strategies that target
emission reductions in all areas of our community, while promoting continued development of Carmel as
a dynamic and thriving city. The CAP will act as a living document, to be updated periodically over the
next 30 years to reflect technological innovation and policy changes. The plan’s strategies are separated
into the following sectors:
Public Education (PE)
Energy and Built Environment (EB)
Transportation (T)
Water and Wastewater (WW)
Solid Waste (SW)
Local Food and Agriculture (FA)
Greenspace (G)
The table below summarizes the climate change strategies included in the CAP, organized by sector. For
each strategy, it identifies the relative scale of implementation costs (with a range of $ to $$$$ where “*”
indicates some mandatory costs to private parties3), the relative scale of expected GHG reductions, co‐
benefits (public health, cost‐savings, economic growth, improved quality of life, enhanced equity), and the
approximate implementation time frame (short: 1‐5 years, medium: 6‐15 years, long‐term: 16‐30 years).
1 For more information about the impacts of climate change on the state of Indiana, please see
https://ag.purdue.edu/indianaclimate/
2 For more information, please see the IPCC website at https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/chapter/spm/
3 In some cases, the costs will be incurred by the City directly but in others, mandatory programs will result in costs being
incurred by private parties. For each strategy, the estimated cost magnitude reflects City costs plus any mandatory costs incurred
by private parties above what they would incur in the absence of the strategy.
2
Strategy Cost GHG
Reductions Co‐Benefits Time
Frame
Public Education Programs
PE‐1 Public Education about Impacts of Climate
Change
$ Low Enhanced Equity Short
PE‐2 Climate Vulnerability Assessment $$ Low Cost Savings,
Quality of Life,
Enhanced Equity
Short
PE‐3 Sustainable Business Certification Program $ Medium Cost Savings,
Economic
Development
Short
PE‐4 City of Carmel Sustainability Committee $ Low Cost Savings,
Quality of Life
Short
Energy and Built Environment
EB‐1 Municipal Energy Efficiency Evaluation
and Upgrades
$$$ Medium Cost Savings Short
EB‐2 Municipal Energy Benchmarking and
Disclosure Program
$ Medium Cost Savings Short
EB‐3 Commercial Energy Benchmarking and
Disclosure Program
$ Medium Cost Savings Short
EB‐4 Green Building Best Practices Education
for Commercial and Municipal
Construction
$ Medium Cost Savings,
Quality of Life,
Economic
Development
Short
EB‐5 Green Building Policy for Commercial and
Municipal Construction
$$$* High Cost Savings,
Quality of Life,
Economic
Development
Medium
EB‐6 Residential Energy Conservation Measures $ High Cost Savings,
Economic Growth
Short
EB‐7 SolSmart Designation, Solar Education,
and Solar Group Purchase Program
$ High Cost savings,
Economic Growth
Short
EB‐8 Advocate for Renewable Energy $ Medium‐
High
Economic Growth Short
EB‐9 Identify Barriers to Existing Energy
Efficiency Programs
$ Medium Cost Savings,
Enhanced Equity
Medium
EB‐10 Energy Efficiency Grant Program $$ Medium Cost savings,
Enhanced Equity
Medium
3
Strategy Cost GHG
Reductions Co‐Benefits Time
Frame
Transportation
T‐1 Implement Planning and Development
Policies that Encourage Multi‐Modal
Transportation and Walkability
$$$$* High Public Health,
Economic
Development,
Quality of Life,
Enhanced Equity
Long
T‐2 Commuter Line Feasibility Study $$ Medium Public Health,
Quality of Life,
Enhanced Equity
Short
T‐3 Promote Electric Vehicle (EV) Leasing and
Purchasing
$$ Medium Public Health Short
T‐4 City EV and Hydrogen Fleet Purchasing
and Retrofit Policy
$$ Medium Public Health Short
T‐5 No‐Idling Policy Technical Assistance $ Low Cost Savings,
Public Health
Short
T‐6 Expand Promotion of Bicycles as
Alternative Mode of Transportation
$ Low Quality of Life,
Public Health
Short
T‐7 Municipal Bikeshare Program $ Low Quality of Life,
Public Health
Short
Water and Wastewater
WW‐1 Residential Low‐Flow Water Appliance
Retrofit Program
$$ Medium Quality of Life,
Cost Savings,
Enhanced Equity
Medium
WW‐2 Stormwater and Household Water
Efficiency Education
$ Low Cost Savings,
Enhanced Equity
Short
WW‐3 Consideration of Reclaimed Water System
for City Greenspace
$$$ Medium Cost Savings Medium
Solid Waste
SW‐1 Waste Feasibility Study $$ Medium Quality of Life Short
SW‐2 Municipal Food Waste Composting $ Low Quality of Life Short
SW‐3 Food Composting Pilot Programs $$ Low Quality of Life Medium
SW‐4 Backyard Compost Bin Voucher Program $ Low Quality of Life,
Cost Savings
Short
SW‐5 Increase Recycling Rate and Reduce
Contamination Rate
$$* Medium Quality of Life Short
SW‐6 Zero‐Waste Events Policy $* Low Quality of Life Short
4
Strategy Cost GHG
Reductions Co‐Benefits Time
Frame
Local Food and Agriculture
FA‐1 Promote and Expand Food Donation
Program
$ Low Quality of Life,
Enhanced Equity
Short
FA‐2 Local Food Purchasing Program $ Medium Public Health,
Quality of Life,
Economic Growth
Long
FA‐3 Promote Local Food Purchasing $ Low Public Health,
Quality of Life,
Economic Growth
Short
FA‐4 Community Orchard Pilot Program $$ Low Quality of Life,
Public Health,
Enhanced Equity
Long
FA‐5 Community and Residential Garden
Education Program
$ Low Quality of Life,
Public Health,
Enhanced Equity
Medium
FA‐6 Ensure All Residents Have Access to
Gardening Space
$$ Low Quality of Life,
Public Health,
Enhanced Equity
Medium
FA‐7 Evaluate Farmers Market Potential for
Accessibility and Expansion
$ Low Quality of Life,
Public Health
Short
Greenspace
G‐1 Rain Garden Location Identification and
Installation
$$ Low Quality of Life,
Public Health
Medium
G‐2 Environmental Protection and
Revegetation Policy
$* Low Quality of Life,
Public Health
Short
G‐3 Native and Drought‐Resistant Landscaping $ Low Quality of Life,
Public Health
Medium
G‐4 Increase Number of Trees Planted
Annually
$ Low Public Health,
Quality of Life,
Enhanced Equity
Short
G‐5 No Gasoline Powered Mowing Policy $$ Medium Public Health Medium
5
1. Introduction and Background
Cities around the world are creating local solutions to address our changing climate and adapt
to its effects. Given the localized impacts of a changing climate, it is important for cities and communities
to develop strategies to adapt to and mitigate climate change that are specific to their needs. CAPs are
long‐term strategic plans developed by cities and other entities to specify emission reduction targets and
specific actions to reach those targets.
This CAP represents a major step in Carmel’s journey towards climate action. The plan outlines 42
strategies across seven sectors which, when implemented, are designed to help Carmel reach its goal of
achieving net zero GHG emissions by 2050, in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement objectives. The
implementation of this plan is also an opportunity to enhance public health and equity in the community
by increasing food access, greenspace, and programs that improve the affordability of renewable energy
and energy efficiency retrofits for individuals and businesses alike. At the same time, many of the strategies
will help Carmel increase its climate resilience, help residents and local businesses achieve long‐term cost
savings, and yield other important co‐benefits including economic growth and improved quality of life for
residents.
Successful implementation of this CAP will require cross‐sectoral partnerships and collaboration among
city and community leaders. Given its strong passion of maintaining a healthy and thriving city, Carmel is
equipped with the tools to ensure it can play an active role in limiting the impacts of a changing climate.
1.1 What is Climate Change?
The Earth’s atmosphere creates a phenomenon known as the
greenhouse effect (Figure 1). Gases occurring
naturally in our atmosphere, called GHGs, such as carbon
dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), water vapor (H2O), and
ozone (O3) absorb the sun’s radiation, which keeps the Earth
at a livable temperature, similar to a blanket keeping us
warm at night. Life on our planet would be impossible
without the greenhouse effect. However, starting several
hundred years ago, humans started engaging in certain
activities – burning fossil fuels for transportation and
increasing energy use, clearing large portions of land for
agriculture, among many other activities – that release GHGs
into the atmosphere. Today, our daily behaviors such as
driving, doing laundry, powering our homes, and flying all
result in human made GHG emissions. Even food and
products we use and often throw away, particularly the
processing of meat and dairy, also result in GHG emissions.4
These human made GHG emissions are making Earth’s
“blanket” thicker, meaning the more GHGs in the
4 Project Drawdown, n.d. Plant Rich Diets, https://www.drawdown.org/solutions/plant‐rich‐diets ; Project Drawdown, n.d.,
Reduced Food Waste, https://www.drawdown.org/solutions/reduced‐food‐waste
Figure 1: Greenhouse Effect
Source: Shutter Stock
6
atmosphere, the more solar radiation is being absorbed. As a result, Earth’s average temperature has already
increased by slightly more than 1 degree Fahrenheit and is projected to continue unless we significantly
reduce GHG emissions at a global scale.5
1.2 Climate Change in Carmel
According to the Indiana Climate Change
Impacts Assessment, Indiana is already
experiencing the impacts of a changing
climate. For instance, since 1895, Indiana
average annual temperatures increased 1.2°F
and the state’s average temperature is
projected to increase by 5 to 6°F by 2050
compared to the state's average temperature
from 1971 to 2000.6 In Hamilton County, it is
projected that by the 2050s, there will be an
average of ~40 days in the year with
temperatures above 95°F compared to only
four days per year during the 1971 to 2000
period (Figure 2). Additionally, by the 2050s,
the average hottest day of the year is
predicted to have increased from 94° F to
105° F.7
There will also be impacts in the winter,
which will become milder. By the 2050s, the
coldest day of the year in Hamilton County
will increase from ‐10° F to ‐1° F.8 As the
climate warms, rain will replace much of the
snow typically falling from November to
March.
Overall, if emissions remain unchecked
globally, Indiana’s summer weather will start
to feel more like that of, while winters will more closely resemble current conditions on the east coast of
the United States (Figure 3).
5 NASA Earth Observatory, 29 January 2020, World of Change: Global Temperatures,https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/world‐of‐
change/decadaltemp.php
6 M. Widhalm, A. Hamlet, K. Byun, S. Robeson, M. Baldwin, P. Staten, C. Chiu, J. Coleman, E. Hall, K. Hoogewind, M. Huber, C.
Kieu, J. Yoo, and J. Dukes, 2018, Indiana’s Past & Future Climate: A Report from the Indiana Climate Change Impacts Assessment,
https://doi.org/10.5703/1288284316634
7 Purdue Climate Change Research Center, n.d. Hamilton County: State of the Climate,
https://ag.purdue.edu/indianaclimate/wp‐content/uploads/2019/01/ClimateFacts_Hamilton_03262018_reduced.pdf
8 Purdue Climate Change Research Center, n.d. Hamilton County: State of the Climate,
https://ag.purdue.edu/indianaclimate/wp‐content/uploads/2019/01/ClimateFacts_Hamilton_03262018_reduced.pdf
Figure 2: Anticipated Number of Days Per Year
Above 95 Degrees F in Hamilton County, Indiana*
Based upon: Indiana Climate Change Impacts Assessment,
https://ag.purdue.edu/indianaclimate/indiana‐climate‐
report/
*Based on best available data for nearby Marion County,
Indiana
“Historical” is an average for the period 1915 to 2013. “2020s”
represents the average 30‐year future period 2011 to 2040. “2050s”
represents the average 30‐year period 2041 to 2070. “2080s” represents
the 30‐year period 2071 to 2100.
4
15
27
38
16
39
76
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Historical 2020s 2050s 2080sNumber of DaysObserved Emissions Medium Emissions High Emissions
7
Figure 3: Depiction of Indiana Summer and Winter Climates Under Future Emissions
Scenarios
Under moderate emissions increases:
Indiana summers will become warmer, more closely resembling Kentucky and Tennessee by the 2050s and Alabama
by the 2080s
Indiana winters will become milder, more closely resembling that of Maryland and Virginia by the 2080s
Under high emissions increases:
Indiana summers will become much warmer, more closely resembling Arkansas by the 2050s and Texas by the 2080s
Indiana winters will become much milder, more closely resembling that of Virginia and North Carolina by the 2080s
Projections are based on statewide averages for temperature and precipitation.
Source: Indiana Climate Impacts Assessment, https://ag.purdue.edu/indianaclimate/indiana‐climate‐report/
8
Figure 4: Anticipated Change in
Annual Average Precipitation for
Hamilton County
Average change in precipitation is based on linear
trend between 1895 to 2016
Source: Indiana Climate Change Impacts
Assessment,
https://ag.purdue.edu/indianaclimate/indiana‐
climate‐report/
Figure 5: Anticipated Number of Days Per Year With
More Than Two Inches Snow in Hamilton County,
Indiana*
Based upon: Indiana Climate Change Impacts Assessment,
https://ag.purdue.edu/indianaclimate/indiana‐climate‐report/
*Based on best available data for nearby Marion County, Indiana
“Historical” is an average for the period 1915 to 2013. “2020s” represents the
average 30‐year future period 2011 to 2040. “2050s” represents the average
30‐year period 2041 to 2079. “2080s” represents the 30‐year period 2071 to
2100.
Indiana has already started experiencing more rainfall than in the past. Annual precipitation has increased
by 5.7 inches per year on average since 1895 (Figure 4). In Hamilton County, average rainfall is projected to
increase by 16 percent by the 2050s compared to average values from 1971 to 2000.9 This is in part due to
more snowfall being replaced by rainfall each year because of warmer winter temperatures (Figure 5). See
Figure 6 for additional impacts that Indiana communities will experience as a result of climate change.
9 Purdue Climate Change Research Center, n.d. Hamilton County: State of the Climate,
https://ag.purdue.edu/indianaclimate/wp‐content/uploads/2019/01/ClimateFacts_Hamilton_03262018_reduced.pdf
6
4
33
4
3
2
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Historical 2020s 2050s 2080sNumber of DaysObserved Emissions Medium Emissions High Emissions
9
Figure 6: Overview of climate change impacts in Indiana
Source: Purdue Climate Change Research Center
1.3 Climate Change Adaptation Versus Mitigation
Some effects of a changing climate are inevitable. Adapting to a changing climate means a city or
community implements measures to help residents withstand and become resilient to these impacts.
Mitigation, on the other hand, is the process of actively preventing or reducing GHGs from being emitted
into the atmosphere to reduce climate change. This CAP is primarily focused on climate mitigation;
however, some actions such as better stormwater management, tree planting, and a climate vulnerability
assessment will help the community adapt to a changing climate.
10
2. Emissions Baseline and Goals
Carmel conducted community‐level GHG emissions inventories for the years 2015 and 2018 using ICLEI
USA’s ClearPath accounting tools.10 This inventory is described in detail in a separate report, 2015 and 2018
Inventories of Community and Government Operations Greenhouse Gas Emissions; key results are
summarized here. Additionally, because some of the GHG emissions reductions goals use 2005 emissions
as a baseline (see further discussion below), Carmel also used ClearPath to develop an emissions back‐cast
for 2005.
Based on the 2018 inventory, total GHG emissions in the City of Carmel were approximately 1.260 million
metric tons. Table 1 summarizes the results by sector (more detail is provided in Table 2 below).
Transportation, including on‐road and off‐road vehicles, accounts for the single largest source of GHG
emissions in Carmel, followed by residential energy and then commercial and industrial energy. Waste and
wastewater account for a small share of overall emissions.
Table 1: Carmel 2018 Emissions by Sector
Sector
Emissions
(Tons CO2e) Percent
Transportation 509,967 40
Residential Energy 438,183 35
Commercial/Industrial Energy 298,301 24
Waste and Wastewater 13,968 1
Total 1,260,419 100
The 2018 estimated emissions represent an increase of less than 1 percent over the 2015 estimated emissions
of 1.257 million metric tons, even as population increased by more than six percent over the same period
(from 92,747 in 2015 to 98,347 in 2018). Another useful way to look at the GHG emissions is in terms of
annual emissions per person (i.e., per capita emissions). The 2018 emissions estimate equates to per‐capita
emissions of 12.8 metric tons, which is a decrease from the 2015 per‐capita emissions of 13.6 metric tons.11
While Table 1 breaks out emissions by sector, it is also useful to examine the baseline emissions in other
ways to identify potential areas where emission reductions may be achieved. For example, combining
residential, commercial, and industrial energy shows that stationary energy accounts for almost 60 percent
of total estimated emissions. Grid electricity provided by Duke Energy and AES Indiana (formerly known
as IPL) and consumed by residents and businesses in Carmel accounts for 45 percent of total emissions,
with the remaining emissions in that sector (about 14 percent of total emissions) being from natural gas
10 ICLEI, n.d., Clear Path, https://icleiusa.org/clearpath/
11 A review of other municipal‐level GHG inventories11 suggests that Carmel’s per capita emissions are consistent with those of
other similarly situated cities including Boulder, Colorado and Bloomington, Indiana (both 14.4); Kansas City, Missouri (18.2);
Iowa City, Iowa (13.5); and Lakewood, Colorado (10.9).
11
combustion by households and businesses. This suggests that in addition to reducing energy consumption
in Carmel households and businesses, changes to the underlying energy source mix in grid‐supplied
electricity can significantly impact Carmel’s emissions over time.
On‐road transportation is another important contributor to Carmel’s total GHG emissions, with gas
vehicles emitting 24 percent of total emissions and diesel vehicles emitting another 9 percent.12 This
suggests that measures to reduce emissions from these vehicles and gradually shift to hybrid or electric
vehicles will have substantial impacts on the City’s emissions.
Carmel has established ambitious GHG reduction goals consistent with the Mayors National Climate
Change Agenda, which committed to uphold the Paris Agreement emission reduction goal of 45 percent
relative to 2005 by 2035. Additionally, the City aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, which is in line
with the Paris Agreement as well as Duke Energy’s stated emission reduction goals (which provides the
majority of grid electricity to Carmel). Table 2 shows Carmel’s 2018 calculated emissions as well as two
different 2050 scenarios: business‐as‐usual with no additional strategies to reduce GHG emissions, and the
net zero goal whereby Carmel implements initiatives across the community to achieve substantial
reductions.13 Note that the projections under both scenarios assume straight‐line emissions trajectories
where emissions quantities change by the same amount each year between 2018 and 2050.
Table 2: Carmel's Projected GHG Emissions to 2050 under Business‐as‐Usual and Net Zero Goal
Sector
2018
Calculated
Emissions
Projected Emissions Compound
Annual
Growth 2030 2040 2050
Business‐as‐Usual Scenario
Residential Electricity 289,652 332,736 373,497 419,250 1.2%
Commercial Electricity 270,525 310,764 348,832 391,564 1.2%
Industrial Electricity 7,950 9,133 10,251 11,507 1.2%
Residential Natural Gas 148,531 170,624 191,526 214,988 1.2%
Commercial Natural Gas 19,826 22,775 25,565 28,697 1.2%
On‐Road Transportation
(Gasoline) 301,152 345,976 388,386 435,994 1.2%
On‐Road Transportation
(Diesel) 112,127 128,805 144,584 162,296 1.2%
Solid Waste Generation 12,960 15,047 17,041 19,299 1.2%
Water/Wastewater
Treatment (not incl. energy) 1,008 1,158 1,299 1,458 1.2%
Off‐Road Vehicles 96,688 111,029 124,592 139,811 1.2%
Total 1,260,419 1,448,049 1,625,575 1,824,864 1.2%
12 The remaining transportation sector emissions, about 8 percent of total emissions, are attributable to off‐road vehicles.
13 Note that the “net zero” emissions goal for 2050 means that remaining emissions are offset by natural sequestration (by trees
and other vegetation) within the community, so total emissions are not zero.
12
Sector
2018
Calculated
Emissions
Projected Emissions Compound
Annual
Growth 2030 2040 2050
Net Zero Goal Scenario
Residential Electricity 289,652 181,153 90,738 322 ‐19.1%
Commercial Electricity 270,525 169,191 84,745 300 ‐19.2%
Industrial Electricity 7,950 4,972 2,491 9 ‐19.1%
Residential Natural Gas 148,531 92,913 46,564 215 ‐18.5%
Commercial Natural Gas 19,826 12,402 6,216 29 ‐18.5%
On‐Road Transportation
(Gasoline) 301,152 189,354 96,188 3,023 ‐13.4%
On‐Road Transportation
(Diesel) 112,127 70,393 35,615 837 ‐14.2%
Solid Waste Generation 12,960 8,157 4,154 151 ‐13.0%
Water/Wastewater
Treatment (not incl. energy) 1,008 635 323 12 ‐12.9%
Off‐Road Vehicles 96,688 60,571 30,473 375 ‐15.9%
Total 1,260,419 789,739 397,506 5,273 ‐15.7%
As demonstrated by the table, very meaningful reductions will need to be achieved within Carmel to meet
the ambitious net zero emissions goal. The remainder of this document describes strategies that the City
will implement over the short and long term to help meet this challenge.
13
3. Plan Development
The City of Carmel began its climate action planning process when it joined Indiana University’s 2019
Resilience Cohort led by the Environmental Resilience Institute (ERI). In 2019, an Indiana Climate Fellow,
supported by ERI and the City, conducted a GHG emissions inventory for the years 2015 and 2018, which
established the baseline emissions for the City. Carmel then joined the 2020 Resilience Cohort where the
same Indiana Climate Fellow conducted community and stakeholder engagement and began drafting the
CAP. This stakeholder engagement is summarized in this chapter and described in more detail in Appendix
A.
Carmel collected community and stakeholder input on climate action strategies from May to October of
2020. The 2020 ERI Climate Fellow conducted three community workshops, two youth climate workshops,
and four stakeholder meetings. Due to the COVID‐19 pandemic, all engagement was conducted virtually
using Zoom. Overall, these workshops revealed that Carmel community members who attended the
meetings are concerned about climate change and are making efforts to reduce their carbon footprints.
Waste reduction and diversion and energy conservation were the two activities that the majority of
workshop participants are already engaging in. Residents who attended the workshops supported strategies
that would provide incentives to homeowners and businesses, as well as strategies that require the adoption
of regulations and polices.
During the last two community workshops, the focus was narrowed to sector‐specific solutions the
community would support. The full results of the Zoom poll surveys may be found in Appendix A.
For the energy sector, the most frequently recommended initiatives were renewable energy
procurement at the local government and community level (67 percent) and requiring home
builders to consider renewable and alternative energy in the planning and designing of new
buildings (66 percent).
For the transportation sector, the most frequently recommended initiatives were increasing electric
vehicle infrastructure (56 percent) and developing off‐road bike lanes (52 percent).
For the waste sector, the most frequently mentioned initiative was offering curbside compost
pickup available to all residents and businesses (62 percent).
For the water sector, the most frequently recommended initiatives were encouraging developers to
implement rainwater capture systems (76 percent) and implementing water conservation
technology such as grey water capture (59 percent).
The Indiana Climate Fellow completed their fellowship in December 2020 and the City subsequently
engaged Gnarly Tree Sustainability Institute (GTSI) to write the CAP in close collaboration with City staff.
In March and April of 2021, GTSI gathered feedback from City department heads during five separate
meetings on their past, current, and planned future efforts to reduce GHG emissions. Building upon
existing climate efforts in Carmel and community and stakeholder feedback, GTSI developed a
comprehensive list of existing climate strategies in Carmel (see Appendix B), which forms the foundation
for additional strategies identified in this CAP. Stakeholders then reviewed and provided feedback on the
proposed strategies, and their feedback was incorporated into the CAP.
14
4. Climate Strategies
This chapter itemizes the climate strategies that the City of Carmel will implement pursuant to this CAP.
The strategies are broken out by sectors, including public education (PE), energy and the built environment
(EB), transportation (T), water and wastewater (WW), solid waste (SW), local food and agriculture (FA),
and greenspace (G). Within each sector, the City has identified three to ten strategies that will contribute
to meaningful GHG emissions reductions in line with achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
In this chapter, the strategies are presented as a table (see template or “key” below) with a brief description
of what it will entail as well as identification of the implementation lead and key partners within the
government and community. Additionally, each table identifies the relative scale of implementation costs
and GHG reductions and indicates the implementation time frame.
[description, including whether it builds on any
existing strategies]
Implementation lead: the entity that will
“own” the initiative (can be a City department,
local organization, or business)
Potential partners: entities who will help the
lead in implementing the action (can be a City
department, local organization, or business)
Estimated Cost (scale of $ to $$$$); “*” indicates some
mandatory costs to private parties14
GHG reductions (scale: low, medium, high)
Co‐benefits indicates other aspects of our community
that will benefit from the climate strategy (including
(Public Health, Cost Savings, Economic Growth, Quality
of Life, Enhanced Equity); see below for a detailed
description of each co‐benefit.
Implementation Time Frame (scale: Short term: 1‐5
years; Medium term: 6‐15 years; Long term: 16‐30 years)
Each strategy table additionally identifies co‐benefits that will be realized within Carmel as a result of the
strategy’s implementation. These include the following co‐benefits categories:
Public Health: Many of the strategies in this plan will improve overall health in the Carmel
community. For instance, reducing emissions from motor vehicles will reduce air pollution, thereby
lowering the risk of health problems associated with poor air quality. Also, improving access to
local, fresh produce, and enhanced opportunities for walking and biking will improve overall
physical health.
Cost Savings: Strategies that increase energy efficiency, result in appliance retrofits, and promote
group purchasing of solar will save a significant amount of long‐term costs associated with using
less efficient appliances and non‐renewable energy. Also, replacing car trips with walking, biking,
or public transportation can result in reduced transportation costs.
Economic Growth: Implementing climate strategies will result in a cleaner, more beautiful city,
which will attract new businesses to the area. For example, high urban tree canopy coverage (the
14 In some cases, the costs will be incurred by the City directly but in others, mandatory programs will result in costs being
incurred by private parties. For each strategy, the estimated cost magnitude reflects City costs plus any mandatory costs incurred
by private parties above what they would incur in the absence of the strategy.
15
layer of tree leaves, branches, and stems that provide tree coverage of the ground when viewed from
above), enhances the economic viability of a given area by attracting new businesses and residents.15
Quality of Life: Increased access to local foods, personal cost‐savings, and increased physical
activity from reduced car trips, are just some of the ways the implementation of CAP strategies will
improve the overall quality of life in Carmel. Many other facets of the CAP will improve the overall
livability of Carmel.
Enhanced Equity: Enhancing social equity is an important factor associated with addressing
climate change. Low‐income communities and people of color are more likely to be adversely
impacted by climate change, which is why it is important to ensure all community members benefit
from the actions in this CAP.
Each of the sections additionally includes identification of actions that members of the Carmel community
can take to reduce their individual impact, including hyperlinks to helpful resources (see Appendix C for
the full web addresses for all linked resources).
This CAP will act as a living document, to be updated periodically over the next thirty years to reflect
technological innovation and policy changes. As such, some of the strategies identified here may evolve or
become more detailed in future iterations, and responsibilities for implementation may shift. The City of
Carmel is committed to implementing all of the strategies in this CAP, even while recognizing that some
of them may need further development along the way.
Public Education (PE)
A key component to successful implementation of a climate action plan is ensuring greater awareness of
climate change and other sustainability issues. The strategies in this sector highlight different methods of
educating the public, including businesses and City employees.
Carmel already has numerous public education initiatives as well as several nonprofits that aim to involve
the community in sustainability initiatives. For instance, the Carmel Green Initiative works to “promote
and support the City of Carmel’s commitment to reducing our impact on the environment and meeting
the climate challenge.” Helping Ninjas is another nonprofit that seeks to engage youth in different
environmental initiatives while also growing their social and interpersonal skills. The City of Carmel also
has its Bike Carmel initiative, which promotes bicycling by holding bike‐centered events throughout the
year. Finally, the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District runs the Backyard Conservation
Program, which educates the public on how to create and preserve wildlife habitats in backyards, conserve
water, and protect watersheds while connecting residents to nature.
The strategies identified in this section will help Carmel’s residents and businesses gain a better
understanding of climate change and what they can do to help mitigate their own GHG emissions.
15 D.J, Nowak, A. R. Bodine, R.E. Hoehn, A. Ellis, S. Hirabayashi, R. Coville, D.S.N. Auyeung, N.F. Sonti, R. A. Hallett, M. L.
Johnson, E. Stephan, T. Taggart, and T. Endreny, 2018, The urban forest of New York City, https://doi.org/10.2737/NRS‐RB‐117
16
PE‐ 1: Public Education about Impacts of Climate Change
Develop climate education programs appropriate for Carmel students, adult
residents, and businesses.
Implementation lead: Earth Charter Indiana, Environmental Resilience
Institute, Carmel Green Initiative
Potential partners: City of Carmel Community Relations and Economic
Development Department (CRED), Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation (CCPR)
Cost: $
GHG reductions: Low
Co‐benefits: Enhanced
Equity
Time frame: Short Term
PE‐ 2: Climate Vulnerability Assessment
Complete Hoosier Resilience Index assessment and climate vulnerability
assessment to better understand the impacts of climate change on Carmel and
to inform future cost‐benefit analyses of proposed climate strategies and
projects. The assessment will enable Carmel to plan for the specific climate
impacts the city will experience to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel Department of Community Services
(DOCS)
Potential partners: Environmental Resilience Institute
Cost: $$
GHG reductions: Low
Co‐benefits: Cost Savings,
Quality of Life, Enhanced
Equity
Time frame: Short Term
PE‐ 3: Sustainable Business Certification Program
This program will provide local businesses with resources to adopt
sustainability practices. After completing a multi‐week course, businesses will
receive a certificate and a sticker they can place in their window to signal that
they are working towards sustainability. Businesses will also have the option to
participate in optional activities, including disclosure of their building energy
usage on an annual basis and using energy usage data to determine energy
efficiency measures.
Implementation lead: OneZone Chamber of Commerce
Potential partners: City of Carmel CRED
Cost: $
GHG reductions: Medium
Co‐benefits: Cost Savings,
Economic Development
Time frame: Short Term
PE‐ 4: City of Carmel Sustainability Committee
The City will create a sustainability committee with representatives from each
department. The committee will establish and communicate internal
sustainability efforts such as a municipal composting program. The committee
will also create challenges and programs to incentivize departments to meet
environmental goals. Department representatives will be charged with
educating their respective department on sustainable practices.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel Human Resources Department, DOCS,
and Utilities
Potential partners: CCPR
Cost: $
GHG reductions: Low
Co‐benefits: Cost Savings,
Quality of Life
Time frame: Short Term
17
What You Can Do
Learn more about climate change and climate justice. Check out these books and documentaries:
o Project Drawdown
o Climate Action Challenge: A Proven Plan for Launching Your Eco‐Initiative in 90 Days by
Joan Gregerson
o David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet – on Netflix
Join local and state organizations in their efforts to address climate change, such as:
o Carmel Green Initiative
o Earth Charter Indiana
o Helping Ninjas Inc.
o Carmel Clay Schools Green Team
o Indiana Forest Alliance
Energy and Built Environment (EB)
Emissions from the built environment are either direct (emitted on‐site, such as using a gas stove or water
heater) or indirect (fossil fuels burned offsite, such as transporting construction materials or electricity
usage from the electric grid). In Carmel, commercial and residential building energy use accounts for
almost 60 percent of total GHG emissions (see Chapter 2), which indicates that there is great opportunity
to reduce emissions in the sector.
The City of Carmel is already making strides in improving energy efficiency and energy conservation
practices in municipal facilities. For example, the Fire Department has completed numerous building
projects including a new maintenance and training center and a fire station that utilize energy and water
efficient practices such as low‐flow toilets and urinals. Additionally, the City is in the process of creating
an energy benchmarking program that will require large municipal buildings to publicly report energy
usage on an annual basis. The City is also working with developers to encourage adoption of energy
efficiency and renewable energy practices in municipal buildings. The Department of Community Services
also has a green building checklist it provides to developers to raise awareness about less carbon‐intensive
building practices. Also, the Redevelopment Department requires developers to add solar to their new
properties.
This section specifies ten strategies ranging from energy efficiency upgrades in households to streamlining
the solar permitting process for residents and businesses. The majority of these actions will result in cost
savings for the entire community as residents and businesses save on utility bills.
18
EB‐ 1: Municipal Energy Efficiency Evaluation and Upgrades
The City will undergo a comprehensive evaluation of all existing municipal
buildings for potential energy efficiency upgrades such as more efficient HVAC,
replacing faucets and toilets with low flow, solar potential, and energy saving
technology for computers.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel Administration and Utilities
Potential partners: TBD
Cost: $$$
GHG reductions: Medium
Co‐Benefits: Cost savings
Time Frame: Short term
EB‐ 2: Municipal Energy Benchmarking and Disclosure Program
All municipal buildings will be required to report their energy usage on an
annual basis. This strategy will increase transparency, raise awareness about
building energy consumption, and ultimately result in cost‐savings. This
strategy expands on existing city efforts to establish such a program.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel Administration
Potential partners: Duke Energy, CenterPoint Energy, AES Indiana
Cost: $
GHG reductions: Medium
Co‐Benefits: Cost savings
Time Frame: Short term
EB‐ 3: Commercial Energy Benchmarking and Disclosure Program
All commercial buildings may voluntarily report their energy usage on an
annual basis. This strategy will increase transparency, raise awareness about
building energy consumption, and ultimately result in cost‐savings. This
strategy expands on existing city efforts to establish such a program.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel DOCS
Potential partners: OneZone, Duke Energy, CenterPoint Energy, AES Indiana
Cost: $
GHG reductions: Medium
Co‐Benefits: Cost savings
Time Frame: Short term
19
EB‐ 4: Green Building Best Practices Education for Commercial and Municipal
Construction
Create and disseminate educational materials regarding green building
principles, including LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)16
green building principles for commercial developers. Utilize educational
resources to encourage developers to seek LEED certification and to dispel any
misconceptions regarding the cost of certification. Enlist the support of local
businesses with LEED certified buildings to share their experiences.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel DOCS
Potential partners: OneZone, Indiana Builders Association, Indiana Chapter
of USGBC, Regions Branch Bank (LEED 2009 Gold, certified in 2012), Indiana
Design Center
Cost: $
GHG reductions: Medium
Co‐benefits: Cost Savings,
Quality of Life, Economic
Development
Time frame: Short term
EB‐ 5: Green Building Policy for Commercial and Municipal Construction
After educating developers and City departments on the LEED certification
process for five years (under Strategy EB‐3), establish standards for new
construction requiring commercial developers and the City to be at least LEED
Silver. For the City, this builds on the existing green building/renovation
checklist.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel DOCS and Redevelopment Department
Potential partners: Indiana Builders Association, Indiana Chapter of USGBC,
Regions Branch Bank (LEED 2009 Gold, certified in 2012)
Cost: $$$*
GHG reductions: High
Co‐benefits: Cost Savings,
Quality of Life
Time frame: Medium term
EB‐ 6: Residential Energy Conservation Measures
Home renovations: Implement a residential energy conservation education
initiative intended to improve efficiency in existing Carmel housing. The
initiative will provide residents, especially homes or apartments undergoing
renovations, with educational materials that specify energy efficiency
improvements; a list of contractors and vendors; and existing state, federal, and
utility energy efficiency incentives.
New home construction: Similar to renovators, homebuilders will be provided
with educational materials that provide options for renewable energy and
sustainable building materials prior to new construction. These education
materials will help support solar and other renewable energy companies. This
strategy expands upon Strategy 7.1 from the Comprehensive Plan, which calls
for the encouragement of durable materials and construction methods that
prolong the life of buildings.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel CRED, DOCS
Potential partners: Indiana Homebuilders Association
Cost: $
GHG reductions: High
Co‐benefits: Cost Savings,
Economic Growth
Time Frame: Short term
20
EB‐ 7: SolSmart Designation, Solar Education, and Solar Group Purchase Program
SolSmart provides cities with technical assistance to ensure they are offering
residents streamlined, easy‐to‐understand information about solar
installations. Receiving a gold designation will expand Carmel residents access
to solar resources. As part of this initiative, the City of Carmel will develop
solar education programs, organize group purchases of solar panels, and work
with Home Owners Associations to ensure their covenants allow for solar
installations.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel DOCS
Potential partners: Indiana University Environmental Resilience Institute,
Hamilton County Solar Co‐op, and Solarize Indiana
Cost: $
GHG reductions: High
Co‐benefits: Cost Savings,
Economic Growth,
Enhanced Equity
Time frame: Short Term
EB‐8: Advocate for State Renewable Energy
Encourage local electricity providers to further transition to clean renewable
energy. Join with Indiana cities in advocating for the state legislature to enact
additional renewable energy policies. Policies such as tax breaks, loans, and/or
rebates, will encourage individuals, non‐profits, businesses, and industry to
adopt renewable energy practices.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel DOCS department
Potential partners: Carmel Green Initiative, Earth Charter Indiana
Cost: $
GHG reductions: Medium‐
High
Co‐benefits: Economic
Growth
Time Frame: Short
EB‐ 9: Identify Barriers to Existing Energy Efficiency Programs
The City will identify barriers for business and household participation in
existing federal and utility weatherization and energy efficiency programs.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel DOCS department
Potential partners: Duke Energy, AES Indiana, CenterPoint Energy, City of
Carmel CRED, Hand, Inc., Carmel Green Initiative
Cost: $
GHG reductions: Medium
Co‐benefits: Cost Savings,
Enhanced Equity
Time frame: Medium term
16 LEED is the world’s most widely used green building rating system led by the US Green Building Council and is designed to help buildings
achieve high‐performance while remaining energy efficient and powered by low‐ or no‐carbon energy.
21
EB‐ 10: Energy Efficiency Grant Program
Once barriers to existing energy efficiency programs are identified (under
Strategy EB‐9), the City will partner with the Carmel Green Initiative and
Hand, Inc. to support the potential creation of a grant program to help
residents and businesses overcome cost barriers that existing programs cannot
currently cover. The grant money would fund energy efficiency projects and
upgrades including lighting, HVAC, heat pumps, insulation, and ductwork. The
purpose of this strategy is to accompany existing rebates Duke Energy, AES
Indiana, and CenterPoint Energy currently offer to alleviate cost burden.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel DOCS department
Potential partners: City of Carmel Utilities, Duke Energy, CenterPoint
Energy, AES Indiana, Carmel Green Initiative, Hand, Inc.
Cost: $$
GHG reductions: Medium
Co‐benefits: Cost Savings,
Enhanced Equity
Time frame: Medium term
What You Can Do
Take a look at Duke Energy’s Clean & Smart opportunities page, which lists numerous ways to
incorporate energy efficiency into your lifestyle.
If you own your home, complete a Duke Energy free home energy assessment to see how to save
energy and what appliance upgrades you may need.
Enroll in Duke Energy’s Power Manager Program and Flex Savings Options pilot program, which
helps save energy during peak energy periods by lowering your hot water heater and A/C’s energy
usage.
If you own your home, make sure it is well‐sealed, insulated, and weatherized. Take advantage of
Duke Energy’s rebates for undertaking these initiatives.
Install solar on the roof of your home or business! Attend a Solarize Hamilton County information
session to learn the benefits of installing solar panels on your home and to get a group purchase
discount if you choose to go solar.
Air dry your clothes instead of using a clothes dryer (or reduce the frequency you use your clothes
dryer).
Install a smart thermostat in your home, which uses smart technology to regulate temperatures
that are ideal to your preferences and that save energy.
Use your dishwasher on the eco setting (with no pre‐rinse or heated dry) to save water instead of
hand washing your dishes or use the double basin method to hand wash your dishes if you don’t
have a dishwasher.
Install low‐flow toilets, shower heads, and faucets in your home.
Make a habit of unplugging electronic devices when not in use.
22
Transportation (T)
The United States is a car‐centric country, where many individuals utilize private vehicles as their primary
form of transportation. The American Public Transportation Association estimates that the average
household spends 16 cents of every dollar on transportation, which is the largest expenditure after housing
costs.17 Not only is transportation via a private vehicle costly, but it emits a significant amount of GHG
emissions and local air pollutants such as particulate matter, volatile organic compounds (or VOCs),
nitrous oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide (SOx), contributing to climate change and
decreasing air quality. In Carmel, transportation accounted for about 40 percent of total GHG emissions,
so meaningful reductions in this sector will be critical to meeting overall emission reduction goals,
enhancing air quality, and improving human health.
Carmel has long encouraged biking and walking as transportation options, particularly in the central core.
Also, the City of Carmel Comprehensive plan includes numerous policies related to sustainable
transportation. For example, the plan calls for a commuter line feasibility study and construction of an
intercity bus or trolley system. The City actively encourages biking by prioritizing the installation of bike
lanes, expanding its extensive bike path system, and hosting bike‐centered events through the Bike Carmel
initiative. Carmel also has over 125 roundabouts installed throughout the city, which help reduce vehicle
emissions associated with idling at stoplights. Moreover, the remaining stoplights in the city are all
powered by LEDs. Carmel was also awarded a grant in early 2021 to install two EV chargers.
Looking forward, the strategies in this section are focused on promoting electric vehicles (EVs) as an
alternative to fossil fuel‐based cars, exploring opportunities for public transportation, and promoting
biking and walking as alternatives to driving.
T‐ 1: Implement Planning and Development Policies that Encourage Multi‐Modal
Transportation and Walkability
Utilize transit‐oriented development and planning strategies, such as mixed
use housing, Complete Streets policy, and zoning changes to ensure every
Carmel resident is adjacent to a sidewalk, multi‐use path, or public
transportation and a neighborhood support center (corner store). Proximity to
alternative modes of transportation will encourage all residents to transition to
low or no‐carbon transportation, lower air pollution from cars, improve public
health, and enhance pedestrian and bike safety. Moreover, this strategy will
ensure all Carmel residents will have access to transportation alternatives.
Creating neighborhood support centers will reduce the need for short car trips
to the grocery store or pharmacy. This strategy aligns with numerous policy
objectives (2.5, 4.5, 5.4, 5.5, 6.6, 7.3) in the Carmel Comprehensive Plan.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel DOCS, Engineering, and Street
departments
Potential partners: Carmel Redevelopment Commission, CCPR
Cost: $$$$*
GHG reductions: High
Co‐Benefits:
Public Health, Economic
Development, Quality of
Life, Enhanced Equity
Time Frame: Long‐term
17 American Public Transportation Association, n.d., Public Transportation Facts, https://www.apta.com/news‐
publications/public‐transportation‐facts/
23
T‐ 2: Commuter Line Feasibility Study
Following Council approval, a commuter line feasibility study will assess the
feasibility of an intra‐county transit system and an expansion of the
Indianapolis Red Line to Carmel. A transit system will promote use of public
transportation over commuting by private vehicles, provide low‐cost
transportation for individuals who do not own a vehicle, and improve air
quality from reduced vehicle emissions. This strategy builds upon the
Comprehensive Plan recommendation of research for the establishment of a
commuter line as well as the existing efforts from the Department of
Community Services to draft a study.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel DOCS
Potential partners: Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority,
IndyGo
Cost: $$
GHG reductions: Medium
Co‐Benefits: Public Health,
Quality of Life, Enhanced
Equity
Time Frame: Short‐term
T‐ 3: Promote Electric Vehicle (EV) Leasing and Purchasing
The City will promote EV leasing and purchasing by providing the public with
educational resources, installing EV charging stations in City‐owned parking
lots, garages, and Central Core parking, and requiring all new commercial
construction to include at least one EV charging station. Increasing the number
of EVs on the road will reduce GHG emissions and improve air quality. This
strategy expands upon existing efforts to encourage EVs, such as the grant the
City received in 2020 to install two EV chargers in the Central Core.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel CRED, DOCS
Potential partners: Carmel Redevelopment Commission, Novo Development
Group, Environmental Resilience Institute
Cost: $$
GHG reductions: Medium
Co‐Benefits: Public Health
Time Frame: Short‐term
T‐ 4: City EV and Hydrogen Fleet Purchasing and Retrofit Policy
An EV and hydrogen fleet purchasing and retrofit policy will advance the
current hybrid vehicle purchasing policy by encouraging the City to retrofit
existing vehicles with hydrogen technology and requiring that new vehicles
purchased are EV, when appropriate. This policy will enable the City to set a
positive example and encourage residents and businesses to purchase EVs or
adopt similar policies.
Implementation lead: All City of Carmel departments with fleets
Potential partners: AlGalCo, Climate Mayors EV Purchasing Collaborative,
CCPR
Cost: $$
GHG reductions: Medium
Co‐Benefits: Public Health
Time Frame: Short‐term
24
T‐ 5: No‐Idling Policy Technical Assistance and Education
No‐idle policies18 reduce ambient air pollution by requiring people to turn off
their ignition instead of idling at wait areas or in parking lots. Reducing idling
will save individuals money on fuel, reduce citywide emissions, and improve
overall public health. The City will partner with local schools, hospitals, and
other entities that are frequented by young people and individuals who are at
higher risk for respiratory effects from poor air quality first to implement no‐
idling policies. In addition, the City will educate its employees and the public
on the cost savings, emissions reductions, and cost savings associated with
emissions reductions.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel CRED
Potential partners: Local Hospitals, Carmel Clay Schools
Cost: $
GHG reductions: Low
Co‐benefits: Cost Savings,
Public Health
Time frame: Short term
T‐ 6: Expand Promotion of Bicycles as Alternative Mode of Transportation
This strategy will expand the efforts of the Bike Carmel initiative by facilitating
partnerships with local employers to create commuter bicycling incentive
programs, encouraging bike racks for existing buildings, and hosting additional
bicycle‐centered events. In addition, the City will continue to expand the local
path network.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel CRED, DOCS
Potential partners: Bikeshare companies
Cost: $
GHG reductions: Low
Co‐benefits: Quality of
Life, Public Health
Time frame: Short term
T‐ 7: Municipal Bikeshare Program
The City will purchase 5 to 10 bicycles (majority regular with perhaps one e‐
bike) and establish a bike check‐out program for employees to use bikes to
commute to meetings or other nearby appointments. This strategy expands
upon the efforts of the Redevelopment Department, DOCS, and Engineering,
which have their own bikeshare initiative.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel CRED and Human Resources
Potential partners: DOCS, Bikeshare company
Cost: $
GHG reductions: Low
Co‐benefits: Quality of
Life, Public Health
Time frame: Short term
18 Access a sample of a no idling policy for schools at https://www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/deq‐aqd‐
IdleReductionFactSheet_251101_7.pdf
25
What You Can Do
Look into purchasing or leasing an electric vehicle when shopping for a new car.
Work from home when possible.
Start a carpool with work colleagues or with other parents when driving your kids to school. Make
use of the Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority (CIRTA) Commuter Connect to
establish carpools.
Ride a bike, scooter, e‐bike, or walk on your shorter trips (3 miles or less).
Strategize how you can combine your trips when you drive (ex: going to the grocery store, hardware
store, and Target in one run).
Use public transportation when possible, including the Hamilton County Express and Prime Life
Enrichment Transportation.
Water and Wastewater (WW)
Clean water is essential for life all on earth. The pumping, distribution, heating, and treatment of our water
and wastewater generates GHG emissions. According to the Energy Information Administration, in Indiana
the energy to heat our water is most often generated from burning coal.19 Therefore, it is important that we
reduce unnecessary water consumption in our homes and businesses. Lifestyle adjustments like getting a
low‐flow showerhead and curtailing water use by taking shorter showers can reduce emissions associated
with water use. While a relatively small portion of Carmel’s overall emissions come from water and
wastewater use and treatment (See Chapter 2), there are numerous ways to easily reduce emissions from
home and business use while also saving money. For example, according to the EPA, if just one out of 10
households in Indiana replaced its older, inefficient toilets with WaterSense labeled models, it would save
U.S. residents 2.5 billion gallons of water and $15 million in water bills annually.
Carmel Utilities already promotes several initiatives and programs that conserve water and reduce
emissions. For instance, the City of Carmel Water and Sewer Utility currently uses anaerobic digestors to
break down organic materials and uses 50 to 60 percent of the biogas generated from the process to heat
sludge during wastewater treatment and for other minor uses. In 2021, Carmel Utilities began using two
solar arrays with almost 3,000 solar panels to power the City’s water plant and save about $1.8 million in
future energy costs. The City also has a stormwater fee for all properties in Carmel, which creates a
dedicated source of funding for projects related to improve stormwater infrastructure. The Parks and
Recreation Department has a reclaimed water system that collects stormwater, greywater, and water from
splash pads at its facilities through bioswales. There are also several rain gardens on municipal properties
that help retain rainwater to prevent runoff.
The strategies included here build on those existing measures to further reduce the magnitude and impact
of water use, stormwater control, and wastewater treatment. Additionally, these measures have a large
number of co‐benefits associated with them and will generally improve the quality of life and reduce living
expenses in the community.
19 U.S. Energy Information Administration, n.d., Indiana State Profile and Energy Estimates,
https://www.eia.gov/state/index.php?sid=IN
26
WW‐ 1: Residential Low‐Flow Water Appliance Retrofit Program
This program will offer rebates for the installation of low‐flow toilets,
showerheads, faucets, and smart irrigation controllers for Carmel residents,
starting with rental properties.
Implementation lead: Carmel Green Initiative and Hand, Inc.
Potential partner: City of Carmel Utilities
Cost: $$
GHG reductions: Medium
Co‐benefits: Quality of
Life, Cost Savings,
Enhanced Equity
Time frame: Medium term
WW‐ 2: Stormwater and Household Water Efficiency Education
Expand water efficiency education program and incorporate into existing
stormwater and household water education efforts. This strategy corresponds
with Comprehensive Plan Objective 7.4 to encourage use of water‐saving
devices.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel Utilities (for household water
component), Department of Storm Water Management (for stormwater
component)
Potential partners: White River Alliance, EPA WaterSense Program, CCPR
Cost: $
GHG reductions: Low
Co‐benefits: Cost Savings,
Enhanced Equity
Time frame: Short term
WW‐ 3: Consideration of Reclaimed Water System for City Greenspace
The City will consider implementing reclaimed water systems to water grass
and for landscaping at city‐owned parks (where this is not already being done).
Implementation lead: City of Carmel Engineering Department, CCPR
Potential partners: Local businesses and hospitals
Cost: $$$
GHG reductions: Medium
Co‐benefits: Cost Savings
Time frame: Medium term
What You Can Do
Check out the Clear Choices Clean Water website, which provides tips on water conservation and
efficiency measures you can take.
Replace your toilets, faucets, and showerheads with low‐flow options. If you are building your
home, select the low‐flow options over other models. Check out this list of EPA WaterSense labeled
products, which will help you conserve water and money.
Turn your water heater down to 120℉.
Use your dishwasher on the eco setting (with no pre‐rinse or heated dry) to save water instead of
hand washing your dishes or use the double basin method to hand wash your dishes if you don’t
have a dishwasher.
If you own your home, sign up for Duke’s Free Home Energy Assessment and receive an energy
efficient showerhead (in addition to LED bulbs).
Go through this checklist to detect water leaks in your home or apartment.
Sign up to get a rain barrel at a reduced price through the City’s Rain Barrel Cost Share Program.
27
Solid Waste (SW)
Globally, almost 50 percent of waste is organic (food or yard/green waste) or biodegradable.20 When food
waste ends up in a landfill, it doesn’t have the right conditions (heat, microbes) to break down properly,
which results in methane emissions, which are approximately 34 times more potent than carbon dioxide
over a century in terms of heat absorption capability.
One way to combat this problem is to divert organic waste from landfills by composting. Rather than
releasing methane, composting sequesters carbon by converting food waste and other organic material
(yard clippings etc.) into stable, nutrient‐rich soil. Reducing other kinds of waste, like construction
material, will also reduce the need (and energy used) to extract, process, and transport raw materials for
use in everyday products.
Carmel currently offers City‐serviced recycling and household hazardous waste disposal to all residents.
Carmel and Hamilton County also offers expanded household hazardous waste disposal services along with
e‐waste recycling. Residents are also able to sign up for composting services offered by several local
composting businesses.
The strategies itemized below are primarily focused on reducing the quantity of solid waste disposed of in
landfills by the City of Carmel, which will reduce methane emissions.
SW‐ 1: Waste Feasibility Study
The City will consider conducting a waste feasibility study to determine main
sources of waste in Carmel and identify potential alternative waste streams,
waste reduction strategies, and determine the future of recycling and
composting in Carmel.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel Utilities, Hamilton County Solid Waste
Management District
Potential partners: Consultants to conduct the study
Cost: $$
GHG reductions: Medium
Co‐benefits: Quality of Life
Time frame: Short term
SW‐ 2: Municipal Food Waste Composting
The City will create a composting program at municipal facilities, starting at
City Hall before expanding to all City‐owned buildings. The City will partner
with a local composting company to facilitate weekly compost pickup. This
program will enable the City to set a positive example for the rest of the Carmel
community.
Implementation lead: Republic Services, City of Carmel Utilities
Potential partners: Local Composting Company such as Earth Mama or Re317
Cost: $
GHG reductions: Low
Co‐benefits: Quality of Life
Time frame: Short term
20 Project Drawdown, n.d., Composting, https://www.drawdown.org/solutions/composting
28
SW‐ 3: Food Composting Pilot Programs
The City will partner with the Hamilton County Solid Waste District to set up a
pilot composting program in Carmel Clay schools, businesses, and non‐profits.
Implementing pilot programs first will help determine necessary logistics and
public education needed to create an effective city‐wide composting program.
After evaluating the pilot program, the City can potentially implement city‐
wide programs.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel Utilities, Hamilton County Solid Waste
Management District
Potential partners: Local Composting Company such as Earth Mama or Re317,
Neighborhood associations, Carmel Clay Schools, CCPR, IU Health
Cost: $$
GHG reductions: Low
Co‐benefits: Quality of Life
Time frame: Medium term
SW‐ 4: Backyard Compost Bin Voucher Program
This program will provide residents with low‐cost backyard compost bins along
with a free education course on backyard composting. A portion of the
education will include how to properly compost yard waste either via City yard
waste pickup or via backyard composting.
Implementation lead: Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District
Potential partners: Company that manufactures compost bins, Plots to Plates,
Master Gardeners Association
Cost: $
GHG reductions: Low
Co‐benefits: Quality of
Life, Cost Savings
Time frame: Short term
SW‐ 5: Increase Recycling Rate and Reduce Contamination Rate
Increase recycling rate and reduce contamination rate by implementing a
public education program in partnership with local waste disposal companies.
Also, require commercial property owners to offer recycling by 2025 and ensure
assistance is provided to help reach compliance.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel DOCS, Utilities
Potential partners: Republic Waste, Hamilton County Solid Waste
Management District
Cost: $$*
GHG reductions: Medium
Co‐benefits: Quality of Life
Time frame: Short term
SW‐ 6: Zero‐Waste Events Policy
Establish a policy that requires all public, City‐run events to be zero‐waste.
This will include compostable and recyclable materials only and incorporating
zero‐waste practices such as water‐bottle refill stations.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel CRED, DOCS
Potential partners: Republic Waste, Carmel Green Initiative, CCPR
Cost: $*
GHG reductions: Low
Co‐benefits: Quality of Life
Time frame: Short term
29
What You Can Do
Check out the Hamilton County Household Hazardous Waste page that includes a list of acceptable
hazardous household waste items for recycling as well as electronic waste (e‐waste), and paper
shredding days.
Compost in your backyard or sign up for a composting pickup service like Earth Mama Compost.
Check out the Indiana Recycling Coalition’s Food Scrap initiative for more information.
Watch this video to learn more about composting as a climate solution.
Reduce food waste by following these tips.
Learn how to read recycling labels.
Check out the City of Carmel Trash and Recycling Program page if your home is serviced by the
City.
Learn about Republic Services' recycling best practices.
Watch The Story of Plastic documentary to learn about the history and current state of recycling.
Shop second‐hand.
Reduce single‐use plastics by:
o Buying in bulk at the grocery store.
o Replacing single‐use plastic items with reusable ones, such as water bottles, coffee mugs,
grocery bags, produce bags, straws, utensils (when getting carry‐out), glass reusable food
containers, reusable wax wrap to replace plastic wrap or reusable storage bags.
o Bringing your own to‐go container when you go out to eat to carry home leftovers.
o Saying no to straws, to‐go utensils, and napkins when ordering takeout.
Read 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste by Kathryn Kellogg or check out her website to learn about ways
to avoid single‐use plastic.
Local Food and Agriculture (FA)
At the individual and community level, eating locally sourced, plant‐rich diets can have a substantial
impact on your carbon footprint. Locally grown and produced food is usually less processed and has a
higher nutritional value because it is consumed much sooner after harvest, so it has the potential to
increase public health.21 Also, increasing access to local food will lower emissions associated with
transporting food from farm to fork. Community gardens and backyard gardening can further reduce
emissions while educating the public on food cultivation.
Carmel has a robust community garden network operated by the Hamilton County Soil and Water
Conservation District, where residents can maintain their own garden plots. The Carmel Schools Green
Team also has a community garden program, Plots to Plates, which includes demonstration gardens and
21 Purdue University, n.d., Seasonal Eating, https://www.purdue.edu/dffs/localfood/resources/
30
gardening courses offered by the Master Gardeners of Hamilton County. The Carmel Farmers Market is
also widely frequented by the Carmel community, with over 95,000 attendees annually.
The strategies in this section build upon this foundation to encourage even more local food growing and
consumption of locally sourced food products, to reduce the impacts of our community’s diet on the
environment, including through GHG emissions. All of these strategies also have significant co‐benefits on
public health, equity, and our community’s quality of life.
FA‐ 1: Promote and Expand Food Donation Program
Expand existing food donations programs to include excess food from catering,
prepared foods, and produce from grocery stores to food banks and pantries.
Promote the program to raise awareness across restaurants in Carmel. This
program will reduce food waste and provide food to food insecure Carmel
residents.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel CRED
Potential partners: Bread of Life Pantry, Carmel Friends Church Food Pantry,
Carmel United Methodist Food Pantry, Merciful Help Center’s Food Pantry,
Starbucks
Cost: $
GHG reductions: Low
Co‐benefits: Quality of
Life, Enhanced Equity
Time frame: Short term
FA‐ 2: Local Food Purchasing Program
Facilitate creation of local food purchasing program with local farmers in the
region and schools, restaurants, hospitals, and other local employers, by
connecting local farmers to the community to set up a partnership. This
program will increase access to fresh, locally grown food and will lower
emissions by reducing the number of miles food travels from farm to fork.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel CRED
Potential partners: Indiana Farm Bureau, Carmel Clay Schools, IU Health,
OneZone Chamber of Commerce
Cost: $
GHG reductions: Medium
Co‐benefits: Public Health,
Quality of Life, Economic
Growth
Time frame: Long term
FA‐ 3: Promote Local Food Purchasing
Encourage residents to participate in community sourced agriculture (CSA)
programs such as subscription services specifically for “ugly” produce, Market
Wagon, Carmel Farmers Market, or other local suppliers.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel CRED, Hamilton County Soil and
Water Conservation District
Potential partners: Indiana Farm Bureau
Cost: $
GHG reductions: Low
Co‐benefits: Public Health,
Quality of Life, Economic
Growth
Time frame: Short term
31
FA‐ 4: Community Orchard Pilot Program
The City will either partner with a local non‐profit or take the lead on this
initiative to create a small community orchard (10‐20 trees). The orchard will
serve an educational purpose of teaching residents how to grow apples and
other fruits and will encourage residents to grow their own food. The orchard
will enhance community involvement with volunteers to help maintain the
trees and lead educational programs. The community orchard will reduce
milage food travels from orchard to fork.
Implementation lead: Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation Department, City of
Carmel Urban Forestry Department, Carmel Urban Forestry Committee
Potential partners: Carmel Green Initiative, Hamilton County Soil and Water
Conservation District (HCSW), Plots to Plates, Master Gardeners Association
Cost: $$
GHG reductions: Low
Co‐benefits: Quality of
Life, Public Health,
Enhanced Equity
Time frame: Long term
FA‐ 5: Community and Residential Garden Education Program
Hamilton County Master Gardeners Association (HCMGA) offers educational
opportunities to residents interested in growing their own food and would take
the lead on this program. The City will partner with them to provide resources
and promotional material to expand HCMGA’s existing gardening programs.
Implementation lead: Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District
(HCSW), Hamilton County Master Gardeners Association
Potential partners: City of Carmel DOCS, CRED, CCPR
Cost: $
GHG reductions: Low
Co‐benefits: Quality of
Life, Public Health,
Enhanced Equity
Time frame: Medium term
FA‐ 6: Ensure All Residents Have Access to Gardening Space
The City will evaluate the current community garden network in Carmel and
the potential for expansion. The goal is to ensure all Carmel residents (both
homeowners and renters) have access to either community or backyard
gardening space, gardening tools, and education resources, if desired.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel DOCS
Potential partners: Plots to Plates Program, Hamilton County Garden
Network, CCPR
Cost: $$
GHG reductions: Low
Co‐benefits: Quality of
Life, Public Health,
Enhanced Equity
Time frame: Medium
FA‐ 7: Evaluate Farmers Market Potential for Expansion
The Carmel Farmers Market has been running for 22 years and reaches 95,000
people per year; however, residents may still experience barriers to attending
the market such as lack of transportation, high prices, or vendors not accepting
SNAP benefits. The farmers market will be evaluated to understand its current
reach and identify solutions to existing barriers for some residents.
Implementation lead: Carmel Farmers Market (IU Health North Hospital)
Potential partners: City of Carmel CRED
Cost: $
GHG reductions: Low
Co‐benefits: Quality of
Life, Public Health
Time frame: Short term
32
What You Can Do
Incorporate more plant‐based protein into your diet. You can start with meatless Mondays and
expand from there. Better yet, go vegetarian or vegan for an even more substantial reduction to
your carbon footprint.
Shop at the Carmel Farmers Market.
Shop for locally sourced food.
Sign up for a Community Sourced Agriculture program.
An easy way to ensure your food is local, look for the Indiana Grown label on food products at the
grocery store.
Eat at restaurants that source their food locally.
Get a plot at a local community garden. Check out The Hamilton County Garden Network website
for a list of community gardens in Carmel.
Get involved in the Carmel Fire Department’s Community Assistance Program, which donates food
to families in need.
Subscribe to a food subscription service that delivers “ugly” produce right to your door such as
Imperfect Foods. This helps prevent the perfectly delicious produce from going to waste.
Greenspace (G)
Urban greenspace such as street trees, parks, and rain gardens have a multitude of climate benefits. For
instance, trees sequester carbon via photosynthesis and improve air quality, which reduces the risk of
respiratory issues.22 Shading from trees can lower local air temperatures and can therefore reduce the
likelihood of heatstroke and other heat‐related illnesses.23 Planting native and drought‐resistant trees,
shrubs, and plants will also reduce the cost of lawn maintenance and avoid GHG emissions from mowing
and leaf‐blowing. Additionally, greenspace has a multitude of human health benefits, such as reducing
stress, anxiety, and depression while increasing worker productivity. High urban tree canopy cover (a
measure of the layer of tree leaves, branches, and stems that provide tree coverage of the ground when
viewed from above) is also shown to ensure economic vitality in a given area by attracting new businesses
and residents.24 Urban tree canopy covers can also significantly decrease building energy costs and runoff.25
22 K. Schwarz, M. Fragkias, C.G. Boone, W. Zhou, M. McHale, J.M. Grove, J. O’Neil‐Dunne, J.P. McFadden, G.L. Buckley, D.
Childers, L. Ogden, S. Pincetl, D. Pataki, A. Whitmer, and M.L. Cadenasso, 2015, Trees Grow on Money: Urban Tree Canopy Cover
and Environmental Justice, PLOS ONE, 10(4), e0122051. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0122051
23 S.J. Livesley, E.G. McPherson, and C. Calfapietra, 2016, The Urban Forest and Ecosystem Services: Impacts on Urban Water,
Heat, and Pollution Cycles at the Tree, Street, and City Scale, Journal of Environmental Quality, 45(1), 119–124.
https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2015.11.0567
24 J.F. Dwyer, , G.E. McPherson, ., H.W. Schroeder, and R.A.Rowntree, 1992, Assessing the benefits and costs of the urban
forest,Journal of Aboriculture, 18(5), 8. https://www.fs.fed.us/psw/publications/mcpherson/psw_1992_mcpherson002.pdf
25 D.J, Nowak, A. R. Bodine, R.E. Hoehn, A. Ellis, S. Hirabayashi, R. Coville, D.S.N. Auyeung, N.F. Sonti, R. A. Hallett, M. L.
Johnson, E. Stephan, T. Taggart, and T. Endreny, 2018, The urban forest of New York City, https://doi.org/10.2737/NRS‐RB‐117
33
The City of Carmel prioritizes maintaining plentiful greenspace. For instance, a substantial portion of the
550 acres of City‐managed parkland is preserved as natural areas. The Parks and Recreation Department
also has ongoing conservation education programs such as volunteer opportunities for residents and an
adopt‐a‐park program. To reduce emissions associated with greenspace maintenance, the Street
Department is in the process of replacing a portion of their propane motors with electric ones.
The strategies included in this section are aimed at enhancing all of the benefits of greenspace for Carmel
residents as well as increasing the sequestration of GHGs to offset our community’s remaining emissions
after implementation of all of the other reduction strategies of this CAP.
G‐ 1: Rain Garden Location Identification and Installation
The City will create a public reporting system and/or conduct a geospatial
study of existing data to determine where the urban heat island effect most
impacts Carmel residents. Utilize this data to identify locations for rain gardens
to mitigate urban heat island effect impacts. Rain gardens also help reduce
stormwater runoff and provide habitat space for pollinators.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel Engineering Department, Urban
Forestry Department
Potential partner: CCPR
Cost: $$
GHG reductions: Low
Co‐benefits: Quality of
Life, Public Health
Time frame: Medium term
G‐ 2: Environmental Protection and Revegetation Policy
Establish a policy that encourages new construction and redevelopment to
protect and enhance the environmental amenities (trees, streams, wildlife)
surrounding the property and reduce unnecessary tree removal. Adding more
greenspace around buildings can help add shaded space and reduce air
pollution by sequestering carbon.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel Redevelopment Department, DOCS
Potential partners: TBD
Cost: $*
GHG reductions: Low
Co‐benefits: Quality of
Life, Public Health
Time frame: Short term
G‐ 3: Native and Drought‐Resistant Landscaping
As climate change progresses, Indiana will experience prolonged drought
periods. Converting a portion of City‐ and Parks‐owned grassy area to native
and drought‐resistant plants will reduce watering, mowing, and yearly
replanting needs. Less mowing will also reduce costs and lower GHG emissions
associated with lawn equipment. This strategy aligns with Objective 6.3 of the
Comprehensive Plan; encourage high quality and well‐designed landscaping to
help beautify the City and promote healthful environments. This strategy also
expands upon the Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation’s existing efforts to plant
native and perennial plants when possible.
Implementation lead: CCPR and City of Carmel Street Department
Potential partners: TBD
Cost: $
GHG reductions: Low
Co‐benefits: Quality of
Life, Public Health
Time frame: Medium term
34
G‐ 4: Increase Number of Trees Planted Annually
Carmel has been a certified Tree City USA since 1994. This strategy will ensure
that Carmel maintains its status as a Tree City USA and further increase tree
canopy coverage each year, which has a multitude of social and ecosystem
benefits. Conduct an inventory of the City of Carmel to locate planting sites
that could benefit from more trees. Target those areas first for tree plantings.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel Urban Forestry Department
Potential partners: TBD
Cost: $
GHG reductions: Low
Co‐benefits: Public Health,
Quality of Life, Enhanced
Equity
Time frame: Short term
G‐ 5: No Gasoline Powered Mowing Policy
This strategy encourages the replacement of gasoline powered lawn mowers
and other City‐owned yard equipment with electric equipment when gasoline
powered equipment is retired. Replacing this equipment will improve air
quality and set the example for the rest of the Carmel community to adopt
similar practices. This strategy expands upon the existing Street Department
effort to replace a portion of their propane mowers with electric ones.
Implementation lead: City of Carmel Street Department, CCPR
Potential partners: TBD
Cost: $$
GHG reductions: Medium
Co‐benefits: Public Health
Time frame: Medium term
What You Can Do
Plant shade trees in your yard. Check out this guide for where to plant trees to maximize shading.
Here are some tips for correctly planting trees.
Replace some, if not all of the grass in your yard with native, drought‐resistant plants. See these
tips for native plant landscaping.
Sign up to get your lawn classified as a Certified Wildlife Habitat to make your yard a haven for
native plant and animal species.
Replace your lawn mower with an electric one.
Volunteer with the Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation.
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5. Next Steps
The City of Carmel is equipped with the tools to mitigate climate change and achieve its net zero emissions
goal by 2050. With teamwork and strong community participation, successful implementation of the CAP
will create long‐lasting change for Carmel.
The City recognizes that actions beyond those named in the CAP will be needed to achieve and exceed our
climate action goals. This CAP was developed with realistic climate strategies that account for the current
social and economic conditions faced in the wake of the COVID‐19 pandemic. To achieve net neutrality by
2050, the City plans to revisit this plan and its greenhouse gas emissions inventory bi‐annually to update
and strengthen its strategies in the intervening years.
Within six months of City Council passing this Climate Action Plan, a Climate Action Leadership
Committee will be established. The Leadership Committee is charged with creating and executing a
strategic plan of prioritized projects, along with providing resources and guidance. The Leadership
Committee should consist of high‐ranking representatives from key stakeholder groups including the
Office of the Mayor, City Council, Department of Community Services, Engineering Department, Utilities
Department, Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation, Carmel Clay Schools, and aligned non‐profit organizations.
Updates on the Climate Action Plan will be provided to City Council on a regular basis.
The City will hire a full‐time sustainability coordinator in the Department of Community Services (DOCS)
with the primary responsibility of implementing the CAP and related sustainability initiatives. The
sustainability coordinator will ensure that implementation is carried out in a timely manner to meet
Carmel’s ambitious emissions reduction goals. The sustainability coordinator will also be in charge of
evolving the plan to ensure strategies meet and exceed the City’s goals.
The City will also create an online dashboard to track CAP implementation progress over the next 30 years,
which will serve to increase transparency and keep the community informed on plan progress. The
dashboard will also include educational resources and volunteer opportunities for residents to get involved
in CAP projects.
Furthermore, the City plans to join with other Indiana cities in advocating for greater renewable energy
policies, expanding solar tax credits, and reinstituting net metering.
36
Appendix A. Stakeholder Engagement Process
Between May and October 2020, an Indiana Climate Fellow as a part of the Environmental Resilience
Institute Resilience Cohort conducted a series of virtual meetings, surveys, and polls to engage with a
variety of stakeholders in its climate planning processes. This first round of stakeholder engagement
included three community workshops, two youth‐centered town halls, and four stakeholder meetings with
the purpose of receiving feedback from the community regarding the CAP’s development.
During March and April 2021, the City organized five meetings with department heads to gather
information on existing efforts to reduce GHG emissions. The GTSI team also inquired about willingness
to engage in certain sustainability projects related to the specific department. GTSI incorporated internal
stakeholder feedback into a CAP strategies memo, which City departments reviewed and provided further
feedback on. This feedback has been incorporated into the CAP to ensure all strategies listed are actionable
and accomplishable for Carmel.
A.1 Community Workshop Series
The Climate Fellow organized and facilitated three community workshops during the week of May 11, 2020.
The workshops held on May 13, May 14, and May 17 were announced in a City press release on May 11, 2020.
The City partnered with a local nonprofit, Carmel Green Initiative, to promote the workshops via their
social media channels. In addition, direct email invitations were sent to stakeholders with virtual flyers and
description sheets attached. Stakeholders were encouraged to use these documents as additional
promotional material to post on their social media accounts.
A total of 35 people attended the community workshops. Attendees included representatives of local
businesses, environmental nonprofits, city and county government agencies, elected officials, churches,
and schools.
To register for the workshop, participants were asked to complete a Google survey, which asked for basic
demographic information and gauged their level of concern and interest about climate change. The results
of this pre‐workshop survey included:
100 percent of the survey participants indicated they are familiar with the concepts and background
of climate change;
91 percent of respondents indicated that climate change poses a threat to the local community; and
77 percent of respondents indicated they had been personally impacted by climate change.
When asked to indicate the aspects of the Carmel CAP that were most important to them, the top five most
frequently mentioned priorities were sustainability (86 percent), energy efficiency (80 percent),
greenhouse gas emissions reductions (77 percent), environmental stewardship (54 percent), resilience (46
percent), social prosperity (46 percent), and community empowerment (46 percent). Workshop registrants
offered a variety of explanations for attending the community workshops; generally, explanations offered
were related to a desire to contribute to planning efforts and to effect change (46 percent of respondents)
or a desire to learn (34 percent of respondents).
Among survey respondents who provided demographic information, 58 percent of the individuals
identified as female, and 42 percent identified as male, which is roughly consistent with the Carmel
population as a whole. The age of workshop participants was roughly consistent with the population of
Carmel as a whole, although individuals between the ages of 55‐74 were overrepresented at the workshops
37
relative to the Carmel population. The initial survey results suggested community workshop participants
were knowledgeable about climate change and concerned about its impacts on the community.
Each session had the same format with the purpose of educating the community about the CAP’s
development and assessing what the community values and priorities were regarding climate action. Each
workshop began with a presentation containing information about climate change, including information
on the enhanced greenhouse effect, statewide and local climate impacts, background information on a
climate action planning and the Carmel greenhouse gas inventory results. The Climate Fellow also asked
workshop participants to respond to four Zoom poll questions. The first poll asked participants to indicate
what environmental stewardship activities they already take part in at their home or business. This was a
multiple‐selection question where participants could select as many responses as applied to them. The
results of the first poll are shown in Table 3.
Table 3: “What activities do you already take part in at home or in your business?”
Climate Action Workshop 1 Workshop 2 Workshop 3 Overall
Waste reduction and diversion (e.g.,
recycling and composting) 94% 93% 93% 93%
Energy conservation (e.g., LED lighting,
energy efficient practices, renewable
energy procurement, etc.)
100% 87% 87% 91%
Sustainable transportation (e.g.,
walking/biking when possible, fuel‐
efficient vehicles, electric vehicles, etc.)
76% 60% 73% 70%
Sustainable food procurement (e.g.,
meat‐reduced diets, local food
purchasing, etc.)
76% 53% 60% 63%
Water efficiency (e.g., rain barrels,
efficient appliances, etc.) 65% 60% 60% 62%
As Table 3 shows, waste reduction and diversion and energy conservation were the two activities that the
majority of workshop participants are already engaging in. Sustainable food procurement and water
efficiency practices were less commonly practiced by workshop participants.
The second community workshop poll question asked: “What are your top considerations in regard to
pursuing sustainable initiatives?” This was also a multiple‐selection question and allowed participants to
select more than one answer. The results are shown in Table 4.
Table 4: “What are your top considerations in regard to pursuing sustainable initiatives?”
Initiative Consideration Workshop 1 Workshop 2 Workshop 3 Overall
Cost (e.g., “how will we pay for it?”) 31% 50% 57% 46%
Urgency (e.g., “bold action is needed
now.”) 81% 56% 79% 72%
Feasibility (e.g., “implementation of these
initiatives may be challenging.”) 69% 61% 93% 74%
38
Initiative Consideration Workshop 1 Workshop 2 Workshop 3 Overall
Limitation of Free Choice (e.g., “I don’t
want to feel forced by
policies/regulations.”)
6% 11% 7% 8%
Importance (e.g., “I don’t understand why
these actions are necessary.”) 6% 17% 36% 20%
“Urgency” and “feasibility” were the two top considerations for workshop participants, whereas “limitation
of free choice” and perceived “importance” were the lowest concerns with regards to pursuing sustainable
initiatives. These poll results indicate that participants are more concerned about climate strategies that
can quickly and reasonably reduce GHG emissions.
The third poll question asked: “In your opinion, how can the City of Carmel best support community
initiatives?” Participants were asked to select their top three choices. This question was posed differently
in the first workshop than it was for the final two workshops. Table 5 shows results for the first workshop
and Table 6 through Table 9 show the results for the last two workshops, which asked for topic‐specific
responses.
Table 5: “In your opinion, how can the City of Carmel best support community initiatives?”
[Workshop 1]
Initiative Percent Support
Providing incentives to homeowners and businesses 70%
Adopting Regulations and Policies 52%
Setting the example by implementing initiatives at local government level first 40%
Create opportunities to make sustainable actions a part of Carmel community culture 40%
Engage with the business community and encourage sustainable business actions 34%
Create programs for all community members to learn about climate change and how to
make sustainable choices
32%
Providing climate change and sustainability education in local schools 24%
Create outreach campaigns that align closely with the values of the Carmel community 12%
The majority (70 percent) of participants indicated that providing incentives to homeowners and
businesses is an important way for Carmel to support community initiatives. Adopting regulations and
policies (52 percent), setting a positive example (40 percent), and creating opportunities to make
sustainable actions part of Carmel culture (40 percent) were the next most frequently supported actions in
Workshop 1.
During the last two workshops, the workshop focus was narrowed to sector‐focused solutions the
community would support the most. The results of the Zoom poll surveys may be found in Table 6 through
Table 9.
For the energy sector (Table 6), the most frequently recommended initiatives were renewable
energy procurement at the local government and community level (67 percent) and requiring home
builders to consider renewable and alternative energy in the planning and designing of new
buildings (66 percent).
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For the transportation sector (Table 7), the most frequently recommended initiatives were
increasing electric vehicle infrastructure (56 percent) and developing off‐road bike lanes (52
percent).
For the waste sector (Table 8), the most frequently mentioned initiative was offering curbside
compost pickup available to all residents and businesses (62 percent).
For the water sector (Table 9), the most frequently recommended initiatives were encouraging
developers to implement rainwater capture systems (76 percent) and implementing water
conservation technology, such as grey water capture (59 percent).
Table 6: “In your opinion, how can the City of Carmel best support community initiatives in
terms of energy reduction and efficiency?” [Workshops 2 and 3]
Action Percent Support
Renewable energy procurement at local government and community level 67%
Require homebuilders to consider renewable and alternative energy in the planning and
designing of new buildings to enable low‐cost future installation 66%
Education and assistance on how to access renewable energy options for
homeowners/businesses 37%
Offer free or reduced‐cost building inspections and permit fees for new home
construction and home retrofits that attain State Building Code energy performance
standards or better
34%
Encourage landowners to plant trees or otherwise shade the south side of their homes 21%
Table 7: “In your opinion, how can the City of Carmel best support community initiatives in
terms of transportation?” [Workshops 2 and 3]
Action Percent Support
Increase electric vehicle infrastructure 56%
Develop off‐road bike lanes 52%
Implement public transit 41%
Decrease the amount of parking available at locations easily accessible by public
transportation, biking, and walking
10%
Provide more bike safety education for the community 9%
Table 8: “In your opinion, how can the City of Carmel best support community initiatives in
terms of solid waste reduction?” [Workshops 2 and 3]
Action Percent Support
Offer curb‐side compost pickup available to all residents and businesses 62%
Support non‐profit, private and charity sectors that take leftovers or unsold produce from
businesses to be used in other locations, such as food banks
37%
Education on how to reduce waste and divert properly 30%
40
Action Percent Support
Implement a community‐wide waste tracking program to develop a baseline of waste
volumes, composition, and diversion rates
24%
Ban yard trimmings from city waste stream 17%
Table 9: “In your opinion, how can the City of Carmel best support community initiatives in
terms of water conservation?” [Workshops 2 and 3]
Action Percent Support
Encourage developers to implement rainwater capture systems 76%
Implement water conservation technology, such as grey water capture 59%
Education on water efficiency and how to reduce water consumption in homes and
businesses
24%
Retrofit water appliances to be more efficient (i.e., showers, toilets, etc.) 21%
Partake in residential rain barrel incentive program (currently offered by the City of
Carmel)
14%
A.2 Youth Climate Townhalls
Since children will be most adversely impacted by climate change, the City wanted to ensure young people
would be represented in the CAP development. Two youth town halls were led by the City of Carmel
Climate Fellow in partnership with Helping Ninjas, a local youth‐centered environmental group on July 28,
2020 ‐ one for children ages 12 and younger and the other for ages 13 and older. The Climate Fellow emailed
several local organizations to promote the townhalls and included a virtual flyer and written content for
the organizations to share on their social media channels.
12 and Younger Townhall
Approximately four individuals attended the 12 and younger meeting and were posed one poll question in
the form of a series of “When I Grow Up…” prompts in which the youth attendees selected yes, maybe, or
no to a range of activities they would be interested in participating in when they grow up (e.g., plant trees,
recycle and compost, etc.).
100 percent of respondents indicated that when they are adults, they would likely engage in the following
activities:
Plant trees and flowers in their yard
Recycle and compost
Talk to their peers and community leaders about “standing up for our planet!”
Visit parks and appreciate nature
Teach others about what they have learned about caring for our environment
75 percent indicated they would likely engage in the following activities, while the remainder said no or
maybe:
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Walk or bike to reduce car use
Drive an electric vehicle
Use a rain barrel
Less than 75 percent indicated they would likely engage in the following activities:
Use solar panels on their home
Grow food in a backyard garden
13 and Older Townhall
Eleven individuals attended the 13 and older group and were posed one poll question: “How do you practice
sustainability?” The question was presented in a multiple‐selection format and attendees could select as
many answers as applied to them. Table 10 shows a breakdown of their responses.
Table 10: “How do you practice sustainability?”
Answer choice Percent of attendees
Waste reduction and diversion 82%
Volunteering for my community 73%
Working with parents, schools, and leaders to make our planet better 73%
Educating myself and learning more about these topics 73%
Sustainable food 55%
Water efficiency 55%
Sustainable transportation 55%
Energy conservation 45%
At the end of the 13 and up townhall, the Climate Fellow posed a question in the Zoom chat inquiring about
what the focus of the City of Carmel CAP should be and responses varied from renewable energy/solar,
recycling, sustainable food sources, conservation, and wiser consumer choices.
The poll results from both townhalls indicate that the youth who attended are well aware of environmental
issues and are already engaging in sustainability‐related activities in their daily lives. Given that the
workshop was run in partnership with an organization that specifically works with young people who are
concerned about the environment, the poll results are not necessarily representative of the entire youth
population in Carmel.
As demonstrated by these youth townhalls, when considering initiatives, it is important that the City of
Carmel involve interested youth where possible as there is a clear interest in community engagement in all
sectors of sustainability among Carmel youth.
A.3 Stakeholder Meetings
The City of Carmel Climate Fellow organized and facilitated four virtual stakeholder meetings from
October 8 ‐ October 15, 2020. A total of 25 stakeholders participated in the stakeholder meetings.
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Participants included representatives of City departments and commissions, including Planning and
Zoning, Utilities, Parks and Recreation, Building and Code Services, Urban Forestry, Community Services,
Transportation, and the Human Relations Commission. Several local environmental and social
organizations participated in the meetings as well, including Helping Ninjas, Carmel High School Green
Action Club, OneZone, Carmel Clay Schools Green Team, and Carmel Against Racial Injustice. A
representative from the local utility provider, Duke Energy also participated in one meeting.
Each meeting was conducted using a similar format. The Climate Fellow began each stakeholder meeting
with a presentation on basic information on climate change drivers, statewide and local climate impacts, a
summary of the Carmel GHG inventory results, and updates on CAP progress. Stakeholders were also posed
two poll questions at the beginning of each meeting.
The cumulative poll results from the stakeholder meetings indicate that most stakeholders (76 percent)
view Carmel as a sustainability leader. Stakeholders noted that Carmel is particularly a leader at the state
level but has room for improvement when compared to the United States as a whole, especially in
sustainable energy and transportation. Participants in the stakeholder meetings indicated the best ways
that the City can support community sustainability initiatives are by “providing incentives to homeowners”
(70 percent) and setting the example at the local government level (60 percent). Complete responses to
each question are summarized in Table 11 and Table 12.
Table 11: “Please rate your personal response to the following statement: Carmel is a leader in
sustainability efforts”
Answer Percentage
1 – Strongly disagree 0%
2 – Disagree 12%
3 – Neutral 12%
4 – Agree 56%
5 – Strongly agree 20%
Table 12: “In your opinion, how can the City of Carmel best support community initiatives?”
Answer Percentage
Providing incentives to homeowners 70%
Setting the example by implementing initiatives at local government
level first
60%
Adopting regulations and policies 55%
Providing climate change and sustainability education in local schools 30%
Engage with the business community and encourage sustainable
business
30%
Create opportunities to make sustainable actions a part of Carmel
community culture
20%
Create programs for all community members to learn about climate
change and how to make sustainable choices
15%
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Following the presentation and initial polling questions, the Climate Fellow facilitated a discussion and
posed the following questions in each meeting:
What is your vision for a more sustainable Carmel?
If you could choose one initiative/focus for Carmel’s Climate Action Plan, what would it be?
What barriers or resources are necessary in realizing your sustainability vision for Carmel?
Afterwards, the Climate Fellow showed stakeholders CAP case studies from Evanston, IL and Indianapolis,
IN and asked them for their thoughts regarding how each of these case studies might be relevant to Carmel.
She then showed stakeholders proposed Carmel emissions reduction goals along with potential climate
actions for transportation, energy, solid waste, water/wastewater, and miscellaneous actions and asked for
participants’ initial thoughts. Finally, she asked for feedback on the proposed actions and gave space for
attendees to share any final comments, suggestions, and questions.
Some priorities discussed during the stakeholder meetings included have City leadership set the tone for
the rest of the community, the role of education in bringing climate action to the forefront, focusing on
strategies for the transportation and energy sectors which are the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas
emissions, ensuring that all community members benefit from the CAP, engaging the entire business
community – from small businesses to large corporations, sustained and inclusive community engagement,
establishing realistic goals, and coordinating planning efforts with Duke Energy.
Some specific initiatives discussed during the stakeholder meetings included regulation to manage energy
usage, increasing usage of clean and renewable energy, requirements for energy efficiency and renewable
energy usage in city buildings, extension of the Red Line and other mass transit options, residential
composting, and creation of a sustainability curriculum for Carmel schools. Some potential barriers to
action discussed were funding, political will, convincing community members of the climate challenge, and
addressing GHG emissions associated with business travel to Carmel.
Key quotes and statements made by stakeholder meeting participants that express priorities that the City
should consider and/or pursue are itemized below, as well as key takeaways from the stakeholder meetings
as documented by session facilitators.
Quotes and Statements
“Carmel is not doing everything in their power...they must be a leader at the local government
level...city leadership sets the tone for the rest of the community.”
"[The most important piece] is education about protecting our environment…[and] bringing this
issue to the forefront."
"[When creating actions, it is essential to] focus on the biggest contributors, such as transportation
and energy."
"[It is essential to prioritize] implementing regulation to effectively manage energy use."
“[The success of actions are dependent on] funding and political will of residents.”
“100% renewable electricity supply is a great goal for Carmel.”
“[In the transportation conversation, we must] take into account how we have more people
commuting in than out as a result of the many business headquarters here.”
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“[For business community engagement], working with small businesses (their organizations and
employees), as well as larger corporations, is key.”
“Hurdle: convincing people that there is a problem but by doing this, sustainability then becomes
a priority.”
“Electricity must be clean.”
“Set realistic goals, communicate to the public, make sustainability a priority...establish
sustainability as prominent value.”
“Making sure that all members of the community will benefit from this by engaging with them and
gathering feedback.”
“I'd like to see all new City buildings be required to meet certain energy efficiency goals or
renewable energy goals.”
Key Stakeholder and Community Interests
Extending the Redline and other local/regional mass transit options.
Focusing on energy reduction, efficiency, and procurement from renewable sources.
Promoting composting programs in residential areas.
Working with small businesses, organizations and employees, as well as larger corporations.
Implementing classes, curriculum, or discussion surrounding sustainability at Carmel’s schools.
Based on youth responses, students are aware of the issues, but have to take initiative as far as
getting involved.
Carmel Clay Schools investment in solar energy.
Ensuring that community education, outreach, and engagement is a priority of the plan.
Commercial energy decreased between 2015 and 2018 ‐‐ what is the Carmel business community
doing that can translate to the residential level?
The greatest asset: schools and having conversations with school administrators.
Changing the culture ‐‐ getting the school district more involved in sustainability efforts.
Being intentional with diversity, inclusion, representation, and equity.
Staying updated with Duke (as well as other energy providers) as far as their initiatives and future
goals that translate to Carmel’s energy procurement. For example, at the stakeholder session, a
Duke representative shared insight on the Integrative Resource Plan (IRP) and their corporate goals
of 50 percent reduction by 2030 and net zero by 2050 and how Duke is open to every
possibility/alternative to help them reach those goals.
Sustainability as a priority at the local government which then translates to the community.
There was an overall general interest in renewable energy procurement, education and assistance
on procuring renewable energy options, as well as education on waste reduction and proper
diversion.
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Existing Climate Strategies in Carmel
This appendix itemizes our understanding of the City of Carmel’s and Hamilton County’s existing strategies
that already contribute to improved sustainability and reduced GHG emissions. In some cases, the CAP
strategies may build upon or expand existing strategies.
Sustainability recognition program for businesses and organizations: The Carmel Green
Award recognizes Carmel organizations for environmentally friendly practices.
Carmel Clay Schools Green Team: The Carmel Clay Schools Green Team is a nonprofit comprised
of parent representatives from each Carmel Clay school that meets monthly to share ideas and
support environmentally friendly practices and sustainability efforts at each school.
Carmel Green Initiative: According to their website, the “Carmel Green Initiative is a coalition of
citizens and community groups who promote and support the City of Carmel's commitment to
reducing our impact on the environment and meeting the climate challenge.”26 The organization’s
goal is to reduce energy usage and increase efficiency, promote renewable energy, and educate the
public on sustainability efforts.
Helping Ninjas, Inc.: Helping Ninjas is a student‐led nonprofit that works to engage youth in
different ways to help the planet while enhancing their social and interpersonal skills.
Initiatives on energy efficiency and renewable energy in buildings: Objectives 2.1 and 7.1 of
the Comprehensive Plan are to explore use of alternate sources of energy such as active solar and
commit to high architectural energy efficient and environmental design standards for all municipal
buildings and facilities, respectively. Additionally, the City is in the process of creating an energy
benchmarking program that will require large buildings to publicly report energy usage on an
annual basis. The Fire Department has completed numerous building projects including a new
maintenance and training center and a fire station, that all utilize energy and water efficient
practices such as low‐flow toilets and urinals. The Brookshire Golf Course utilized LEED building
principles but did not undergo LEED certification due to costs of project certification. In early 2021,
the Information Technology Department upgraded their cooling equipment to become more
energy efficient and effective.
Green Building Checklist and encouraging sustainable construction materials: The
Department of Community Services has a Green Building Checklist it shares with developers, who
choose green building practices they are able to implement in their projects. Furthermore, Strategy
7.1 of the Comprehensive Plan calls for the encouragement of durable materials and construction
methods that prolong the life of buildings.
Ongoing LED installation on all municipal properties: A 2010 executive order (JB‐2010‐2) called
for all failing bulbs to be replaced with LED lighting. All streetlights, holiday lights, and lights in
city‐operated buildings are already, or in the process of, being converted to LED.
Parks and Recreation Monon Community Center: In constructing the Monon Community
Center, the Parks department took extra steps to ensure the building incorporated energy efficiency
26 Carmel Green Initiative, n.d., About Carmel Green Initiative,
http://carmelgreen.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13&Itemid=2
46
and other sustainability best practices. Many building materials were sourced locally, and they
utilized bamboo flooring, which is a renewable resource. Also, the HVAC system is energy efficient.
Water and Wastewater Utility Solar Projects: Water and Sewer Utility has a 1‐megawatt solar
project that is partially online. Part of the project is located at the main water treatment facility and
the other is on Hazel Dell Parkway. They also have another solar project that will generate ¾ of a
megawatt, which will power the water distribution building. That project is slated to be online by
2024. A third solar project will cover between two and three parking garages and is still in the
planning phase.
Municipal hybrid fleet purchasing policy: The City has a hybrid fleet purchasing policy that
requires all new City vehicles purchased be hybrid when feasible.
Promoting use of hybrid and electric vehicles: By December 2021, the Police Department plans
to have replaced 2/3 of its fleet with hybrid vehicles. The City has also installed two electric vehicle
charging stations at downtown parking garages and plans to install more EV charging stations in
the future. In early 2021, the City was awarded an $18,000 grant from the Indiana Department of
Environmental Management to install two new EV level 2 charging stations.27
No idling policy for City employees: In 2008, the City implemented a no‐idling policy for all city
employees. The Police Department emphasizes the no‐idling policy and many of its hybrid fleet
vehicles shut down automatically during idling.
Objective to construct intracity public trolley or bus system and commuter line: The
Comprehensive Plan calls for a low‐cost intra‐city bus or trolley system, which will enable residents
and visitors alike to access local amenities without needing a private vehicle. A trolley system can
attract tourists to Carmel, which will boost the local economy, while reducing air pollution. The
Comprehensive Plan also calls for the development of a commuter line, similar to a light rail or
people‐mover system that goes directly to downtown Indianapolis.
Other relevant Comprehensive Plan Transportation Strategies: The following strategies from
the Comprehensive Plan call for the enhancement of sustainable transportation, promotion of
alternative forms of transportation such as biking and walking, and creation of neighborhood
support centers to centralize community resources.
o Objective 2.5: Enhance a bicycle‐ and pedestrian‐connected community through expanded
installation of multi‐use paths, sidewalks, bike lanes, and off‐street trails. It is well
established that many of the moderate‐sized leading‐edge cities in our nation are bicycle
and pedestrian friendly communities. Carmel believes that the further establishment of
bicycle and pedestrian facilities will result in increased mobility, further enhance quality of
life, and be greatly appreciated by Citizens.
o Objective 4.5: Consider and encourage “third places” (informal meeting places or the social
surroundings which are separate from the two usual environments of home and workplace)
and neighborhood support centers as building blocks for neighborhoods. Every trip to the
store should not be a mandatory drive in a car. Residents should be able to access daily
goods and services by walking or bicycling, thereby having the opportunity to conserve
energy, improve health, and protect the environment. The City should embark on a “corner
27 City of Carmel, 8 January 2021, Carmel Receives EV Charging Station Grant,
https://www.carmel.in.gov/Home/Components/News/News/6378/25
47
store” initiative to define the best locations and distribution of neighborhood support
centers.
o Objective 5.4: Enhance the Monon Greenway to support and further encourage its use as a
non‐motorized commuter route by widening and separating bicyclists and pedestrians in
the most heavily used areas. Also, actively plan and implement a system of feeder/branch
trails and paths to allow more convenient and safe connection to nearby residential and
employment areas.
o Objective 5.5: Adapt the Monon Greenway and adjacent development between City Center
and the Arts and Design District into an urban trail destination with its own character and
sense of place.
o Objective 6.6: Enable healthy choices through the use of innovative design and planning.
For instance, provide pedestrian access to parks, recreation, schools, the workplace and
amenity centers so that people do not have to use their cars. Also, designing structures to
capture natural light and air enhances healthy lifestyles.
o Objective 7.3: Develop a bicycle network to allow non‐vehicular trips to be made
Expansion of roundabouts and multi‐modal trails: The City of Carmel Engineering Department
has plans for $60 million in capital infrastructure projects. These funds are spent to continue the
expansion of the city’s 140 roundabouts by continuing the conversion of traditional intersections to
reduce emissions from idling. These capital projects are also being used to expand the city’s multi‐
modal infrastructure. In addition, the Engineering Department works with private developers in
Carmel to ensure they build pedestrian facilities near their buildings to complement city
investments nearby.
Bike Carmel Initiative: The Bike Carmel initiative promotes bicycling with various bike‐centered
events throughout the year, such as Family Fun Rides and Coffee of the Monon. The Bike Carmel
initiative also promotes the Monon Greenway and the Carmel Access Bikeway, which is a network
of bike paths and trails throughout Carmel.28
Fuel Efficient Vehicles and Equipment: The Street Department, the Parks and Recreation
Department, the Fire Department, and the Police Department have all started transitioning their
vehicles and equipment to more fuel‐efficient vehicles.
Enhanced wastewater treatment effectiveness: The Water and Sewer Utility uses anaerobic
digestors and reuses 50‐60 percent of gas to heat sludge and for other minor uses. They are currently
working to find other ways to use excess gas such as to power vehicles or to put back in the pipeline.
The Comprehensive Plan also calls for the master plans of sanitary sewer districts to be combined
to increase wastewater treatment effectiveness.
Reclaimed water system: The Parks and Recreation Department has a reclaimed water system
that collects greywater, stormwater, and water from splash pads, via bioswales, which is eventually
emptied into a lagoon.
Rain gardens on municipal properties: There are rain gardens on several municipal properties,
which help retain stormwater using nature based solutions.
28 City of Carmel, n.d., Bike Carmel, https://www.carmel.in.gov/living/fun‐things‐to‐do/bike‐carmel
48
Stormwater fee: The City of Carmel Engineering Department charges a fee to all properties
(residential and non‐residential) in Carmel. The fee creates a dedicated source of funding for City
drainage projects, storm sewer maintenance, storm water program, and new storm sewer
construction.29
Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District Backyard Conservation Program:
The Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District Website provides significant resources
on conservation practices through their Backyard Conservation Program.
City promotion of water saving devices: The Comprehensive Plan Objective 7.4 calls for the City
to “encourage the use of water‐saving devices and request that citizens reduce water consumption
by proper (“smart”) lawn sprinkling and exploring alternative landscapes which require less water.”
Recycling and Lend‐A‐Bin Program: Through its contract with Republic Services, the City offers
a curbside residential waste and recycling program to all residents. All city buildings and sponsored
events also offer recycling. The Carmel Green Initiative also runs the Lend‐A‐Bin program where
people can rent recycling bins for events.
Paperless City departments: Many City departments including the Police Department,
Department of Community Services, and Street Department have transitioned away from paper
systems to electronic systems.
Plots to Plates Community Garden program: This program, spearheaded out of Carmel Schools
Green Teams, is a 98‐plot community garden.30 Each 4’ x 15’ plot can be rented for $15/year. The
community garden includes demonstration gardens, including a rain garden, pollinator garden,
compost system, and a water catchment system with rain barrels that are maintained by Master
Gardeners. In addition, Master Gardeners help with public education efforts by assisting with
school field trips and regular events. Excess food is donated to the Merciful Help Center and the
Carmel United Methodist Church Food Pantry.
The Hamilton County Garden Network: The Hamilton County Garden Network (HCGN) is an
initiative of the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District that encourages sharing of
gardening knowledge within the community. The HCGN Website maintains a list of all community
gardens in Hamilton County, including six in Carmel: Carmel Woods Community Garden, Carmel
United Methodist Church Food Pantry Garden, the Gleaning Garden, Plots to Plates, St.
Christopher’s Crops, and Inglenook Cottages Community Garden. The Gleaning Garden, Carmel
United Methodist Church, Plots to Plates, and St. Christopher’s Crops donate excess food to local
food pantries.
Parkland preservation: A significant portion of the 550 acres of City‐managed parkland is
preserved as natural areas.31 Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation maintains numerous public parks,
and it was the first park system in the state to be certified as habitat and wildlife friendly by the
Indiana Wildlife Federation. Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation maintains 15 public parks with 4
greenways with many planned upgrades for 2021. Furthermore, native and drought‐resistant
29 City of Carmel, n.d. Storm Water Fee, https://carmel.in.gov/department‐services/storm‐water‐management/storm‐water‐fee
30 Purdue University Extension, n.d., Carmel Clay Community Garden Plots to Plates, https://hcmga.org/public‐
education/carmelclay‐community‐garden‐plots‐to‐plates
31 Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation, n.d. Parks and Greenways, https://www.carmelclayparks.com/parks‐greenways/#trails
49
plantings are emphasized in these public parks. They are also in the process of mapping habitat
zones using Geographic Information System (GIS). Also, 11.5 acres of the Brookshire Golf Course is
designated naturalized land, which is used as buffers, wildlife refuge, and carbon sequestration.
Additionally, a portion of the 11.5 acres is designated wetlands.
Food donation programs: There are multiple programs that facilitate donations of excess food
from catering, prepared foods, and produce from grocery stores to food banks and pantries. This
program reduces food waste and provides food to food insecure Carmel residents. Bread of Life
Pantry, Carmel Friends Church Food Pantry, Carmel United Methodist Food Pantry, Merciful Help
Center’s Food Pantry, and Second Helpings are all active in Carmel.
Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation conservation education and planning: CCPR incorporates
education at their parks, promotes the importance of natural resources, as well as conservation
practices. They offer after school programming, volunteer opportunities, and have an adopt‐a‐park
program. CCPR also has numerous internal plans to help maintain natural resources.
Street Department Mower Replacement: The Street Department is currently working to replace
a portion of their propane mowers with electric ones.
Formal Commitments to addressing climate change: The City of Carmel joined the Global
Covenant of Mayors, Resilient Communities for America, and the Mayors National Climate Action
Agenda.
Street Trees. Based on its street tree inventory, Carmel has 31,000 street trees planted in its
corporate boundary. Each year, the City Council appropriates $195,000 for new plantings.
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URLs for Listed Resources
Public Education
Project Drawdown: https://www.drawdown.org/
Carmel Green Initiative:
http://carmelgreen.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13&Itemid=2
Earth Charter Indiana: https://www.earthcharterindiana.org/
Helping Ninjas Inc.: https://helpingninjas.com/
Indiana Forest Alliance: https://indianaforestalliance.org/
Buildings and Energy
Duke Energy’s Clean & Smart opportunities page: https://www.duke‐energy.com/home/smart‐energy
Duke Energy’s Power Manager Program: https://www.duke‐energy.com/home/products/power‐manager
Duke Energy’s Flex Savings Options pilot program: https://www.duke‐
energy.com/info/unindexed/rates/inflexoption
Solarize Hamilton County:
https://carmelgreen.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=366:solarize‐hamilton‐county‐
2019‐&catid=25:cgi‐evemts&Itemid=40
The two‐basin method of washing dishes: https://news.umich.edu/fighting‐climate‐change‐at‐the‐sink‐a‐
guide‐to‐greener‐dishwashing/
Transportation
CIRTA Commuter Connect: https://commuterconnect.us
Hamilton County Express: https://www.cirta.us/county‐connect/transportation‐resources/hamilton‐
county‐express/
Prime Life Enrichment Transportation: https://primelifeenrichment.org/transportation/
Water and Wastewater
Clear Choices Clean Water website: https://clearchoicescleanwater.org/#how‐it‐works‐1
EPA WaterSense labeled products: https://www.epa.gov/watersense/watersense‐products
Duke’s Free Home Energy Assessment: https://www.duke‐energy.com/home/products/home‐energy‐
house‐call
Checklist to detect water leaks: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017‐02/documents/ws‐
ourwater‐detect‐and‐chase‐down‐leaks‐checklist.pdf
Carmel Rain Barrel Cost Share Program: https://carmel.in.gov/government/departments‐
services/engineering/storm‐water‐management
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Solid Waste
Hamilton County Household Hazardous Waste page:
https://www.hamiltoncounty.in.gov/262/Household‐Hazardous‐Waste
Earth Mama Compost: http://earthmamacompost.com/
Indiana Recycling Coalition’s Food Scrap initiative: https://indianarecycling.org/food‐waste‐composting/
Video about composting as a climate solution: https://outrider.org/climate‐change/articles/backyard‐
composting‐large‐climate‐solution/
Tips to reduce food waste: https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/tips‐reduce‐food‐waste
Learn how to read the recycling labels: https://how2recycle.info/
The City of Carmel Trash and Recycling Program page: https://carmel.in.gov/department‐
services/utilities/trash‐recycling‐program
Learn Republic Services' recycling best practices: https://recyclingsimplified.com/
Watch The Story of Plastic documentary: https://www.storyofstuff.org/movies/the‐story‐of‐plastic‐
documentary‐film/how‐to‐watch/
Read 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste by Kathryn Kellogg: https://www.amazon.com/101‐Ways‐Go‐Zero‐
Waste/dp/1682683311/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl1&tag=goizerwas‐
20&linkId=64d1fb658a2a77ab9e441c62f19c9c5a&language=en_US
Kathryn Kellogg’s website: https://www.goingzerowaste.com/
Local Food and Agriculture
Carmel Farmers Market: https://www.carmelfarmersmarket.com/
Community Sourced Agriculture program list website:
https://www.localharvest.org/search.jsp?map=1&lat=39.867992&lon=‐86.10802&scale=9&ty=6&zip=46220
Indiana Grown: https://www.indianagrown.org/
The Hamilton County Garden Network website: https://www.hamcogardennetwork.org/
Carmel Fire Department’s Community Assistance Program: https://www.carmel.in.gov/department‐
services/fire/department‐activities‐events/community‐assistance‐program
Greenspace
Guide for where to plant trees to maximize shading:
https://www.arborday.org/trees/climatechange/summershade.cfm
Tips for correctly planting trees: https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/fnr/fnr‐433‐w.pdf
Tips for native plant landscaping: https://www.almanac.com/why‐more‐gardeners‐are‐growing‐native‐
plants
Certified Wildlife Habitat classification website: https://www.nwf.org/Garden‐for‐Wildlife/Certify
Volunteer page for the City of Carmel Parks and Recreation Department:
https://www.carmelclayparks.com/volunteer/