Sustainable Bloomington

Sustainability Vision: The City of Bloomington, Indiana will become a sustainability leader by working as a community to preserve our natural resources, maintain our distinct culture, build a diverse and thriving economy, and ensure a healthy and equitable standard of living (as developed by the Bloomington Community in 2018). 

The City of Bloomington has a long-standing commitment to sustainability and City partnerships. Programs related to energy conservation, renewable energy, and waste reduction have helped establish Bloomington as a regional sustainability leader and strengthened the volunteer and entrepreneurial spirit of the community.

The City addresses sustainability through careful attention to environmental, economic, and social equity issues, and looks for linkages among those issues. Sustainability and livability are our guiding principles and are the foundations of quality, long-lasting economic and community development.

Follow the work of the Commission on Sustainability or Environmental Commission for more information on community programs and efforts. 

Join our Stay Cool Bloomington initiative! This comprehensive program aims to promote community resilience to heat and ensure the well-being of our residents during hot weather.

HeatWatch Campaign

As part Stay Cool Bloomington, we conducted a HeatWatch campaign in collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, CAPA Strategies, IU Luddy School of Informatics and IU Environmental Resilience Institute. During this urban heat mapping campaign volunteers collected valuable temperature and humidity data to understand and address heat distribution across Bloomington. A summary report was created by CAPA Strategies that highlights key findings from the campaign and provides information about the methodologies used for data analysis and modeling. An interactive website was also created that allows residents to see each individual data point and compare the hottest and coolest areas of the city. The urban heat island map will allow city departments and the community to develop cooling strategies such as increasing the tree canopy and green infrastructure (bioswales, rain gardens, green roofs), cool roofs, permeable pavement, and more. 

Thanks to all who participated in the campaign! 

Air Conditioner Distribution Program

Low income residents who live within the city limits and have a medical condition that increases their risk of a heat related illness can apply to receive one free window air conditioner and have it installed free of charge. The purpose of the AC Distribution Program is to prevent vulnerable populations from heat-related illnesses. Extreme heat kills more people in the United States than all other weather related events such as floods, tornados, and hurricanes. Extreme heat can be dangerous for anyone, but it can be especially dangerous for low-income residents with chronic medical conditions. High daytime and nighttime temperatures can cause stress on the human body which exacerbates health conditions such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and renal disease. In addition, some medications (such as some antidepressants, diuretics, and beta-blockers) and chemotherapy treatments taken for a chronic illnesses may increase an individual’s sensitivity to heat by interfering with the body’s ability to regulate temperature, fluids, or electrolytes. No medical information or prescription from a doctor is required to participate in this program. 

The AC window unit is intended to cool one room in the resident's home in order to provide a place to retreat from extreme heat. Grant applications are available at Township Trustee Offices only. The Township Trustees will collect the required forms and documents and if all criteria are met, will provide an initial approval of the AC window unit installation. The approved applications will be sent to ESD for final review and approval. ESD will then schedule the installation with the company that ESD has hired to complete the installations. To locate your township trustee office, visit https://in.wayeo.us/, search for your property address, and then use the dropdown box on the top right to pull down “Township”. AC window units will be provided to those with approved applications on a first come, first serve basis while funding is available. Please contact your Township Trustee Office for more information.

Bloomington Climate Action Dashboard 

The City of Bloomington is excited to unveil its Climate Action Dashboard, an innovative platform to support City goals to make local climate action more transparent and accessible. Residents will have the opportunity to learn about the City’s ongoing initiatives, hear success stories and testimonials from community members, track community-wide progress towards emissions reductions, and access resources for individual climate action. To view and interact with the dashboard, residents can visit bloomington.climatenavhub.com. 

The dashboard was developed in partnership between the City’s Economic and Sustainable Development Department and ClimateNav, a public-benefit startup that builds tools and resources to help local governments fight climate change. The dashboard breaks down the City’s sustainability goals into the different sectors they address and includes information about City initiatives and opportunities within each sector. As an added benefit, the dashboard includes useful information and resources about actions that Bloomington residents and businesses can take to reduce their own personal carbon footprint within each of the sectors.