City Commission Launches Bloomington Environmental Quality Indicators Web Site

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 29, 2007

For more information:
Isabel Piedmont, 2006 Chair, Environmental Commission, City of Bloomington, 334-4174
Heather Reynolds, 2007 Chair, Environmental Commission, City of  Bloomington, 339-7916

Bloomington, IN - The City of Bloomington Environmental Commission announced today the launch of its Bloomington Environmental Quality Indicators (BEQI) web site. The site describes the condition of the Bloomington community's environment and provides access to the comprehensive BEQI findings and executive summary.

Residents can view the site by visiting [http://www.bloomington.in.gov/beqi/|http://www.bloomington.in.gov/beqi/].

Commission members developed the BEQI report to help educate and inform the public about environmental trends in and around the city of Bloomington. The report was last published in 2001 and available only in print. The newest report has been expanded to include new indicators and statistics.

"We are very excited about this expanded and updated BEQI," says Isabel Piedmont, 2006 chair of the Environmental Commission. "Our interns Joe Fish and Becky Barrick did a great job pulling this project together."

The BEQI web site is divided into six sections: Transportation, Energy, Waste, Air, Water and Green Infrastructure. In each section, one or more indicators are identified and used to illustrate specific environmental trends and to measure progress in Bloomington.

For example, the report reveals that public bus ridership increased 29 percent between 1999 and 2004. However, in 2000 only 2 percent of residents used buses to commute to work whereas 71 percent of residents drove to work alone. These statistics indicate the continued need to reduce automobile use in Bloomington, which is a primary cause of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition to trends and statistics, the BEQI web site provides helpful suggestions and tips for residents wishing to learn more about reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other ways to improve our city's environmental quality. The report is intended to evoke critical thinking, community discussion, prioritization of environmental management efforts and action.

"We hope that the City, County and local citizens will use the BEQI report as a guide to understanding Bloomington's environmental quality and its many connections to our social and economic health," said Heather Reynolds, 2007 chair of the Environmental Commission. "Concerned residents, teachers, students, businesspeople and policymakers should find the information presented in the BEQI useful for education, planning and decision making."

The Environmental Commission welcomes questions and comments regarding the report, and copies of the executive summary also are available in hard copy. The Commission can be reached by phone through the City's Planning Department at 349-3423, or by e-mail at [environment@bloomington.in.gov|mailto:environment@bloomington.in.gov].

# # #