City of Bloomington earns designation as IACT Green Community

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 23, 2012

For more information, please contact:

Jacqui Bauer, Sustainability Coordinator, City of Bloomington Department of Economic and Sustainable Development, 349.3837

City of Bloomington earns designation as IACT Green Community

Bloomington, Ind. - The City of Bloomington was honored as a Green Community during the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns' Annual Conference and Exhibition, held Oct. 2 to 4 in French Lick, Ind. This is the second time Bloomington has been recognized; the first was in 2008 when the City won IACT's first Green Community of the Year award.

"It's great to receive this recognition," Jacqui Bauer, the City's sustainability coordinator, said. "It pushes us to continue moving in the right direction."

To be recognized as an IACT Green Community, Bloomington had to meet a minimum score on a 51-question survey that tracked the City's practices regarding purchasing, operations and measuring goal achievement. It also scored certain sample projects, with considerations given to the size of the community and the likelihood it would or could implement these programs.

IACT launched the Green Communities Initiative in 2008 to identify environmentally conscious ways for cities to tighten budgets, promote the combination of quality of life initiatives with economic goals, and ultimately to help protect the environment and serve as a role model for citizens and constituent members. IACT awards only the most aggressive green programs, which go "above and beyond regulatory compliance and permits." IACT also hosts workshops that focus on crafting and implementing municipal environmental programs.

This year's other IACT Green Community designees include Indianapolis, Carmel, Evansville, Fishers, Dyer, Greencastle, Munster, Union City and Whiting.

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