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-public partnerships. Programs related to energy conservation, renewable energy, waste reduction and the local food movement 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.
Sustainability & Climate Initiatives
Bloomington Green Home Improvement Program
2021 Residential Solar, Energy Efficiency, and Geothermal Program for Bloomington Homeowners
Solar & Energy Efficiency Loan (SEEL) Program
2021 Nonprofit - Solar and Energy Efficiency Loan (SEEL) Program will provide support for organizations to improve building efficiency
Solarize Bloomington
Solarize has increased the affordability of solar PV systems for more than 200 Bloomington residents since 2017.
Sustainability & Climate Reports
2021 Sustainability & Climate Progress Report
Read about annual progress in meeting goals and implementing activities in support of the Climate Action Plan and Sustainability Action Plan.
2021 Bloomington Climate Action Plan
View Bloomington's first Climate Action Plan, accepted by the Bloomington City Council April 2021.
2020 Bloomington Climate Vulnerability Assessment
The 2020 Bloomington Climate Vulnerability Assessment identified and evaluated current and projected climate-related risks to people, infrastructure, and natural resources in Bloomington and Monroe County.
2019 Sustainability Action Plan Progress Report
Read about annual progress in meeting goals and implementing activities in support of the Sustainability Action Plan.
2018 Sustainability Action Plan Progress Report
Read about annual progress in meeting goals and implementing activities in support of the Sustainability Action Plan.
2018 Sustainability Action Plan
View Bloomington's first Sustainability Action Plan, adopted by Bloomington City Council in October 2018.
2018 Bloomington Greenhouse Gas Inventory
Sustainability Action Plan Goal 1.1.A.
Sustainability & Climate Resources
Bicycling Resources
Learn about Bloomington bicycle resources and routes.
Bloomington Transit
Bloomington Transit is a full-featured municipal transit corporation that provides bus services in Bloomington.
Recycling and Waste Management
Learn about recycling options and pick-up schedules on the City of Bloomington Sanitation Department's webpage.
Monroe County Solid Waste Management District
The Monroe County Solid Waste Management District (District) operates five recycling centers open to all County residents. Learn more about options to reduce, reuse, and recycle at The District's website.
Sustainable Development Incentives
The City's Unified Development Ordinance offers developers certain bonuses and allowances for meeting particular sustainability goals.
Residential Stormwater Resources
Resources to effectively manage stormwater on private property
Boards & Commissions
Bloomington Commission on Sustainability
The City of Bloomington Commission on Sustainability (BCOS) promotes economic development, environmental health, and social equity in our community for present and future generations.
Bloomington Environmental Commission
The Bloomington Environmental Commission advises the City of Bloomington on how its actions and policies may preserve and enhance the quality of Bloomington's environment.
Monroe County Environmental Commission
The Monroe County Environmental Commission serves in an advisory role for the County and focuses on educating the community and engaging residents and businesses to ensure a healthier and more economically viable future for Monroe County.
Sustainability & Climate Partnerships
CanopyBloomington
CanopyBloomington engages Bloomington residents in cooperatively stewarding Bloomington's urban forest and green infrastructure.
MC-IRIS
MC-IRIS works with landowners, educators, researchers, and agencies all over the county to protect our diverse natural areas from invasive species.
Lake Monroe Water Fund
The Lake Monroe Water Fund is an active funder for watershed projects that conserve, protect and sustain Lake Monroe as our shared community water resource.
Friends of Lake Monroe
Friends of Lake Monroe (FLM) was created to support water quality and sustainable recreation in Southern Indiana’s Lake Monroe.
IU Environmental Resilience Institute
The mission of the Environmental Resilience Institute is to increase resilience to environmental change in Indiana and the Midwest.
Sustain IU
IU Office of Sustainability serves as a conduit for sustainable action through operations and academics on the IU Bloomington campus.