IU students help Indiana communities achieve sustainability goals through IDEM Clean Community Program

During the 2022-23 academic year, three Indiana University students have been advancing the sustainability goals of Hoosier communities as part of a program led by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM).

Gabbie Orlando, Katherine Couch, and Brenna Callan, McKinney Climate Fellows from three different IU campuses, have been helping the local governments in Richmond, Zionsville, and Fishers through IDEM’s new-look Clean Community Program, which expanded its focus to include sustainability in 2019.

Through this experience, the students have gained professional experience relevant to their climate, sustainability, and environmental interests—all while implementing projects that make Indiana a cleaner, healthier place to live.

Putting climate plans into action

Orlando, a senior studying the biological and physical sciences with a track in earth science and sustainability at IU Kokomo, has played a central role in guiding the development of Richmond’s climate action plan, which was adopted in 2022.

As part of the process, Orlando helped conduct stakeholder surveys, complete community vulnerability assessments, and compare best practices from other Hoosier communities. She also helped coordinate input from community groups, local youth councils, and other organizations on Richmond’s climate action plan.

Being a part of the Clean Community Program gave Orlando the opportunity to put Richmond’s plan into action. She’s been researching the best ways to modify city ordinances to reduce or remove minimum parking requirements and allow for more low-impact development, such as urban green infrastructure and impervious surfaces.

“I’ve been reaching out to communities across Indiana to figure out how they made it work so I can share this information with the city’s planning and zoning director,” Orlando said.

“Overall, being a part of the Clean Community Program has been really impactful for me and what I want to do in my future career. I’m thankful to have a few months left with the community before my work wraps up.”

Laying the groundwork for local composting

In Zionsville, Katherine Couch has been working to help the town establish its own municipal composting site, a development that would allow the town to directly harness more of the benefits of composting.

Couch, a liberal studies graduate student at IU South Bend who is pursuing a certificate in sustainability, has helped lay the groundwork for the town’s composting facility, researching how other communities have approached the issue and reviewing state rules and regulations.

“We have since selected a site and hosted IDEM inspectors to approve it, which is exciting because they’ve been proactive in helping us meet the goals of the program and get projects implemented,” she said.

“This has been the first time I have worked with a government. I am interested in staying and working in Indiana, so this knowledge of IDEM and their permitting process can help me be a greater asset to other communities across the state.”

Advancing recycling and sustainability

Brenna Callan, a senior in environmental studies and sustainability at IU Bloomington is currently serving as a fellow for the city of Fishers, helping to develop a recycling and composting plan for the city offices.

Thanks to Callan’s efforts, Fishers is now in the final stages of purchasing waste management equipment and developing communications and media materials to communicate the benefits of the new program to city residents.

“This program has given me an opportunity to work with a city and help improve their sustainability while reducing their overall impact on the environment,” Callan said. “I’ve found this work to be very rewarding and fulfilling.”

A natural partnership

IDEM’s Clean Community Program is a voluntary program that recognizes Hoosier communities who are implementing a forward-looking approach to sustainability and environmental quality. When the program relaunched in 2021 to focus on sustainability, a natural partnership emerged between IDEM and the McKinney Climate Fellows, which is administered by IU’s Environmental Resilience Institute (ERI).

In support of the program, ERI provided updates on grant opportunities for the local governments to investigate as well as professional development training for the fellows.

“Overall, I think the way this program matches passionate students with cities across the state who are in need of additional capacity is genius,” Callan said. “Having an opportunity for both the student and the city to learn and have real-world experiences is something Indiana should be proud of.”

About the Environmental Resilience Institute

Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute brings together a broad coalition of government, business, nonprofit, and community leaders to help Indiana and the Midwest better prepare for the challenges of environmental change. By integrating research, education, and community, ERI is working to create a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous future. Learn more at eri.iu.edu.