As Indiana’s bicentennial approaches, celebrations continue across the whole state.
The Indiana Memorial Union Whittenberger Auditorium was the site of one such celebration this Tuesday as Sustainable Indiana 2016 presented awards to various local groups for their accomplishments in sustainability.
Speakers at the event emphasized desires to increase urgency in sustainability movements but maintained that the focus was to be joyful.
Sustainable Indiana 2016 is considered a citizen initiative of Earth Charter Indiana by the Indiana Bicentennial Commission. This initiative has collected and recognized achievements in sustainability across the state of Indiana.
“The natural wealth that I think we are celebrating tonight is the natural wealth of people,” IU Director of Sustainability Bill Brown said.
Award recipients included the City of Bloomington, Monroe County, Heartwood, Bloomington Transit, the Orange County HomeGrown Farmer’s Market, Hoosier to Hoosier Community Sale and many more.
A notable presence at the event was Reinvest IU, an organization within the IU community that received an award. The primary goal of Reinvest IU is to convince the IU Foundation to withdraw all holdings within the fossil fuel industry.
“They are obligated to because the international community agrees that more than two degrees Celsius global warming is dangerous,” said Wesley Cammenga, IU alumnus and Reinvest IU member. “It is wrong to financially support an industry that has committed itself to disregarding clear warnings.”
Reinvest IU is the host of the Hoosiers’ Climate March today to raise awareness about this issue. The march will wind through campus and inform spectators about the effects of reliance on the fossil fuel industry. Members of the organization will also be accepting donations for protesters opposing the Dakota Access Pipeline.
Organizers indicated that this event will stress the need for action and cooperation to combat climate change.
“Sometimes it’s a challenge to feel the urgency with global climate disruption,” said Kathleen de Onis, IU PhD student and Reinvest IU member. “This is a real crisis that we have to tackle together, every single one of us.”
Many other groups and organizations were recognized during Tuesday’s ceremony, both from the Bloomington community and surrounding areas. Recipients of awards were encouraged to relish their accomplishments in becoming Bicentennial Green Legacy Hall of Fame members and as Hoosiers in general by John Gibson, the state coordinator of Sustainable Indiana 2016.
“Those of you who are green lights here tonight are here because one or two or many fellow Hoosiers though you deserved it,” Gibson said. “To be a human being in all fullness means you have to celebrate.”
