Council to discuss environmental issues

The Hoosier Environmental Council will host its second-annual Green Policy Forum to discuss the upcoming 2010 Indiana legislative session and the policy initiatives that will affect Indiana’s ecological sustainability.

The event will be Saturday at Marian University in Indianapolis.

Jesse Kharbanda, the council’s executive director, said the goal of the forum is to educate Hoosiers about the environmental problems facing the state and to give hope that Indiana can dramatically reduce the footprint of industry, commerce and agriculture on the environment.

Kharbanda plans to speak at the conference, presenting the topic “A New Energy Future for Indiana.”

“There are so many red flags that our air and water quality is not where it should be,”
Kharbanda said. “I hope to point out some of those red flags.”

Mary Brock, the council’s development associate, said although the focus of the forum will be the policies that are brought up for legislation, the meeting will also have a practical message.

“It’s more of an educational type of event, but every speaker will have specific things that people can do to get involved,” Brock said.

Besides Kharbanda’s presentation, other speakers addressing environmental concerns at the forum will include Dr. Rae Schnapp, the council’s water policy director; Tim Maloney, senior policy director; and Carey Hamilton, executive director of the Indiana Recycling Coalition.

Speakers dealing with the policy and legislative issues at the conference will include former State Rep. Dave Crooks, Rep. Matt Pierce, D-61st District, and Sen. Dennis Kruse, R-Ind.

Founded in 1983, the council is now Indiana’s largest state-wide environmental organization. According to its Web site, the council has been a leader in bringing visibility to environmental challenges such as mercury pollution and power plant waste.

Kelly Kuhn, outreach fellow and policy researcher for the council, said the
organization also plays host to many educational events at elementary and high schools and on college campuses to inform students about its core interest – renewable energy, transportation and open spaces.

“We let people know they have a voice in Indiana,” Kuhn said. “They can influence policy just by letting legislators know they care about an issue.”

Kuhn is a recent graduate from IU’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs and said she hopes students will be able to make it to the forum. By becoming educated through events like the , Kuhn said she hopes students will take that knowledge back home and become advocates for change throughout Indiana.  

“Bloomington is really open and environmentally conscious,” Kuhn said. “It’s really a great place to get your feet wet and become aware of the
issues.”