North Indy Magazine April 2023

JEFFERSON ELECTRIC

REDUCING YOUR HOME’S CARBON FOOTPRINT WITH SOLAR PANELS

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JEFFERSON ELECTRIC Reducing Your Home’s Carbon Footprint with Solar Panels

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RECENT INDYGO INITIATIVES

INCLUDE NEW PURPLE LINE

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REAL-TIME ANALYTICS

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SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority Offers Commuter Connect Program

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SUSTAIN INDY Indianapolis Aims to be a CarbonNeutral City by 2050

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BLUE MIND ROASTING OPENS NEW STOREFRONT AT BROADWAY & 38TH STREET

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ARTIST PROFILE

Shamira Wilson

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FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT FOR CLIMATE CHANGE

KEY CONTRIBUTORS

ALESHA MCCARTY / ELY AYERS / SHAMIRA WILSON

RENEE LARR / SETH JOHNSON / SARAH BROWNING TRAVIS HINKLE / JOHN OVERTON / DANIEL WOODY

Recorded at Round Table Recording in Broad Ripple Village Sponsored by The Vogue, The Box Media & Production Space and the Indianapolis Alleycats

Writer / Renée Larr Photographer / Michael Durr

Rob Walsman Energy Consultant for Residential Solar

Many homeowners are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint while saving money on their energy bills. One green solution is installing residential solar panels on the roof of your home. Jefferson Electric provides an experienced team of NABCEP-certified energy consultants and licensed electricians to educate homeowners on residential solar.

“We receive many inquiries from homeowners looking to lower their utility costs, reduce their reliance on the grid, and those looking to find ways to help the environment,” Rob Walsman says, a senior sales account manager at Jefferson Electric.

Walsman says the first step is a feasibility study to determine if the home is suitable for residential solar. He also says he likes to discuss a homeowner’s goals and motivations in making the change to solar, their electrical usage, budget and any HOA limitations.

“Some homeowners associations require a lot of legwork for the homeowner to make the switch,” Walsman says. “Some of them must get approval from 65% of the homeowners in their neighborhood. Some people are willing to do that, and some aren’t.”

So, how do solar panels work exactly? The Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy says when the sun shines onto a solar panel, the photovoltaic cells in the solar panel absorb energy from the sunlight. This energy

creates electrical charges that move in response to an internal electrical field in the cell, causing electricity to flow.

“If a home has more demand than energy being produced, the electric grid will supply to difference,” Walsman says. “If it’s the reverse, the energy returns to the grid and is credited by the utility depending upon their requirements. They credit at a full rate or at a lower rate than they charge.”

Installation only takes one to three days to complete. The whole process can take anywhere from one to two months based on permitting and application approval with the utility company. Walsman says it can be crucial for homeowners to invest in battery storage. Residents can then use the excess energy in the evenings or store it for backup.

“The ideal residential solar home has a southfacing roof at a 22-45 degree pitch with no shade,” Walsman says. “If you have shade, it may not make sense for you. If you have usable east-west facing roof planes, you get about 80% of the efficiency, but it is still doable.”

Walsman says homeowners who elect to go solar are creating clean energy. The solar systems are generally low maintenance after the initial installation. The upfront cost can be high, but he says it fixes a portion of a homeowner’s utility bill over the system's life, up to 30 years.

“Something that is very important for people to understand, though, is if you do not have battery storage when the electric grid goes out, then the solar shuts down,” he says. “If you want power during an outage, you must have battery storage.”

Walsman says converting to solar can even help those around. When you’re producing excess energy and going to the grid, you’re helping your neighbor because they’re using your extra energy. He says you would preferably want to use it yourself, but if not, it benefits those in your immediate area. One misconception he sees a lot is due to advertising. He says some people think it’s an easy and low-cost upfront option.

“It is a big investment upfront, but then at least a certain percentage of your utility bill is covered at a fixed rate per kilowatt hour,”

Walsman says. “So, it’s amortized over a long period of time. It is something that must be taken into consideration. If you’re going to live in the house for two to three years, you may not want to do solar. It does at least nationwide it increases the value of your home about 4.5%, so if you’re going to be living in your home a long time, you’re going to see an increase in your home value.”

Jefferson Electric is family-owned and was founded in 2011 by Joel Walsman, Rob’s son. The business and has been providing solar solutions to local homeowners since 2014. They also offer electrical, energy storage, and EV charging services to homeowners, businesses, government and academic organizations.

Jefferson Electric is located at 2950 E. Hanna Ave. For more information, visit jeffersonelectricllc.com or call 317-418-3917.

RECENT INDYGO INITIATIVES INCLUDE NEW PURPLE LINE

North Indy Magazine recently caught up with IndyGo director of communications Carrie Black to learn about some of the public transit system’s recent initiatives.

PURPLE LINE CONSTRUCTION

After successfully integrating the Red Line into Indy’s public transit network, IndyGo is now in the process of constructing a second Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line to be known as the Purple Line, which will service the city’s eastside. Set to launch in either the third or fourth quarter of 2024, the Purple Line is about 50% complete as of this spring.

Like the Red Line, IndyGo’s Purple Line will have buses arriving at stops every 15 to 20 minutes. The route will begin downtown at the Julia M. Carson Transit Center and run along the Red Line until reaching 38th Street, at which point it will travel east on 38th Street to Post Road before heading up north to Lawrence.

Writer / Seth Johnson Photographer Michael Durr

As Black explains, one major benefit of this Purple Line construction will be some much-needed infrastructure improvements and upgrades for the city’s eastside.

“Half of the funding for the Purple Line is going to infrastructure improvements and upgrades,” Black says. “This means that a very disenfranchised part of our city that hasn’t seen upgrades on their roads and sidewalks in many decades is now going to see some tremendous improvements as a result of IndyGo’s Purple Line. It’s going to mean about 26 miles of newly paved roads. It will also mean about nine miles of new or upgraded sidewalks.”

For updates on the Purple Line, be sure to visit IndyGo.net/ Purple.

ADDITIONAL SUPER STOPS

An IndyGo Super Stop can best be described as an elevated bus stop with some added perks.

“They have a more elevated experience for the rider,” Black says. “They have covered shelters. They have extended seating with benches. There are real-time screens, similar to what you have at the Red Line stations. There are payment machines so you can buy your fair there as well. And then, there’s also level boarding, where you don’t have to have a big step onto the bus.”

Currently, IndyGo has two Super Stops, with one located at the intersection of Delaware and New York streets and the other located at the intersection of Delaware and North streets. Now, after being awarded a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Bus and Bus Facilities Grant in early 2022, IndyGo will build eight more Super Stops this year at the following locations:

• Southwest corner of Alabama Street and North Street

• Northwest corner of New York and North Street

• Fort Wayne Avenue and 9th Street (both directions)

• Vermont Street and Capitol Avenue (both directions)

WELLNESS IN TRANSIT

After a successful pilot in the summer of 2022, IndyGo’s Wellness in Transit program has now returned permanently to the Julia M. Carson Transit Center.

In partnership with Gennesaret Free Clinics, IndyGo will host a mobile medical clinic on Tuesdays from 1 to 4 p.m. at 201 E. Washington St. on the Transit Center’s northside, providing free healthcare services to visitors regardless of health insurance status.

“During the six-month pilot program, Wellness in Transit engaged more than 300 people over the course of 23 weeks, cared for 124 patients and wrote 90 prescriptions,” Black says. “That six-month pilot ended at the end of last year. Because it was so successful, we’ve brought it back permanently. It’s now here to stay, and we’ll be expanding that as we go along.”

Currently, there are few free, walk-in social services available within the downtown core. With this being said, Wellness in Transit fills a need and provides resources to enhance the well-being of riders while reducing the transportation burden of an added trip.

INDYGO IS HIRING

IndyGo is currently in the midst of an aggressive hiring campaign, as it looks to fill several job openings.

“We are in desperate need of more drivers and more mechanics,” Black says. “Our drivers literally keep our service moving forward. So if we’re running short on drivers, then that impedes our ability to be able to provide reliable service, and it also makes it harder for us to expand our service, which is something that we are working to do.”

As Black points out, IndyGo also pays for individuals to get their Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training, meaning a CDL is not required when applying to become a bus driver.

“We will train you and pay you while you are training to get your CDL,” Black says. “Whether you’re a housewife sitting at home or somebody who has a job in a cubicle, you can come apply to be a driver, and we’ll teach you everything you need to know.”

To learn more about job opportunities with IndyGo, visit IndyGo.net/Employment.

MEET SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION CHAMPION

Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority

You cannot talk about sustainability without mentioning transportation. They go hand-in-hand – and it’s not just a conversation about electric vehicles, it is about developing strategies and implementing programs that directly lead to fewer cars on the roads. That is where the Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority (CIRTA) comes in.

“We want people and business leaders to think differently about the ways we commute,” said Jen Gebhard, CIRTA’s Executive Director. “We exist to help people across the region get to work in ways other than driving alone in a vehicle.”

The average Central Indiana commuter drives 40.8 miles to work and spends 50.6 minutes in their vehicle. In just one day of telecommuting, carpooling, vanpooling, taking the bus, biking, or walking to work, that same commuter prevents 32 pounds of pollution from entering the atmosphere. What many Central Indiana residents may not realize is that CIRTA offers free and low-cost resources to help them find alternative transit solutions; solutions that help reduce stress, save money, minimize wear and tear on vehicles and help improve our shared environment.

CIRTA’s Commuter Connect program provides commuters access to a free database for a personalized carpool match, or, if there is demand, it can work with employers to set up a cost-effective vanpool, partially subsidized by CIRTA, for their employees with others who live and work in the same area. Commuter Connect also works with schools and school districts to help families start carpooling.

Once per year, CIRTA channels its passion for encouraging commuters to travel together towards into one rockstar event. Car Free Day is celebrated nationally, and each year CIRTA hosts festivities to celebrate downtown. In 2022, Mayor Joe Hogsett rode his bike to the celebration at City Market, and officially

proclaimed September 22nd as Car Free Day in Indianapolis.

The regional aspect of CIRTA’s advocacy also positions it as an advocate for workforce access.

“Some of the biggest challenges employers face is getting their employees to work and we are here to remove that barrier,” commented Gebhard. “From wanting to save money to not having a reliable method of transit, there are a myriad of reasons folks need our services.”

Beyond subsidized vanpools, the Commuter Connect program helps employers provide effective transportation benefits for their staff at little-to-no cost. One thing is for sure, CIRTA is actively and consistently working to find new and creative ways to eliminate transportation barriers for Hoosiers while making the world a greener place for all.

The CIRTA Board of Directors includes government and business leaders across from central Indiana. To learn more and to access services, visit www.cirta.us

The CIRTA team smiles with Mayor Hogsett following the September 22 Car Free Day proclamation ceremony.

Commuters smile while sharing a CIRTA carpool at Car Free Day, showing other attendees how they can #ShareTheRide."

Model:

claudia_jaye

Photo: Emma Knutson Photography

Photos by Josh Gaal & Riley Hill-Cartel

SUSTAIN INDY

Indianapolis Aims to be a Carbon-Neutral City by 2050

thing without much thought into where to start saving money and reinvesting that back into the business.”

The city of Indianapolis is prioritizing becoming a carbon-neutral city by 2050. One solution it focuses on is a new program by the Office of Sustainability called Thriving Buildings. The benchmarking program allows organizations to gauge their energy and water data to identify cost savings for utilities while improving air quality for the city.

“In 2019, the city of Indianapolis adopted the Thrive Indianapolis action plan,” Lindsay Trameri says, community engagement manager at the Indianapolis Office of Sustainability. “Essentially, it’s a 90-page document outlining our path to becoming a carbon-neutral city by the year 2050 while incorporating equity into all the city's policy, planning and programming.”

Indianapolis passed the Energy Benchmarking and Transparency Ordinance in 2021. The term benchmarking refers to the tracking of a building’s utility usage. The term transparency refers to reporting the data to the city. Trameri says buildings are the single largest energy user in Indianapolis, accounting for 66% of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions according to the 2016 Community GHG Emissions inventory.

“We want people to think of this as a report card,” Trameri says. “If a teacher never lets you know where you’re at, how can you improve? Many organizations pay their utility bills and move on to the next

Thriving Buildings rolls out in several different phases. Beginning in 2023, Thriving Buildings asks buildings over 100,000 square feet to report their energy data. To encourage participation, the Office of Sustainability will ramp up education and outreach, assisting building owners in helping to facilitate this reporting. Previously, participation was voluntary, with many organizations, such as Indianapolis International Airport, The Indianapolis Public Library, Indianapolis Public Schools, Lucas Oil Stadium, The Convention Center and IU Health participating.

“It was great to see some key players in the Indianapolis area paying attention and wanting to be good stewards to the environment by cutting emissions,” Trimeri says. “It was also a great benefit to their organizations, as well. We had a goal of having 50 volunteers, but we ended up with 84 participating by the end.”

Organizations input their energy bills for the last year into a software program called EPA ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. Trameri says the software is free and easy to use. The data collected allows property owners or managers to become more energy efficient by comparing energy uses with other buildings and tracking their progress over time.

“We’ve had a few organizations tell us they’re excited to participate because they’ve been trying to track their utility costs through their

Writer / Renée Larr

Photographer / Michael Durr

means, such as an Excel spreadsheet,” Trameri says. “This process is much simpler and easier for them.”

The Office of Sustainability estimates the program will provide numerous benefits to business owners and residents of Indianapolis. Trameri says Thriving Buildings has the potential to save building owners $16 million in utility costs per year, a 27% reduction in CO2 emissions in the built environment, create 1,400 jobs in the green sector and save $77 million in public health costs due to improved air quality.

In 2024, all non-city-owned buildings 50,000 square feet will be included. City-owned buildings 25,000 square feet and up will

Mo McReynolds (Senior Project Manager), Madison Byarley (Program Manager), Lindsay Trameri (Community Engagement Manager), Morgan Mickelson (Director)

benchmark as well. All buildings' scores will be published in 2026, with the data available to the public. The Office of Sustainability alerts each business of its mandatory participation. It will also assist with workshops and online recordings.

Trameri says while her office isn’t asking homeowners to benchmark their utility usage, she says homeowners can learn from Thriving Buildings. She says most individuals are connected to much larger buildings than they realize. She says they hope this initiative will spur conversations between residents, schools, churches, and other organizations.

“Often I speak with residents who are already composting, driving a hybrid vehicle or recycling, but they want to do more or have more of an appetite for climate change,” Trameri says. “Keeping track of their utility usage can be a step up for them from what they’re already doing to make even more of an impact.”

Trameri says our local utilities also offer resources for residents to monitor their energy consumption and even take advantage of energy efficiency rebates and programs. The Office of Sustainability encourages residents to check out the resources provided through their online utility accounts with the respective utility or call the customer service department to ask about their energy efficiency offerings.

For more information, visit indy.gov/agency/office-ofsustainability.

BLUE MIND ROASTING OPENS NEW STOREFRONT AT BROADWAY & 38TH STREET

Writer & Photographer Alesha McCarty

Blue Mind Roasting now has a café at Broadway and 38th Street. Their coffee is thoughtfully roasted and ethically sourced, resulting in a product where you can taste the love.

Sarah and Andy Hassler have been perfecting their craft since 2014. You’ll find the same passion at the 38th street café. The menu is simple but expertly delivered. The oat milk vanilla latte starts with a perfect shot of espresso – a deep rich heart, golden body and foamy crema along with a perfectly steamed milk that is drinkable and fluffy and mixes beautifully with the espresso. You can also get a local milk option like Dandy Breeze.

The space is bright, modern and clean – a perfect space to work from or read in the afternoon warmth.

Pastries from Leviathan Bakery and Native Bread are served warm on a ceramic plate and wooden tray. The gooey chocolate chip cookies were a treat! The space encourages you to stay and sip for a while.

For sustainable options on the go, the cafe offer compostable silverware and the cutest travel mugs.

At the store, I loaded up on my favorite Midtown Roast, a medium roast coffee with notes of chocolate, caramel and cherry. The coffee bags can be recycled, like any other grocery store bag.

For those taking the redline to work, the café is just a quick jog across 38th street, a perfect stop on the way to work in the morning.

In addition to being a lovely place offering sustainable options for patrons, their passion for supporting the community with their Take What You Need Community Project is inspiring and further validates that they are a coffee shop for our whole community.

You can find out more by following Blue Mind Coffee: @bluemindroasting or visiting the café at 646 E 38th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46205.

Artist Profile

SHAMIRA WILSON

Shamira Wilson is an interdisciplinary visual artist, farm apprentice, and founder of the studio Wilson Art Lab, based in Indianapolis. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Johns Hopkins University with an emphasis in wellness, entrepreneurship and visual art, and has studied furniture design and woodworking at the Herron School of Art and Design. Her current exhibitions include Newfields and the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. She has exhibited nationally and internationally at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts residency in Deer Isle, Maine, and the Art for Change residency in New Delhi, India. She is a member of Impact 100, the Eighteen Art Collective, and recipient of the DeHaan Artist of Distinction Award. She is based in Indianapolis, and her public art works can be seen in the permanent collections of the Arts Council of Indianapolis, Eskenazi Health, and the Indiana State Museum.

Wilson creates minimal abstract art inspired by the geometry of plants and the transformations that take place in nature. Nature is her healing modality and she translates its lesson with paint. The lessons from nature can be learned from honoring and being in communion with plant allies and the unique qualities they possess, and being open to the messages and dreams they bring forth during meditation and moments of connection.

Wilson Art Lab is an interdisciplinary research, art and design studio founded in 2021, focusing on working collaboratively with partners to explore connections with the environment, ourselves and each other. Partners include the Indiana State Museum, the Patachou Foundation, Blue Mind Roasting, Kan-Kan Cinema, and the Arts Council of Indianapolis.

For more information, visit shamirawilson.com. Find Wilson on Instagram and Facebook @shamirawilson, and find Wilson Art Lab on Instagram @wilsonartlab.

FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT FOR CLIMATE CHANGE

Education about this issue is a crucial first step but by itself is not enough. This crisis is not someone else's problem, nor is it going to get solved on its own. Indiana consistently ranks in the top 10 carbon-emitting states, which contributes to the U.S. being one of the largest carbon emitters in the world.

ECI knows just how important decisive action is in the face of this problem and is a firm believer that solutions are possible but only through cooperation and localized initiatives.

For many Hoosiers, climate change is just a buzzword they hear commentators on TV throw back and forth at one another. For the people at Earth Charter Indiana, it has a much more tangible meaning.

For them, climate change and its impending repercussions are at the forefront of their mind and something they work tirelessly to combat.

Earth Charter Indiana (ECI) was founded in 2001 by John Gibson and Jerry King. It was modeled after the Earth Charter declaration at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands, in 2000, and its mission is clear.

On the front page of its website, it says: “Our focus is on intergenerational action and education in the face of our climate crisis, what we can do to mitigate the crisis and how we can adapt with dignity and resilience.”

Shannon Anderson has been with ECI since 2015 as their director of advocacy. With a background in biology and in politics, she has a clear perspective on the full scope of the problem.

“It is really easy to overlook Indiana’s importance and significance when you look at the whole world, but everybody needs to understand that you are not responsible for what a country on the other side of the world is doing necessarily, but you are responsible for where you live and your community. That is where you matter and that is where you have connections and that is where your skills translate the best. If you can do it here you can do it anywhere,” Shannon Anderson says.

Anderson and ECI believe that change begins locally and are striving to empower citizens to be the necessary change in their communities.

Writer / Ryan Gabbert Photographer / Jim Poyser

Members of the statewide, independent, youth group, Confront the Climate Crisis, gather at the Indiana Statehouse to advocate for statewide climate action, on Feb. 1, 2023.

So far, ten Indiana cities have passed “climate recovery resolutions” which will help reduce carbon emissions, increase the use and efficiency of renewable energy and opens the door for future legislation to be passed. These resolutions have been spearheaded by local citizens affiliated with ECI who want to make a difference and more often than not the majority of those involved are high school and middle school students.

Working with and educating the youth of Indiana has become a specialty for ECI. It hosts a wide variety of summer camps and programs that place an emphasis on climate change education, sustainable living, creativity and even cooking. The goal of these programs is to give the next generation of Hoosiers the knowledge and skills they need to make a difference, while also having fun.

Jim Poyser, ECI’s Director of Advancement, has made a career out of educating young people and fighting for climate change

Celebrate Israel’s 75th Birthday & Earth Day!

12 – 4 p.m. Sunday, April 23

Max & Mae Simon Jewish Community Campus - front lawn and parking lot!

Participate in fun Israelithemed and Earth-friendly activities!

Petting Zoo, Farmers Market, food trucks, and more!

Learn more at JCCindy.org/earth-day

Climate Campers explore Eagle Creek Park as part of ECI's annual Climate Camp.

solutions, so he knows better than anyone the impact that youth can have when they are determined and put their collective minds behind something.

“It's very difficult to put aside or ignore the concerns of kids when they are talking about their future being imperiled by a deteriorating climate system. You kind of have to listen. And if the kids are not yelling and screaming about it but they are based in science and are being respectful it becomes doubly difficult to ignore them,” Poyser says.

An ECI camp alumni and a great example of this is Ella Comerford-Barnett. Ella is a junior at North Central High School and has been a climate change activist since the age of 11 when she helped start a zero-waste cafeteria project at her school. She hasn’t slowed down since and has recently helped ECI in its quest for climate-friendly legislation at the state house level.

All of the hard work of ECI and its affiliates culminated this February in what is known as SB-335. This was a proposed bill to create the first Indiana Climate Solutions Task Force whose mission was to look at areas to lower emissions and to make Indiana more resilient to climate change. Its creation and development were led by enthusiastic young Hoosiers like Ella who wanted to take action.

Unfortunately, the bill did not get the votes it needed to advance, but that has done nothing to diminish ECI’s commitment for change. It continues to advocate for effective solutions and encourage bipartisan cooperation at the state house so that Hoosiers can grow and prosper for generations to come.

Check out at earthcharterindiana.org and look them up on all social media platforms for more information on how to get involved.

Mercer Matthew Kubal Matthew Mundy