INDY'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTING ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

A majority of “yays” for local environmental survey

A survey conducted by Citizens for a Sustainable Indianapolis found that a preponderance of Democrats running for City-County Council talk the walk of environmental advocacy. CSI distributed the survey in August, and thus far 17 of the possible 43 candidates running for City-County Council or mayor have responded: 11 Democrats, four Libertarians and two Republicans.

The survey posed 10 “yes/no” statements, asking candidates if they advocate an “inventory of global warming emissions,” “land use policies that reduce sprawl,” “healthy forests,” “clean, alternative energy,” energy and fuel efficiency, increasing recycling rates and the establishment of a “sustainability advisory council.” A final question summed up the survey, asking candidates if “rapid global climate change poses a real threat to our community; [and] actions to address it must begin now.”

Democratic candidates uniformly answered “yes” to all statements; Carey Hamilton (District 4) added that she “hopes to be a leader on the City-Council for the issues outlined above,” while Angela Mansfield (District 2) mentioned her part in the creation of Daubenspeck Nature Community Park as evidence of her commitment to sustainable land use.

Libertarian respondents were mixed: Two at-large candidates answered “no” to most statements, while Paul Dijak-Robinson (District 16) and Barry Campbell (District 20) answered “yes” to most with amply footnoted caveats. Dijak-Robinson noted that “narrowing the concern” with the environment “to just global warming issues dooms any action plan before it begins.”

Two Republican respondents, Scott Keller (District 16) and Mike Speedy (District 24), also answered “yes” to most of the statements.

Browse the complete results at www.indianapoliscan.net.