Transforming Tippecanoe County: Addressing Environmental Challenges with Tipp-ECO-Now

1. Tipp-ECO-Now Introduction

2. What is the problem? • Environmental challenges in Tippecanoe County are complex and interrelated • Forbes ranked Indiana 49th out of 50 states for environmental friendliness • Ranking criteria from data from many sources (EPA, American Lung Association, U.S. Green Buildings Initiative, etc…) • No clear plans on solving the issues • Indiana is one of the most at-risk states for environmental degradation

3. How are we going to fix the problem? • Create an interactive, engaging website to educate the citizenry • Tipp-ECO-Now • Tipp-ECO-Now will have 3 sections designed to show a resident’s impact on the environment • Carbon footprint • Stormwater runoff • Backyard wildlife habitat value

4. What are these sections? • Carbon footprint • Defined as the sum of greenhouse gases produced to support human activities, express and equivalent tons of CO2 • Stormwater runoff • Stormwater runoff is the amount of water that runs off of one’s property, either from rain or snowmelt • Backyard wildlife habitat • A backyard wildlife habitat is an area of land that has all the necessary factors to support populations of plants and animal species (NWF, 2010)

5. Website Sections • Carbon footprint • Allow residents to see how their actions contribute to global climate change in terms of carbon dioxide (CO2) • Stormwater runoff • Present residents with information of how their stormwater runoff and water use affect the Wabash • Backyard wildlife habitat • Demonstrate to users the benefits of creating a wildlife habitat in their backyard as well as the potential of their yard to be converted to a habitat

6. Why choose carbon, stormwater, and backyard wildlife habitat for evaluation? • These 3 sections represent where individual habits have the most impact on the environment • The 3 sections are also the personal lifestyle choices that are the most easily changed • Each section will have a calculation tool (e.g. carbon footprint calculator) that can show a resident how they personally are impacting the local environment

7. Why Tippecanoe County? • Tippecanoe County has abundant natural resources and a well-educated population • The urban areas of Lafayette and West Lafayette are next to Purdue University • There are many environmental groups already in existence the ensure a quality environmental future for the area • Boiler Green Initiative, Tippecanoe County Soil and Water Conservation District, Wabash River Enhancement Corporation, Wabash River Heritage Corridor Commission, etc.

8. Calculators • We evaluated many of the websites currently on the internet that evaluate these 3 criteria (carbon, stormwater, and backyard habitat value) • Based on what was found, we determined the characteristics that we found to be most desirable for our website

9. Calculators

10. Why should Tippecanoe County have its own website? • Unique and pressing environmental problems of our state and county • Availability of resources at Purdue may be mobilized to make a lasting impact on the community

11. How will the website function? • Tipp-ECO-Now will be divided into 3 modules, one module per each designated section • Each module will have a calculator specific to the section that will allow the user to input information to see their current environmental impact • General environmental information and information about Tippecanoe County will also be available • Links to partner websites

12. How will the website function? • Tipp-ECO-Now will be hosted by the Wabash River Enhancement Corporation (WREC) with assistance from Purdue University • Users can create a profile which will store all their information • Information input by the user will be tracked to record personal progress in reducing environmental impact

13. Carbon footprint

14. Carbon Footprint • Greenhouse gases emitted due to human activity • Units of tons of CO2 equivalent or land area • Contributes large portion of total environmental impact • May connect local residents with the rest of the world by showing that actions here affect everyone all over the world • Residents can save money through the same practices that save emissions

15. Main Web Page • Two components • Educational material • What a carbon footprint is and why it matters • How different activities contribute to it • Impacts of greenhouse gases on environment • Tips for reducing emissions and products to assist • Carbon footprint calculator • Emissions total on individual or household basis • Includes household energy, transportation, food, goods & services, and waste • Simple or detailed questionnaire

16. Calculator • Household • User enters yearly average electric and gas bills • Calculator uses EPA data to assign emissions amount to money spent on energy • Transportation • User enters miles traveled by car, motorcycle, airplane, and public transport and type of car • Calculator determines emissions produced per gallon of fuel used based on fuel economy of car and emission factor from EIA

17. Carbon Calculator • Food • User enters servings of each food group he consumes in an average week, and percentages of organic and locally grown foods consumed • Calculator determines total emissions from EPA data on emissions per food group and growing method • Goods & Services • User enters dollar amounts spent on a number of goods and services • Calculator uses EIO-LCA to generate emissions for each good or service input • Waste • User enters amount of trash produced per week and percentages that are recycled and composted • Calculator finds net emissions from landfilled trash and recycled and composted waste

19. Stormwater

20. Stormwater • Nonpoint source pollution • Urban stormwater leads to combined sewer overflow events • Need to protect Wabash River • BMP implementation is key

21. Other Water Calculators • Lack region specificity • Not stormwater specific • No community • Limited motivators for change • Project DX

22. Our Proposal • Information specific to user • Multiple motivators • Multiple levels of complexity and involvement • Partners and sponsors

24. Backyard Habitat

25. Definition • Backyard Wildlife Habitat- A backyard wildlife habitat is an area of land that has all the necessary factors to support populations of plants and animal species (NWF, 2010). • A successful habitat area requires an ample water source, food sources, and sheltering structures to attract and maintain wildlife populations. • Backyard habitats not only prevent the current decline of native species, but they also contribute to offsetting carbon and stormwater runoffs (Delaware Nature Society, 2009).

26. Components of Backyard Section • Basic information (e.g. importance of wildlife habitat) • Statistics of Tippecanoe County (e.g. regional and county wide statistics on species of animals that are located within the area) • Calculator • Benefits (create a wildlife habitat, energy bills, fresh fruit, and aesthetical values ) • Tools to accomplish goals

27. Calculator Example Survey

30. Output of Calculator Maximum 42 Average 25 My score 20

31. Output • Interactive backyard habitat simulator • Visually appealing and engaging Before After

32. Who? - Howtogetpeopleinvolved • No localizedfootprintwebsiteavailableforTippecanoe County • Target audience: Tippecanoe County residents • Propertyowners • Nonpropertyowners (students) Phase 1 Promotionalcampaign Phase 2 Continuitycampaign • Transactionalactivities • Selling and givingawaypromotionalarticles • Exclusive events • Advertisements • Local newspapers, tv and radio stations • Posters • Links onotherwebsites • Informativeactivities • Workshops, technicalsupport, newsletter, etc. • Online community • Incentives • E-coupons • Discounts • Interactivemap • Detailedinformationaboutgreenpractices in theneighborhood • Promotion of progress in personal involvement • Competitionforusers (pictures, videos)

33. Evaluation -Logic Model

34. Evaluation Development of metricsthatallowquantifyingtheprogresstowardthe short, medium, and longtermoutcomes.

35. Conclusion We propose to develop a website targeting local residents of Tippecanoe County in order to raise awareness of local environmental issues and also encourage a change in behavior towards more environmentally sound decision making.