South Bend planning to combat climate change

SOUTH BEND, Ind. —- On Monday, the South Bend Common Council is set to vote  on a climate action plan resolution.

The resolution will create a climate action plan within the city. The plan is aiming at reducing greenhouse gasses and raising support for other climate related initiatives. 

Samuel Schoenneman, who lives in South Bend, said he is in support of the resolution. 

“There’s a lot of people in South Bend who don’t believe in climate change,” he said.  “That’s definitely an issue we need to address and we need to spread awareness.”

A Purdue University report shows that Indiana is seeing the following:

• A decline in extreme cold events,
• An increase in annual precipitation, 
• And a forecasted increase in the number of extremely hot days to come. 

According to the proposed resolution, South Bend will share the impacts of climate change. 

Sam Wright, who is in support of the resolution, said climate change is happening whether people like it or not. 

“We need to have a response, a collective action plan to take initiatives and to confront the changes that are happening,” Wright said. 

If approved on April 22, the city will start developing its climate action plan. According to the resolution, the plan should be drafted by Fall 2019. 

The plan will identify the most impactful climate actions in South Bend. Janyise Perez said she thinks the climate action plan is great. 

She said a simple and impactful start the municipality can take is prohibiting single use plastics such as straws and plastic grocery bags. 

Climate change does have its critics. Experts say it is important to stay skeptical of any climate-related statement. 

“We’re already in spring weather, it’s cold and it’s chilly,” said Starr Teska, who lives in South Bend. 

Perez said she is glad South Bend is taking the charge on this issue. She said the Midwest can be behind on such ‘progressive’ issues. 

“I think it’s really, really good thing that they step ahead to do this initiative,” she said. 

Click here for the full resolution.