Because of Indianapolis’ noticeable lack of sustainable urban practice and policy, PEOPLE FOR URBAN PROGRESS believes that the city’s (and state’s) culture, economy, and future are in danger of no longer being competitive.
As of May 2009, the city of Indianapolis, unlike most cities its size, is operating without an urban master plan for the metropolitan area. Without a comprehensive plan for the future, the city continues (and will continue) to make incidental decisions without regard to the larger, contextual urban consequences.
According to SustainLane (www.sustainlane.com), Indianapolis is:
45th in land use and planning,
43rd in mass transit ridership,
41st for green building,
and 44th overall. The next highest Midwestern city is Detroit at 31st.
According to Forbes Magazine 2001, Indiana:
has the 6th highest carbon footprint,
has the 4th worst water quality,
and is the 49th least green state, ahead only of West Virginia.
For the nation’s 13th largest city, we can do better.
