We need your help to continue our work on Green Energy, Sustainable Agriculture and 21st Century Transportation legislation. Donate Now!
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Support Urban Farming
Indiana is among the top five agricultural states in the U.S., yet our state is unable to provide adequate access to food for over 25% of its residents. This unsettling fact can be addressed with the help of a urban farming program, such as the one proposed in HB 1248. Encouraging the growth of local food sources, especially in urban areas, will help more money stay in the state of Indiana, furthering public health, promoting Indiana agriculture, and improving our economy. For all of these reasons, please contact Senator Leising, chair of the Senate Agriculture committee, and urge her to hear HB 1248. |
HEC Green Biz
 Thanks to all of our newest HEC Green Business Partners! Get on the Bus
Sowing the Seeds
Keeping Afloat
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Three Ways to Celebrate Earth Month
1. Advocate. April is the final month of the 2015 Indiana General Assembly. Whew. The great news: We have had two major legislative wins. But there are still several important bills that we urge you to speak out on, as we discuss below! Get informed, inspired & trained on the legislative process at the Mama's Summit, for which HEC is a proud partner and where we will be speaking, on Wed., April 8th.
2. Celebrate.
There's not a better event to do that than "Catwalk for Clean Water," Indiana's premier eco-fashion show. This year, HEC and our incredible friends at sustainable-minded Aveda are hosting our stylish event at the Sanctuary in Indianapolis on Sunday, April 12th at 12:30 pm. Be sure to register! And there are many more great Earth Month events happening across Indiana, where you'll likely see an HEC presence. For a full list of events, including the mother-of-all, "Earth Day Indiana" on Saturday, April 25th, see our calendar of events! If we're missing an event, be sure to write us.
3. Give. Help us sustain the momentum. The tireless work that we do - and the impact that we make under incredible odds - largely depends on faithful donors like you! Giving during Earth Month has an added bonus: your generosity will be matched one for one, thanks to an amazing local family foundation. |
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Contact Your Senator to Stop the "Canned Hunting" Bill & Protect Our Wild Deer
The Indiana State Senate may vote
this coming week on HB 1453, a bill which would legalize and allow theexpansion of high fence shooting preserves, where captive deer and elk may be "hunted" in fenced enclosures. The bill establishes minimum preserve area and fence height, hunting hours, and allowable weapons, but otherwise prevents the Indiana DNR from adopting additional rules to control this industry. At present there are four existing high fence preserves in Indiana, which have been challenging in court the DNR's authority to regulate them.
A broad coalition -- including HEC -- of Indiana conservation, hunting, and animal welfare groups are united in opposition to this industry, because of disease threats to wild deer, the inhumane and unsporting nature of shooting animals in fenced enclosures, and the industry's compromise of the traditional American doctrine that our wildlife are held in the public trust for all citizens.
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...And Also Reach Your Senator to Support Greater Forest, Transit, and Trail Funding
 The Indiana Senate will also be acting soon on the budget bill, HB 1001. There's still time to contact your senator and urge support for increased investments in quality of place: clean air and water, more parks, forests, greenways and trails, and public mass transit.
Visit our Bill Watch 2015 for more details on our recommendations for state budget investments that will help make Indiana a more healthy and attractive place to live and work. |
Email Key State Representatives to Strengthen Drinking Water Protections
Senate Bill 312 is intended to reduce the chance of a disaster like the chemical spill that shut down drinking water in West Virginia last year. It would require registration of chemical storage tanks and that water utilities prepare threat minimization and response plans. Unfortunately, the current version of the bill has been seriously weakened -- above all due to 22 different exemptions for tank owners.
HEC is proposing common sense corrections that would make the bill more protective of our drinking water. Please contact the House Environmental Affairs Committee before their next meeting on April 8 and ask them to strengthen SB 312 by supporting amendments being offered by Rep. Sue Errington! |
And, Finally, Contact Select State Reps to Oppose Measure that Seriously Threatens Protections to our Wildlife 
Senate Joint Resolution 2 -- a gun lobby inspired measure -- would amend Indiana's constitution to create a guaranteed right to "hunt, fish and harvest wildlife" as the "preferred means of managing and controlling wildlife."
Creating such a right runs counter to Indiana's public trust doctrine wherein the State is supposed to protect Indiana's wildlife for the benefit and enjoyment of all citizens, including future generations -- not just for people who want to hunt, fish and "harvest" wild animals. Moreover, transforming the current privilege of hunting and fishing to a constitutional right will make it very difficult for the state to regulate or address concerns about endangered and threatened species, or unethical hunting practices such as canned hunting.
The measure will be heard in the House Judiciary Committee this Tuesday, April 7th at 8:30 AM. Please contact committee members today and voice your opposition.
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