Keeling Curve

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Project Summary / Description:

Carbon Neutral Indiana (CNI) helps everyday people to act on climate by becoming carbon neutral. Along the way, we‚ ve demonstrated a self-financing, scalable social movement that increases awareness of carbon neutrality, translates this awareness into concrete behavior change, and makes carbon neutrality a social norm. 

This increases demand for the voluntary carbon market. It also enables what the World Resources Institute calls an Ambition Loop, where early adopters provide cover for more ambitious political action. 

Ultimately, we hold the vision for a carbon neutral state and facilitate whatever just steps are needed to achieve that goal.

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United States

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Best Estimate of GHG Avoidance/Reduction of This Project (Tonnes CO2 Equivalent/Year):

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Impact on Underrepresented Groups:

The Midwest is ready to act on climate. CNI is creating opportunities for young climate leaders, channeling climate funding into a part of the country that has been neglected from climate philanthropy, and making climate action accessible to everyone. We invite and celebrate contributions from a diverse set of ages, cultures, and professions. 

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1. Bringing Climate Funding to the Midwest - The Midwest creates a majority of US emissions, but most of the climate funding goes to the coasts. 

For example, in September 2018, the ClimateWorks Foundation announced 29 philanthropists committed $4 billion to local climate action. If this support was distributed evenly, Indiana would receive about $25 million per year (as Indiana represents 3% of the US population). Climate focused groups in Indiana seem to be receiving only about 2-5% of this needed support. 

2. Fostering Climate Action in the Midwest - People in the middle of the country have been left behind, but it doesn‚ t have to be that way. 

The Midwest is sometimes referred to as ‚ flyover country‚ even though most of the food and industrial goods are produced here. If the Midwest were its own economy, it would be the third largest in the world. People in the Midwest have the skills and expertise needed to help the nation transition to a carbon neutral society including -- engineering, manufacturing, logistics, agriculture and natural resources management -- if given the opportunity. 

3. Expanding the Tent - We believe climate change is a problem for everyone, and that everyone can contribute. 

Our community includes all sorts of ages as well as occupations -- teachers, doctors, ice cream store owners, automotive engineers, computer scientists, and more. Cultivating diverse stakeholders helps us include everyone. We've built CNI to be radically permeable so that everyone in the network feels able to shape it with their voices and gifts. 

4. Creating A Climate Change Leadership Program - We hosted an international summer internship program in 2020 for fifteen students -- three from the Global Warming Mitigation Project's Constellations program. 

These interns included twelve women and five people of color. The result? Vibrant social entrepreneurs able to sell effective climate action. See case studies here: https://www.carbonneutralindiana.org/leadership-development We‚ re adapting this internship material into an evergreen course. An unlimited number of high school and college students will be able to develop leadership skills and sell carbon neutrality.

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