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community-scale

climate action plan

West Lafayette has begun the process of developing a community-scale Climate Action Plan (CAP), estimated to be completed by the end of 2020. A CAP is a strategic plan that outlines how a city will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to mitigate climate change. A CAP serves as a roadmap for making data-driven decisions to address climate change and ensure that a community meets its emissions reduction targets. 

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While the 2018 CAP detailed how the city's operations would decrease its emissions in the short and long term, this plan will incorporate strategies affecting the entire community, including residents, businesses, community organizations, and more. 

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The Climate Action Plan will include mitigation and adaptation strategies.

Imagine a car racing towards a brick wall. The driver has two tools: the brakes, which will slow the car down, and the airbags, which will cushion the passengers when they crash. With climate change, mitigation is the brakes, while adaptation is the airbags.

We need both methods to be resilient to climate change.

 

Analogy paraphrased from Climate Ready Communities: A Guide to Building Climate Resilience

Tropical Leaves
mitigation

actions that reduce or slow the effect of climate change through reduction of greenhouse gas emissions

Tropical Leaves
adaptation

actions that protect the community from climate change's impacts 

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WHy it matters

Climate action's benefits don't stop with the Earth.

Although we may not realize it, our climate is already changing — and this is affecting all of us in West Lafayette. Some of these changes include record heat and more frequent droughts, heavier rainfalls, and more flash flooding. The list goes on. We must work together as a community to mitigate the impact of climate change. This doesn’t mean that we’ll stop driving our cars or eliminate waste overnight. Real change takes time, careful planning, and collaboration.

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By increasing West Lafayette's resilience to climate change, we will

  • encourage job growth and economic stability

  • increase public health in regards to air quality and excess heat impacts

  • protect financially- and geographically-vulnerable populations

  • maintain quality of life through changing climate conditions

Get Involved.

take a survey

and enter a raffle to win gift cards to local businesses.

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The survey takes 10-15 minutes and will help us understand your concerns and priorities on climate change.

include us in your meeting
 
If you are a member of an organization that holds regular (virtual) meetings, we can attend and give a short presentation about the CAP. We will discuss the plan’s development and its relevance to your group. What do you want to see in the plan? What is important to you? How will climate change affect your organization?

Email paynel@purdue.edu if you're interested.

attend a feedback session

 

We’re hosting a virtual feedback session on Zoom that is open to everyone in the WL community. This session is are your opportunity to learn about the Climate Action Plan (CAP), and how climate change will affect West Lafayette. More importantly, attending a Town Hall gives you the chance to ask questions and share your suggestions for the CAP. We look forward to “seeing” you there!

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July 21st @ 6 pm EST

do your part
 
Check out our Personal Impact page to see how you can take action against climate change. By buying locally-grown food at the WL Farmer's Market, building a rain garden and incorporating native plants in your yard, and saving energy in your home, you can mitigate and adapt to climate change's impacts.
 

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