Category Archives

Education

Rebuilding Indianapolis’ Tree Canopy: The Good, the Bad, and How to Get Involved

Posted by: Jeremy Kranowitz
Posted: October 1, 2024
Categories: Community Forestry, Education, Engaged Citizens, KIB in the News, News & Features, Research & Data, Tree Tenders, Trees and Native Habitats, Uncategorized, Volunteers

As the President and CEO of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB), I’m writing to you with a story that has both a challenging side and a hopeful future—especially if we work together. Let’s start with the tough part. A recent study by American Forests found that over the past decade, Indianapolis’ tree canopy has declined—from covering […]

Five Powerful Ways High School Students Can Make a Difference

Posted by: Jeremy Kranowitz
Posted: July 8, 2024
Categories: Adopt-A-Block, Education, Engaged Citizens, Great Indy Cleanup, Uncategorized, Volunteers, Youth Tree Team

Volunteering plays a vital role in building a strong, vibrant community. When we give our time and effort to help others, we not only improve the lives of those around us, but also enrich our own lives. At Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB), we believe in the power of community and the difference each person can […]

Join the Effort: Enhancing Tree Equity in Indianapolis

Posted by: Benjamin Shine
Posted: June 7, 2024
Categories: Community Forestry, Education, Engaged Citizens, Habitat Restoration, Partners, Research & Data, Trees and Native Habitats

If you could plant 3,000 trees anywhere in the City, where would you plant them? And, why? This is the question Keep Indianapolis Beautiful is faced with answering each year. We know trees provide incredible benefits like cooling our neighborhoods and reducing air conditioning costs, while also soaking up stormwater to prevent street flooding. With […]

Greening Urban Neighborhoods from the Ground Up

Posted by: Benjamin Shine
Posted: April 18, 2024
Categories: Clean Neighborhoods, Education, Engaged Citizens, News & Features, Partners, Research & Data, Trees and Native Habitats

How can community members come together, using data and community input, to address environmental concerns and effect change? That’s what The Greening Urban Neighborhoods from the Ground Up Initiative, a collaborative effort between Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB) and Indiana University, is seeking to understand. The initiative aims to amplify community input regarding environmental issues impacting quality […]

Empowering Youth, Tree Health, and Buzzworthy Backyards: Reflections from Keep America Beautiful conference

Posted by: Jeremy Kranowitz
Posted: February 22, 2024
Categories: Education, Engaged Citizens, Partners, Trees and Native Habitats

Earlier this month, I had the privilege of speaking on two separate panels at the national Keep America Beautiful conference in San Diego, California, discussing the importance of greenspaces in our cities. One panel focused on the benefits of engaging youth in maintaining greenspaces once established. KIB stands as a national leader, boasting our Youth […]

Rooted in Passion: How YTT Shaped Cullen’s Career Path

Posted by: Benjamin Shine
Posted: February 1, 2024
Categories: Community Forestry, Education, Engaged Citizens, Habitat Restoration, Trees and Native Habitats, Youth Tree Team

Meet Cullen Booth! A force of green goodness, Cullen embarked on his journey with the Youth Tree Team (YTT) back in 2014. From pruning crew to leader, Cullen’s YTT adventure molded him into the environmental champion he is today. Now living in Indianapolis with his partner, Cullen rocks his role as a Natural Resources Technician, […]

From Indiana to Florida: Post-Grad Adventures from an Urban Naturalist

Posted by: Benjamin Shine
Posted:
Categories: Education, Engaged Citizens, Habitat Restoration, Trees and Native Habitats, Urban Naturalists

Anna Hopkins has taken her love for the outdoors from the heart of Indianapolis to the sunny landscapes of Tallahassee, Florida. After graduating from IU, she swapped the desk job for boots on the ground as an Event Coordinator at a state park, later transitioning to her current role as a Regional Coordinator for the […]

Bridging Cities and Nature as an Urban Naturalist

Posted by: Benjamin Shine
Posted: January 29, 2024
Categories: AES Indiana Project Greenspace, Community Forestry, Education, Engaged Citizens, Habitat Restoration, Trees and Native Habitats, Uncategorized, Urban Naturalists

Sydney Geckler is currently pursuing her fifth (and final!) year of Urban Planning at the University of Cincinnati. Over the last five years, her journey has been filled with growth, exploration, and passion… a lot of which stemmed from the Urban Naturalist program! As an alum, she was able to not only expand her knowledge […]

Protecting our waterways together

Posted by: Benjamin Shine
Posted: November 8, 2023
Categories: Busy Roads and Waterways, Clean Neighborhoods, Education, Engaged Citizens, Partners, Volunteers

Indianapolis is a city where collaboration thrives. And our waterways are no exception! In October, we teamed up with Frank’s Paddlesports Livery and Friends of the White River for a water cleanup to help protect and preserve Wallet Island and Butterfly Island. During this guided cleanup, volunteers made a meaningful contribution to the health and […]

Bin Your Butts goes mobile

Posted by: Jeremy Kranowitz
Posted: October 23, 2023
Categories: Adopt-A-Block, Clean Neighborhoods, Education, Engaged Citizens, Great Indy Cleanup, Partners

Allow me to the set the scene: a friend of mine was standing in her kitchen, carefully removing a staple from her tea bag, so that she could compost it. She considered herself an A+ composter and was happy to be doing her part to live more sustainably. The television was on, and as she […]