Area programs honored at annual Clean Air Luncheon

Yahoo

20-04-2025

ELKHART — Significant achievements in clean air and sustainability were honored Wednesday in Elkhart at Michiana Area Council of Governments' (MACOG) 2025 Partners for Clean Air Awards Luncheon.
Award winners included South Bend Bike Garage, Cultivate Food Rescue, The Tire Rack, and the City of Nappanee.
'Each of the awardees has demonstrated a commitment to innovating to reduce their footprint, save money, and contribute positively to their community,' MACOG Executive Director James Turnwald said.
South Bend Bike Garage (SBBG) provides a great example of nonprofits advancing active transportation in the MACOG region, organizers said. The all-volunteer organization provides the community with low-cost bike repairs, education, tools, and facilities. The SBBG also participates in programs like Earn-A-Bike, Michiana's Bike to Work Week, and other bike-related events. Founded in 2019, SBBG has provided over 1,000 bicycles to community members.
'At the South Bend Bike Garage, we believe that every person deserves access to the freedom and opportunity a working bicycle can provide,' said Steven Burnside, president of the South Bend Bike Garage Inc. 'Whether it's for commuting, staying healthy, or simply getting from point A to B, bikes offer sustainable, human-powered transportation that benefits individuals and the environment alike. We share this honor with our incredible volunteers who power our mission through shared effort, community spirit, and efficient, grassroots operations.'
The Tire Rack is recognized for driving sustainability forward with impactful initiatives. In November 2024, Tire Rack earned the EMPOWER EV Friendly Workplace certification from Drive Clean Indiana, recognizing its commitment to clean transportation. The momentum continued in December with the introduction of two all-electric terminal trucks. Tire Rack also partnered with MACOG and the GO Electric Vehicle Indiana (GOEVIN) program to host two EV test drives for local governments.
Beyond these visible milestones, Tire Rack is also making meaningful internal improvements – from expanding recycling programs, to leading clean initiatives, and implementing sustainable everyday upgrades contributing to a cleaner, more efficient workplace.
'These projects are an important step in our journey toward sustainability, but it represents just one part of Tire Rack's broader efforts to create meaningful environmental impact,' said Matthew DeCloedt, Logistics Engineer at the Tire Rack. 'We remain dedicated to pursuing new projects and initiatives that drive continuous progress, reduce emissions, and contribute to a healthier future for our community and beyond.'
Cultivate Food Rescue is an innovative organization solving two problems: perishable food waste and food insecurity. Reducing food waste avoids all the inputs upstream in the food production and transportation system, saving energy and emissions. Downstream, Cultivate's operations keep food waste from producing potent methane in landfills. Cultivate has kept over 10 million pounds worth of food out of the landfill since 2016 Cultivate has distributed over 8 million meals, leveraging over 20,000 volunteer hours per year. The small portion of unusable food is used for livestock feed or turned into compost.
Beyond their core mission, Cultivate's leadership aims to minimize their operational impact. Through the City of South Bend's Energy & Solar Savings Initiative (EASSI), a 195 kW solar carport is under construction to offset 67 percent of their energy usage. The carport is also EV-ready, with conduit in place for future EV charging stations. Cultivate is working with local horticulture experts to establish over ½ an acre of native species in between its two buildings.
City of Nappanee is recognized for piloting electric vehicles in its municipal fleet. The city obtained grant funding for two all-electric vehicles and fleet charging through the Indiana Office of Energy Development's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program. The first vehicle, a Chevrolet Silverado EV Work Truck, is used by building maintenance staff, and a Chevrolet Equinox EV is used by the planning department.
The project is estimated to avoid over 11,000 gallons of gasoline, with net savings of over $1,100 per year after factoring in electricity costs. The vehicles also promote clean air by reducing particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, an ozone precursor. The city has also committed to adding public charging downtown, where none is currently available