In order to regulate Ozone, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) focuses on the precursors to Ozone, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and Nitrogen Oxides (NOx). The EPA also recently revised the Ozone standard from 75 to 70 ppb which impacts many areas in Western States based on climate and topography, including the Phoenix area. The Phoenix Area is currently not in attainment to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter less than 10 microns (PM10) and Ground Level Ozone (O3). Since Phoenix is in non-attainment, any existing Major Sources of air pollutants that want to expand and add capacity or new manufacturing factories that want to locate in the Phoenix Area will need to “Offset” any adverse air quality impacts to the local airshed by using Emission Credits of the same pollutant.

The Ben and Maxine Miller Child Development Laboratory School provides early education childcare services on Purdue campus for young children between ages 6 weeks and 5 years on weekdays. Seven early childhood classrooms serving 96 families in the laboratory school with thirty full time teachers and staff. The school believes in a strong parent-school collaboration and has an active parent advisory council.

Founded by the inventor of modern air conditioning, Carrier is a world leader in high-technology heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions. Carrier experts provide sustainable solutions, integrating energy-efficient products, building controls and energy services for residential, commercial, retail, transport and food service customers. Carrier was instrumental in launching the U.S. Green Building Council in 1993 and was the first company in the world to join the organization. Carrier became the first heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) manufacturer permitted entry into the “Climate Leaders Program” by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2003.

Citizens Energy Group owns and operates two advanced wastewater treatment (AWT) plants, the Belmont and Southport AWT Plants which serve Marion County and the City of Greenwood. The Belmont and Southport Oxygen Nitrification System (ONS) were constructed in the early 1980’s. The systems were designed to operate using pure oxygen produced via a cryogenic oxygen generation facility. In the early 1990’s the Southport cryogenic facility was shut down and the ONS was converted to run utilizing ambient air. In 2012, the Belmont facility constructed a new Air Nitrification System (ANS) immediately upstream of the ONS facility, effectively doubling the aeration tankage volume. The ANS and ONS systems operate in series. In January 2012, the oxygen generation facility at Belmont was shut down and ONS began utilizing ambient air. The aeration tanks are completely enclosed concrete tanks. Each aeration tank is divided into multiple trains with each train having one blower for air supply and multiple paddle mixers.

Citizens provides water service to homes and businesses in the eight county Indianapolis area which included Hamilton County. The White River is one of the primary water sources for the Citizens Energy Group. A number of levees and roads have been developed over time by previous property owners, some of which were permitted with the expectation they’d be removed. Citizens has installed drinking water infrastructure in these levees. Due to frequent flooding along the White River, governmental agencies are considering removal of some of these levees to return the floodplain to 1972 conditions.

The City of West Lafayette offers single-stream recycling to its residents. However, due to contamination of recycled material and current market conditions, most “recycling” collected is disposed as waste. Across Indiana and the United States as a whole, many items put in recycling are ending up in landfills.

Electric vehicles are emerging as an alternative consumer option to conventional internal combustion engine powered vehicles. One potential major benefit of electric vehicles is their ability to be charged with electricity generated from renewable carbon free energy sources. A new generation of charging stations are needed by Purdue Transportation.

Anaerobic digestion is the process by which bacteria break down organic materials in the absence of oxygen to produce methane and nutrient rich solids. The solids can be used as fertilizers and the methane can be burned to generate energy. Food waste is an abundant source of organic material in West Lafayette that has the potential to be an alternative energy resource. West Lafayette has been utilizing the organic digester at its wastewater treatment plant to process the food waste derived from the Purdue dining courts since 2009.

In 1990, the Indiana General Assembly passed Public Law 10-1990 which created solid waste management districts. Tippecanoe County Solid Waste Management District (TCSWMD) is the local government office covering waste management in Tippecanoe County. The TCSQMD provides free recycling drop-off locations for county households. Solid waste management districts track material that is recycled, processed, or sent for final disposal (placed in landfills or incinerated).

The Wabash River Enhancement Corporation (WREC) is a non-profit organization that raises money to invest in “opportunities to improve health, recreation, education, economic development, and environmental management” along the 31 miles of the river corridor in Tippecanoe County. According to WREC social survey data, residents in Tippecanoe County feel a strong connection to the Wabash River and a willingness to improve water quality, but lack the knowledge and resources required to implement best management practices for storm water management. WREC hosts a variety of educational and outreach events annually to broaden community understanding of how individuals, businesses, and government agencies can help water quality in the Wabash River by managing stormwater.

Whirlpool Corporation is the world’s largest manufacturer of home appliances. They have retro-fitted a “sustainable living showcase” home, called the ReNEWW House, near Purdue’s campus (https://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/reneww-house/). This home is used as a research facility for next-generation sustainable products, where the goal is to have the entire house be net-zero energy, net-zero water, and net-zero waste-to-landfill. The house has collected a massive amount of data since its inception in 2015, and has data from pre-retrofit related to the home performance.