Bloomington residents are not only looking for action from their leaders in the fight against climate change, they are demanding it.

Greenpeace, an organization dedicated to finding peaceful solutions to environmental problems, sponsored a Day of Action to stop global warming on July 1 as part of the campaign Project Hot Seat.

The Day of Action brought Bloomington residents together to encourage U.S. Rep. Baron Hill, D-Ninth, to take a stand against global warming.

Edyta Sitko, a Greenpeace activist, helped organize the event and said the people of Indiana are concerned about climate change and need their leaders’ help.

Since Melissa Kriegerfox resigned from her position as recycling and reuse director of the Monroe County Solid Waste Management District on May 18, the district has been looking for someone to assume her duties.

District Executive Director Glenn Lightner said he expects the position will be filled “hopefully in the next couple of weeks.” And while he said there are candidates for the position, the replacement has not yet been approved.

The incoming recycling and reuse director will have plenty to do. With recycling rates increasing each year, more planning is needed to help spread the word about the three Rs and to fund the district and its projects.

When members of Bloomington's Commission on Sustainability (BCOS) reviewed a "Sustainability Indicators Report" at an April 10 meeting, they covered topics like water usage per capita, how healthy local streams are for recreation and community recycling rates.

They dwelled on and discussed each set of data extensively and optimistically, as the corresponding charts and graphs were presented.

But when the topic of greenhouse gas emissions loomed on the projector screen, the group was silent.

"This is a big one," Commissioner John Hamilton said, shaking his head with a sigh, and the report moved on.