By Jennifer Owens, Lakeshore Advantage The Holland area is blessed to have one of the strongest economies in the state of Michigan. Ottawa County is the fastest growing county in Michigan over the last eight years, its population growing at a rate of 8.5 percent. Allegan County has grown at a rate of 4.5 percent over that …
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By Stacey Korecki, Lakeshore Habitat for Humanity Have you heard about the Holland ReStore and how it is a center of recycle and reuse activity? The Holland ReStore is a donation center that sells materials used in home improvement projects. Items such as new and used furniture, appliances, home accessories, building materials and more can be found in store. The …
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By Krista Mason, Benjamin’s Hope Ben Mason was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2. As his parents, my husband Dave and I, like many parents, found that the diagnosis of autism ushered in immense uncertainty about the future. It brought questions like, “Will my child speak? Will he live independently and find purposeful work? Will he …
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By Anthony Aragon Orozco, Hope College Green Team The holidays are upon us! Which is also the time we might panic, wondering what am I going to get for who, how will I decorate the house, and what on earth will I make to eat for the holidays this year? I’m sure we all have our yearly …
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By Morgan Kelley, Holland Board of Public Works Did you know holiday string lights cannot be recycled in everyday recycling? Light strings not only contain a large amount of rubber and plastic, and sometimes glass, but also copper. These materials do not biodegrade easily, and copper is a valuable metal. But by participating in the Holiday Light …
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By Karey Frink’18, Intern for the Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute Carbon footprint. This is a term we are hearing used more often, but what really does that mean? Carbon footprints are often thought about in terms of transportation habits. However, every person’s carbon footprint is comprised of much more. Here’s a complete definition from the Environmental …
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By Michelle Gibbs, Office of Sustainability Quick quiz: Which of these items can you recycle in Holland’s yellow curbside recycling bags? Plastic milk carton Paper milk carton Paper Junk mail Styrofoam cups Plastic bags Cereal boxes Think you know? The answers may surprise you. For example, while plastic milk cartons can be recycled at the …
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By Sarah Irvin, DeGraaf Nature Center We live in an age of consumption, as evident in our overflowing and expanding homes, garages, and external storage facilities. Studies have shown this accumulation is not making us any happier and comes with a cost to both people and our environment. So, we need to think about the impact of our …
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By Madison Ostrander ’17 Eating seasonally is one of the best ways to thank your community and environment. Doing so feels especially whimsical and effortless in the spring, summer, and early fall, when the Holland Farmers Market is filled with beautiful flowers, fresh fruits, and a wide variety of vegetables. But with cold and snow coming, many …
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By Morgan Kelley, Holland Board of Public Works Being smart about your energy use is not only easy, but saves you money. The Energy Waste Reduction programs offered by Holland Board of Public Works seek to meet goals in the City of Holland’s Community Energy Plan and Sustainability Framework by promoting affordability, sustainability, and energy efficiency for residents …
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