Living Sustainably: Elephants in the room – Plastic waste is a big issue

By Madison Ostrander ’18 and Eighth Day Farm Intern Try to picture just over 1 billion elephants roaming around. Maybe at first the elephants would be a fun novelty, but I’d be willing to bet after a short while we’d have had enough, with things getting dangerous and crowded. This bizarre scenario relates to the dilemma our …

Living Sustainably: Booming bike use benefits Holland

By Meika Weiss, Pedal Holland The number of people bicycling in Holland has increased an incredible 281 percent since the year 2000, far outpacing the national increase of 51 percent, according to U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. This is great news because of the positive effects bikes have in cities like ours, even for people who don’t ride: …

Living Sustainably: Trees add value in Holland (Hope College Biology Student Research Project)

By Katelyn DeWitt, Hope College Biology Student Have you hugged a tree lately? This summer I have been walking around Holland doing just that. In a joint project between the City of Holland and Hope College, I have been working to census all of the trees on public property in Holland by recording every tree’s trunk diameter and …

June 2018 Sustainability News

June 2018 Sustainability News June 30, 2018 – Parks enrich children’s lives June 30, 2018 – ‘Task force’ quietly planning James DeYoung vision process June 30, 2018 – The Annual Macatawa Water Festival is right around the corner, Saturday, July 14! June 30, 2018 – Trump claims Saudi Arabia will boost oil production June 30, 2018 – What will become …

Living Sustainably: Summer is time to spur kids’ natural curiosity

By Susan Ipri Brown, Hope College – Center for Exploratory Learning “Nature is our kindest friend,” said the famous British scientist Michael Faraday. Place-based environmental learning is a powerful tool for improving students’ knowledge of the world around them and sustaining their natural curiosity. Summer is the perfect time to put this natural curiosity into play as families …

May 2018 Sustainability News

May 2018 Sustainability News May 31, 2018 – Avoiding meat and dairy is ‘single biggest way’ to reduce your impact on Earth May 31, 2018 – Group challenges Nestle’s water permit from Michigan May 30, 2018 – Exhibit provides a look at ‘Industrial Nature’ May 30, 2018 – Lower temps at a lower price: How to improve the energy-efficiency …

April 2018 Sustainability News

April 2018 Sustainability News April 30, 2018 – Sustainability at the 2018 Tulip Time Festival April 30, 2018 – Living Sustainably:  Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance’s Summit on Race and Inclusion April 30, 2018 – Department of Energy Announces $19 Million for Advanced Battery and Electrification Research to Enable Extreme Fast Charging April 30, 2018 – 2018 Michigan …

Repost: Science, Sustainability, and a Bahamian Town Dump

SCIENCE, SUSTAINABILITY AND A BAHAMIAN TOWN DUMP Ah, spring break in the Bahamas. Sun. Sand. Palm trees. Snorkeling in coral reefs. Exploring limestone formations. Visiting the town dump. What? Wait. The town dump? Yes, Deep Creek Town Dump to be precise. For more than 20 years, Dr. Brian Bodenbender has had a penchant for teaching and researching coastal geology in the Bahamas, …

March 2018 Sustainability News

March 2018 Sustainability News March 31, 2018 – DOWNLOAD YOUR DIGITAL GUIDE TO WILDFLOWERS IN WEST MICHIGAN! March 31, 2018 – Resource from the MSU Extension.  How to plan your garden tip sheet. March 30, 2018 – Big in Sweden: Picking up trash + jogging = ‘plogging’ March 30, 2018 – A break for spring: Week is full …

Living Sustainably: How to “green” your yard’s warm weather routine

By Carolyn Ulstad, Macatawa Area Coordinating Council The days are getting warmer, the sun is setting later, and the tulips are starting to emerge from their long, cold sleep. Springtime is right around the corner, and I really couldn’t be any more ready for it. What I’m going to say next will sound utterly crazy to most …