Green Commute Day – UPDATE Tuesday, July 23

****UPDATE: Green Commute Day is moving to Tuesday, July 23rd due to the extreme heat expected on Friday**** The fun doesn’t have to end in May! In addition to Green Commute Week, the Macatawa Area Coordinating Council (MACC) is announcing various Green Commute Days throughout the year. Unlike Green Commute Week, no registration is required and each person …

Living Sustainably: Energy efficiency upgrades create comfort, savings and healthier homes

By Ken Freestone, City of Holland Although we had a late start to summer, is your home already too hot – especially that second or third floor? Now think back just several months ago. Remember how cold some of your rooms were during the Polar Vortex? A Home Energy Upgrade could solve many of those issues, whether cold …

Living Sustainably: Contamination disrupts recycling efforts

By Aaron Thelenwood, City of Holland There is a lot of negative press lately regarding the current state of recycling, as wider geopolitical pressures have strained the overall recycling system, creating impacts felt at the local level. As a result, more recyclable materials are finding their way into landfills rather than being sent abroad. Also, certain materials are …

Living Sustainably: Michigan offers excellent outdoor adventures

By Zach Terpstra, Hope College Outdoor Adventure Club With summer now in full swing, the desire to escape civilization and explore all that Michigan has to offer has never been greater. But where-oh-where to go? Never fear – the following are fan favorites of seasoned Michigander adventurers! Tried and tested by Hope College’s Outdoor Adventure Club, these three …

Living Sustainably: Local efforts can address global climate change

By Diane Haworth, local sustainability professional There is plenty of news related to climate change these days. The planet’s climate has constantly been changing over geological time, but now scientists are concerned that the natural fluctuation is being increased by an upsurge in greenhouse gases from human activities. The greenhouse effect refers to the way the Earth’s …

Living Sustainably: The right gear can “green up” your summer picnics

By Emily Hamilton ’19, Holland-Hope Sustainability Institute Intern Memorial Day is here, and I don’t know about you, but my family always has a huge picnic to celebrate the kickoff to summer! This is a time when many of us are grilling out, hosting parties, and enjoying the outdoors with our families. As you plan your Memorial Day …

Resources from our Living Sustainably Along the Lakeshore Series

Our friends at Herrick District Library have put together a great listing of additional resources from our Spring 2019 Living Sustainably Along the Lakeshore Series.  Check them out at the links below! Stay tuned for our announcement later this summer about our Fall 2019 series topics. Green Commuting The Affordable Community Economics of Sustainability Search …

Living Sustainably: Green Commute Expo offers info and fun at Holland Energy Park

By Michelle Gibbs, Hope College Office of Sustainability and Colleen Nagel, Holland Sustainability Committee “Green commuting” might sound complicated to some, but it’s not. In fact, the “why, where and how” will be explained Tuesday evening, along with other fun activities, as part of a free Community Green Commute Expo at Holland Energy Park.  The family-oriented event will focus …

Living Sustainably: Rethink, Reuse, Recycle with Holland BPW during Tulip Time

By Morgan Kelley, Holland Board of Public Works The Holland Board of Public Works is excited to be the official Tulip Time Conservation Partner for the seventh year in a row and, as such, to help the community “rethink, reuse and recycle” to help boost sustainable practices in our community. Along those lines, consider these opportunities: Rethink your …