Living Sustainably: Innovation and growth talk grows louder

By Jennifer Owens, Lakeshore Advantage When I left my economic development role in Ann Arbor, one of the things I missed the most professionally was overhearing entrepreneurs pitching their ideas to potential investors at coffee shops, oftentimes, college kids talking about a new technology they had started at U-M’s lab. Sometimes I would interrupt if I could add value. Other …

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: Early learning skills are crucial to youngsters, community

By Kate Flynn, Ready for School “What the caterpillar calls the end, the rest of the world calls a butterfly.” Lao Tzu Watch a group of very young children engaged in studying insects. What are they learning? Fundamental concepts about the natural and social world, and discovering those answers by observing habitats, journaling and researching alongside their …

Living Sustainably: Two programs help share the blessing of fresh produce

By Lisa Uganski, Ottawa Food Summer is almost here, which means it’s time to enjoy the fresh fruits and vegetables grown here in West Michigan. There is nothing quite like the taste of a just-picked blueberry or tomato. However, many members of this community don’t have access to the juicy strawberries, sweet corn and the abundance of other fresh …

Living Sustainably: Bike Holland rides offer fun cycling intro

By Jenny White, Bike Holland The third annual Bike Holland Series kicked off at the Green Commute Expo back in May, but the rides will continue to roll out from Velo City Cycles every other month through September. Maybe you want to meet more people in town, or want to get more exercise, or want to lower …