Living Sustainably: Film will explore science misinformation campaigns

By Jerilynn Tucker, Sustainability Film Series What happens when the masters of spin, of the distortion and misrepresentation of information, go to work on public threats like toxic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, or climate change? Confusion and doubt. And that’s the point, as explored in the film “Merchants of Doubt,” set to screen Tuesday, Feb. 25, at …

Living Sustainably: Reconsider the disposable culture for Lent

By Peter Boogaart, Macatawa Creation Care There was a time when grown men rhapsodized over “that new car smell.” Ahh, the ambrosia of success! The experience went unchallenged. Nobody asked where the smell came from, or why it went away. Likely, it came from off-gassing of the plasticized interior components. Could this be a problem? …

RecycleMania 2020 – Hope vs. Kalamazoo Game 3pm

The Hope College Advocates for Sustainability present RecycleMania 2020 February 15 at 3pm Hope vs. Kalamazoo RecycleMania’s GameDay Basketball Competition compares schools based on recycling and waste minimization efforts made during a single home basketball game. Schools plan outreach and education activities, and report the corresponding weights for recycling, food organics and trash generated during …

Living Sustainably: Lecture to address “green” uses for the blue oceans

By Greg Olgers, Hope College The promise and peril of economic development of the world’s oceans will be the focus of an address by Daniel Vermeer, a 1988 Hope College graduate who is the founding director of Duke University’s Center for Energy, Development and the Global Environment. Vermeer will speak on “Ocean Futures: Making the …

Living Sustainably: Holland’s snowmelt system cuts salt and plow use

By Marianne Manderfield, City of Holland Shoppers love it, and downtown business owners enjoy that it helps keep their entryways clean. It makes walkers and runners feel steady on their feet regardless of the conditions outside. It works so well that visitors may not even realize what is happening beneath the sidewalk they are navigating. …

Living Sustainably: Bicycle commuting can be year-round treat

By Kerry Irons, Pedal Holland Few people would describe driving to work as the best part of their day. The good news is that you have an alternative that can significantly reduce your costs while making your commute much more pleasant. Bicycle commuting is far less expensive, far more environmentally friendly, much healthier, and more …

Living Sustainably: Winter Sustainability Film Series

By Jerilynn Tucker, Sustainability Film Series Planning Team A free film series is bringing to Holland some of the best documentaries and movies that explore issues of creation care, sustainability and clean energy. The series, which began in October, has award-winning films scheduled for this Tuesday, Jan. 14, as well as Feb. 25 and March …

Living Sustainably: Research shows top five ways to limit climate change

By Evan Bright, Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute A world-class research organization known as Project Drawdown has crunched the numbers and ranked the most viable solutions to climate change based on the total atmospheric carbon dioxide reduction in their “plausible scenario” between 2020 and 2050. Below are their top five solutions – and what can make …

Living Sustainably: Less meat makes for more sustainability

By Jacob VanderRoest, Hope Advocates for Sustainability With the onset of a new year, resolutions will inevitably be proposed. In my opinion, there are two characteristics of a quality resolution: The resolution has a positive impact, and it is easy to maintain. I have a resolution that satisfies both of these requirements: Eating less meat. …

Living Sustainably: Holland is a leader in LED streetlight conversion

By Steve Bruinsma, Holland BPW Ahh, with the winter solstice yesterday, it’s uplifting to have turned the corner on darkness. As the amount of daylight gradually increases each day, the time the streetlights are on gets shorter. I bet you don’t think about it in quite those terms, as I do. You see, the Holland …