Hope College Sustainability Institute

Creative Dining Services to use cage-free eggs

“Creative Dining Services has announced it will soon only use eggs from cage-free farms.

The Zeeland company, which operates food service programs at Hope College, Grand Rapids Community College and other local colleges, switched to cage-free eggs for its shelled egg products July 1 and plans to convert entirely to cage-free (liquid egg products included) by December.

As part of the transition process, 40 chefs from Creative Dining Services toured Vande Bunte Eggs’ cage-free hen houses to see where the birds are housed in natural settings — giving the birds the ability to exhibit natural behaviors — and ask questions about the egg farm.

‘Our chefs are passionate about using the best local ingredients and want to see how and where they are produced,” said Janine Oberstadt, director of corporate sustainability at Creative Dining Services. “This not only supports the Michigan egg industry and the upcoming changeover to cage-free, but also makes our chefs feel great about what they’re serving our guests every single day.'”

Read the full article in the Holland Sentinel at: http://www.hollandsentinel.com/news/20180714/creative-dining-services-to-use-cage-free-eggs

By Austin. Metz
Posted Jul 14, 2018 at 10:02 AM

Living Sustainably: Holland group boosts plant-based food options

By Rebecca Bochenek, Veg Lakeshore
Are you looking to improve your health or help save the planet? The plant-based movement is thriving and building steam in Holland and West Michigan.
A few years ago, when you went out to eat, your plant-based food options may have been limited to a baked potato, salad, or soup. Now, more restaurants are adding menu items such as jackfruit tacos, black bean burgers, hippie hash, vegan baked goods, non-dairy milk options, fresh juices and much more.
And what about all these massive storms, heat waves, fires, and so on that are consuming the United States? Climate change is real, and humans can change that course. You have the power to help by what you are putting on your plate!

Eating a vegetarian meal one day a week could save the equivalent in greenhouse gases of 1,160 miles driving, according to a fact sheet from the University of Michigan Center for Sustainable Systems.
Meat products have much larger carbon footprints per calorie than grains or vegetables because of the inefficient transformation of plant energy to animal energy. For example, 47.6 percent of the greenhouse gases from food consumption come from meat, compared to 4.9 percent from vegetables, 3.6 percent from fruit and 3 percent from grains. A four-ounce serving of meat generates about 6.5 pounds of carbon dioxide compared to a small fraction of a pound per serving of rice, legumes, carrots or potatoes.
A local group has organized to help both your and the planet’s health. Veg Lakeshore started in September, 2013 when Mary Jackson moved to Holland and realized a need to promote healthy plant-based practices. She, Rebecca Bochenek, and Debra Williamson formed a meetup group which held potlucks, tabled at local events and visited local chefs to encourage vegan/vegetarian options on menus.
In the past five years, the group has built a network of members throughout West Michigan who are searching for a more sustainable, ethical and healthy way to live. The mission is to connect people and network with businesses to build a more compassionate, healthy community.
Events include Meatless Mondays at Nuestra Casa, a community house of Westcore Neighbors. At each potluck, a speaker presents a 30-minute talk on topics ranging from climate change and composting to gardening or recycling. And owners of businesses come in to discuss their veg friendly products.
We encourage all ages and appetites to attend. Each month has a theme such as Dutch Delights, Local/Seasonal, or Plantsgiving. Everyone is encouraged to bring a recipe for those with food intolerances or who practice a certain way of eating.
This month’s event is a Dunton Park picnic tomorrow, at 5:45 p.m. Monday, July 16. Bring a vegan or vegetarian dish with recipe. Check out the Events link at the Veg Lakeshore Facebook page for more information.
Also, a monthly Grapevine newsletter includes information about our Meatless Monday potluck, farmers market directory and a Vegan/Vegetarian Resource that includes menu items for many restaurants in the area. Email veglakeshore@gmail.com to be added to our Grapevine mailing.
 Rebecca Bochenek is Veg Lakeshore co-founder/organizer, a plant-based chef, and animal advocate.

More Online:
For a detailed list of vegan and vegetarian-friendly offerings at area dining establishments, click on “Our Story” on the Lakeshore Veg Facebook page.

This Week’s Sustainability Framework Theme
Environmental Awareness/Action: Environmental education and integrating environmental practices into our planning will change negative outcomes of the past and improve our future.

ABOUT THIS SERIES
Living Sustainably is a collection of community voices sharing updates about local sustainability initiatives. It is presented by the Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute, a joint project of Hope College, the City of Holland and Holland Board of Public Works. Go to www.hope.edu/sustainability-institute for more information.

Living Sustainably: Celebrate Your Watershed at this year’s Water Festival

By Ashley Van Zee, Outdoor Discovery Center
It’s time to celebrate your watershed!
Yes, we all live in a watershed. If you live in the Holland and Zeeland area, you live in the Macatawa watershed. A watershed is an area of land that drains into a certain stream, river, or lake. It’s like a bathtub – all the water flows towards lowest spot.
On Saturday, July 14, the Macatawa Water Festival, presented by Meijer, will be back for its fourth year on Holland’s Windmill Island. This free family-friendly event is designed to help people of all ages learn about – and learn how to protect – two of our precious community resources: Lake Macatawa and the Macatawa watershed.
The festival will feature hands-on activities and educational exhibits from more than two dozen local partners for people of all ages.
Every young explorer will receive a Watershed Passport. They will receive passport stamps as they learn from various vendors and participate in activities. Once their passport is complete, they can turn it in for a prize.
Here are five more reasons to attend the 2018 Macatawa Water Festival:
1. More than 25 hands-on activities for attendees of all ages.
2. Ride in a voyageur canoe, bike or paddle a kayak around Windmill Island.
3. Fish for trout, have it filleted and take it home for dinner.
4. Build a rain barrel or wood duck nest box for a small fee (register online at outdoordiscovery.org)
5. Great fun and a free way for the whole family to unplug and get outdoors.

 Ashley Van Zee is the community outreach coordinator at the Outdoor Discovery Center and helps manage volunteers at the Water Festival. The Outdoor Discovery Center is a nonprofit organization focused on conservation and education with the mission of connecting people, land and nature.

What: Macatawa Water Festival
When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, July 14
Where: Windmill Island, Holland
Who: Free admission for all ages

This Week’s Sustainability Framework Theme
Community Knowledge: The collective knowledge and energy of the community is an incredible resource that must be channeled to where it is needed.

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 of the historic Park Township airport?

June 29, 2018 – Where you can be a kid again: Adult summer camps

June 29, 2018 – Gypsy moths are back, defoliating trees in West Michigan

June 29, 2018 – $6 Million in Bogus Organic Fruit Sold to U.S., Costa Rican Report Finds

June 28, 2018 – Letter: Community Kitchen set to reopen

June 28, 2018 – Migrant workers prove vital to local farming community

June 28, 2018 – Hundreds arrested in DC protesting Trump immigration policy

June 27, 2018 – Back-to-school readiness contributes to your child’s academic success

June 26, 2018 – 5 simple ways to green your business

June 26, 2018 – New ‘Smart Brick’ will aid in snowmelt efficiency

June 26, 2018 – Mental illness – one common language

June 25, 2018 – Living Sustainably: Eating local – Food for thought

June 25, 2018 – Prudence Hilburn: You don’t need meat to have a complete meal

June 25, 2018 – Target, Tesco, CVS to Require Environmental Impact Data from Suppliers through CDP

June 24, 2018 – Hope science camps challenge young minds

June 24, 2018 – Canoeing in the wilderness of Minnesota’s Boundary Waters

June 22, 2018 – Study shows business case for racial equity: Report finds Michigan can gain $92 billion in economic output by 2050 if racial disparities are eliminated

June 22, 2018 – OPEC countries to pump more oil to contain price increase

June 22, 2018 – West Michigan companies rate as ‘Best for the World’

June 22, 2018 – Are Certificates of Deposit Worth It Right Now?

June 21, 2018 – Cities at the Crossroads of Consumption and Sustainability

June 21, 2018 – Small businesses and the benefits of conscious capitalism

June 21, 2018 – Trump scraps Obama policy on protecting oceans, Great Lakes

June 21, 2018 – Holland Police ice cream truck rolling out for second season

June 21, 2018 – Looking to the long term, UPS boosts fleet with CNG trucks

June 20, 2018 – Volunteers wanted for Holland State Park clean-up day

June 20, 2018 – Hamilton schools pass surplus budget

June 19, 2018 – Living Sustainably: Food projects help share the summer bounty

June 19, 2018 – U.S. Announces Its Withdrawal From U.N. Human Rights Council

June 19, 2018 – Has Environmental Sustainability Lost its Relevance?

June 19, 2018 – More Travel Providers Boost Sustainability Initiatives

June 19, 2018 – WO set to have enrollment drops, some deficits in 2018-19

June 19, 2018 – Donate school supplies, food pantry items to Stuff the Bus events

June 18, 2018 – Flooding from sea level rise threatens over 300,000 US coastal homes – study

June 18, 2018 – El Niño watch issued: How it could seriously affect this storm season

June 17, 2018 – DeVos muddies debate: Education leader’s comments spark immigration worries, outrage

June 16, 2018 – Why many Americans aren’t benefiting from robust US economy

June 15, 2018 – Sidewalk repairs, youth employment coming with Holland’s CDBG funds

June 15, 2018 – Michigan enacts toughest lead rules in U.S. after Flint crisis

June 14, 2018 – At Summertime Jamboree, play cornhole, race cockroaches and more

June 13, 2018 – Drug, assault and sex offenses up in Ottawa County

June 12, 2018 – Charitable giving in US tops $400 billion for first time

June 11, 2018 – Living Sustainably: Framework guides Holland’s sustainability efforts

June 7, 2018 – Yellowstone boss says Trump administration forcing him out

June 5, 2018 – Lawmakers, civil rights groups call for DeVos to set record straight on immigration, schools

June 5, 2018 – Local fruit farmers optimistic about upcoming season

June 5, 2018 – ‘Station Eleven’ picked for Big Read Lakeshore

June 4, 2018 – Living Sustainably: Summer is time to spur kids’ natural curiosity

June 1, 2018 – Group challenges Nestle’s water permit from Michigan

June 1, 2018 – Home Help: How to attract hungry hummingbirds to your yard

June 1, 2018 – Nicolas Loris: (Opinion) Why gas prices are pumped up – and how we can lower them

June 1, 2018 – Holland State Park receives beach wheelchair donation from nonprofit Lori’s Voice

June 1, 2018 – Avoiding meat and dairy is ‘single biggest way’ to reduce your impact on Earth

Living Sustainably: Holland seeks better recycling outcomes

By Aaron Thelenwood, City of Holland

A new five-year agreement between Holland and Republic Services is structured
to drive recycling, increase overall landfill diversion, and ensure city residents are producing the highest
quality recycling materials possible.

The City of Holland has reached a new five-year waste and recycling agreement in the midst of major changes locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. The contract with Allied Waste Services, locally known as Republic Services of Holland, provides recycling, refuse, and yard waste collection for residential users.
Among those changes in the realm of recycling, locally Kent County is bringing online a state-of-the-art recycling campus which will greatly expand its capacity in both number of users and types of materials. The move will likely drive the recycling narrative across West Michigan.
On the state level, Gov. Rick Snyder has set ambitious goals to increase the state’s recycling rate from 15 percent to 45 percent. Also, legislation is being considered that would increase tipping fees to boost recycling infrastructure statewide and decrease landfill use.
This is all occurring in the shadow of international policies limiting the amount of recycled materials accepted by countries and a shrinking international market for recycled materials.

All of which highlights the need to control waste volumes. Motivations for limiting waste go beyond being green. A 2016 West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum study estimates the total potential economic impact of materials put in West Michigan landfills is $56 million.
Michigan is quickly moving to a perspective where waste materials are economic assets that need to be managed responsibly.
The City of Holland entered into this new agreement with all these factors in mind and has structured this new contract to drive recycling, increase overall landfill diversion, and ensure we are producing the highest quality recycling materials possible.
A waste characterization study will be completed within the first year to provide a comprehensive profile of what materials we recycle and dispose of, while identifying opportunities to increase diversion.
This study could be used in assessing the viability of programs like curbside composting. The study also will provide solid data about our recycling contamination rates.

Recycling in the City of Holland is as simple as putting all recyclable materials in yellow bags to be collected with regular trash.

The city uses a “commingled approach” to recycling where all approved recyclables are placed in yellow bags, tied and then placed in the garbage can. Recycling and landfill materials are picked up by the same truck. The yellow bags are then separated at Republic Services’ transfer station.
The city is also working to minimize its own waste stream. For years, the city’s Parks Department has processed into compost materials collected in spring and fall clean-ups. The Community & Neighborhood Services Department recently completed a waste audit and is testing whether more accurately sorting office refuse can drive down landfill waste.
In summary, Holland is continually looking for ways to be innovative, to establish fruitful partnerships, and to ensure we are taking responsibility for the materials we produce and dispose of throughout the community.
 Aaron Thelenwood is the City of Holland’s solid waste/recycling & sustainability coordinator. Go to https://www.cityofholland.com/sustainability for more information.

This Week’s Sustainability Framework Theme
Community & Neighborhood: The places we live and the individuals we interact with support the development of our personalities and perspectives on life. Encouraging vital and effective communities is essential.

Living Sustainably: Eating local: Food for thought

By Madison Ostrander, Hope College ’17 and Eighth Day Farm Intern

Food bought at a local CSA like Eighth Day Farm is direct from the farm and needs less packaging and transport than food imported to the area.

I spend my days interning on a farm in the middle of a parking lot learning about the intricacies and practices of urban farming. I’m a recent college graduate with a passion for food and an itch to learn more about agriculture, especially as it pertains to food justice, community development, and sustainability.
Through getting to know the farmers, sampling each flavor-bursting harvest, and becoming acquainted with our natural growing practices, I have been thoroughly convinced of the benefits of buying locally grown food or even starting a home garden.
Although many people experience barriers to buying local produce, such as work schedules, constrained budgets, and lack of growing space, it is my hope that sharing the following benefits and presenting doable alternatives will serve as motivating food for thought resulting in progressive change.
Aside from providing more irresistible summer salads and savory stir fries, supporting local growers also has profound health, environmental, and economic benefits.

Fresh, locally grown fruit like strawberries can be picked at a peak of ripeness and flavor.

Who can forget an unfortunate run-in with over-ripe or otherwise displeasing produce from a grocery store? Growing your own food or buying from local farmers has the exciting potential to relieve us from such disappointments.

In addition to improved quality, many believe consuming locally-grown food is better for your health. At larger farms, mechanical harvesting often precedes long transport to the grocery store. Some crops may not have been harvested at their peak ripeness, when they retain the most nutrients. Locally grown produce can be picked at peak ripeness, as it doesn’t need artificial ripening or the ability to withstand a cross-country road trip.
Those cross-country trips don’t only signal a longer wait time from the farm to your fork; they also damage the environment through greenhouse gas emissions. And local farmers can use less packaging than those supplying grocery stores. Note, for example, the unnecessarily plastic-wrapped cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, and so on.
The health of our bodies and environment is important, but so is that of our economy. Holland recognizes the importance of its small businesses, as our community values both their stories as well as their ability to stimulate Holland’s economy. Well, I suggest you buy local produce for the same reasons.
You can eat local in many ways: Holland is home to produce stands, Holland Farmers Market, CSAs, and community gardens.
The Holland Farmers Market is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tents stretch over flowers, baked goods, and of course, vibrant in-season produce. Bridge Cards also can be used.
Another option is joining a CSA, short for Community Supported Agriculture. In a CSA, members pay an annual fee in exchange for an abundance of seasonal produce and the opportunity to know their farmer.
Eating local is certainly food for thought.
 Madison Ostrander is an intern at Eighth Day Farm, a local urban farm focused on creation care and natural growing practices. A recent business and writing graduate from Hope College, she aspires to team her interest in writing with her passion for both wellness and sustainability in her future career.

Living Sustainably: Food projects help share the summer bounty

By Lisa Uganski, Ottawa Food
It’s summertime in West Michigan, which means it is time to enjoy the abundance of fresh, local fruits and vegetables. However, not everyone has access to the juicy strawberries, crisp asparagus, and tasty blueberries that are grown right here in our community.
The good news is that you can help provide local fresh fruits and vegetables to those in need by participating in one of the three following programs, while supporting your local growers at the same time.
1) Folks who love buying all that fresh produce at the Holland Farmers Market can keep on buying extra and share it through Ottawa Food’s Produce Donation Program.
On eight dates this summer at the market, a donation table will be set up that will be staffed by members of Ottawa Food from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Stop by and pick up a donation bag. When you’re finished shopping, bring your produce donation back to the table, and it will be distributed to those in need through local food resource agencies.
Produce donation is just one part of Ottawa Food’s campaign to provide local fresh fruits and vegetables to those in need.

2) Another opportunity to share the bounty is the Pick for Pantries program which allows U-pick patrons at participating Ottawa County produce farms to donate a portion of their pick to local food pantries.
You can head out to Visser Farm’s U-Pick Strawberry Patch, 7200 112th Ave., on June 19, 21 and 26 (weather permitting) to pick strawberries and help support local food pantries. Just grab a green bucket with the Ottawa Food logo and fill it up with as much as you would like to donate. Local food pantries will distribute the berries to families in need.
In July, Pick for Pantries will take place at Bowerman Blueberries and Crossroads Blueberries. Ottawa Food is looking for a U-pick apple farm to participate in the fall. Visit Ottawa Food’s Facebook page for updates.
3) A third way to provide fresh produce for others is to donate some of the goodies from your own garden to your local food pantry. Extra tomatoes? Lots of zucchini? Many people in this community would love an opportunity to enjoy those delicious items! Call your local pantry ahead of time to make sure they accept fresh produce and to find out when they are open.
Area food pantries include the following:

 Community Action House, Holland
 Salvation Army, Holland
 Harvest Stand Ministries, Zeeland
 Harvest Bible Chapel Food Pantry, West Olive

We are blessed to live in an area that produces such a wide variety of fresh and healthy food. We hope that you will consider participating in one of these programs to help share this abundance with those who otherwise might go without.
 Lisa Uganski is the coordinator of Ottawa Food, a collaboration of local agencies and individuals working to ensure that all Ottawa County residents have access to healthy, local, and affordable food choices. To get involved with Ottawa Food, visit www.OttawaFood.org for more information.

This Week’s Sustainability Framework Theme
Quality of Life: The community, through governmental, religious, business and social organizations, makes decisions that contribute to its own well-being.

Living Sustainably: Framework guides sustainability efforts

By Aaron Thelenwood and Ken Freestone, City of Holland
The City of Holland is putting its Sustainability Framework to work by looking at ways to reduce waste in all its facilities – repurposing used items, reselling outdated equipment and working with local nonprofits to recycle and recover scrap materials.
For example, the city recently ordered new office chairs. When city staff learned most of the old chairs were destined for the landfill, the staff looked for ways to repurpose any usable items and capture recyclable materials.
The results: 110 old chairs were removed with approximately 90 percent of materials diverted from the landfill. Subsequently the Holland Board of Public Works coordinated with city employees to process an additional 35 office chairs for recycling. And within 30 days, another city department diverted another 65 very old, metal folding chairs.
In total, material from 200 chairs was kept out of the landfill.
City employees are now building on this success and applying the city’s Sustainability Framework to identify opportunities to reduce waste, leverage resources, and reduce the city’s waste-to-landfill stream.
By thinking creatively, using community resources, and taking time to analyze the types and amounts of waste, staff are better equipped to establish policies to minimize the amount of materials sent to the landfill.

The City’s Sustainability Framework identifies seven guiding principles:
 Community Knowledge – encouraging others to support sustainability;
 Smart Energy – making wise, energy efficient choices;
 Environmental Awareness/ Action – thinking about the impact of every project during planning stages;
 Community and Neighborhood – fostering vibrant, sustainable neighborhoods;
 Transportation – finding better ways to transport people, move goods and deliver services;
 Economic Development – becoming the preferred location for business;
 Quality of Life – ensuring access to healthcare, affordable housing, parks, recreational opportunities, cultural events, educational excellence and more.
Anyone, not just city government, can think of waste reduction in the context of those categories. For more details on Holland’s sustainability efforts, go to www.cityofholland.com/sustainability. Go to www.greenmichigan.org for tips on implementing the principles.
Decisions we make sometimes may have consequences that are unintended. By making decisions in the context of the Sustainability Framework, we are more likely to have quality results that improve our lives, minimize negative results and result in quality consequences.
Another set of questions, related to what’s known as the triple bottom line, can also guide decisions:
 Social Issues: How will today’s decisions impact the people in our community, both today and tomorrow?
 Environmental Issues: How will today’s decisions impact the environment? Remembering that environmental issues may not immediately apparent, you may need to think generationally.
 Economic Issues: What impact will our decisions have on businesses, employment, incomes and values of goods and services, both today and tomorrow?
Sustainability is not a one-time thought, a one-issue decision or about one person. It is the framework for all decisions, long-term, and for all people and creatures.

 Ken Freestone is Holland’s residential energy advisor, focusing on home energy retrofits for city residents and is also co-founder of GreenMichigan.org, a nonprofit focused on sustainability. Aaron Thelenwood is solid waste and recycling education coordinator for Holland.

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 and students explore and visit new places.
Help your student grow this summer by making a place of wonder of each place you visit to hike, bike, camp, or swim.
Foster that learning in students by just asking questions. “How does that work?” and “Where does that come from?” can start the mind running, and the students’ imagination will take off.
While you can look up many resources online ahead of time, often the best questions and most fun come from not knowing the answer and not programming every minute of the adventure. Ask the simple question and then guide the student to use online resources to answer them and delve further into the material.
In another way to foster summer learning, the Hope College Summer Science Camp program (hope.edu/explore) is developing a hands-on, nature-based camp – Exploring Ecosystems – to enrich students’ understanding of the ecology of their local area.
Two camps will be developed based on appropriate Michigan Science Standards for grades 3-5 as well as grades 6-8. The camps are being developed with funding from the Environmental Education Division of ASME, International.
Through observation, data collection and analysis, students will gain an understanding of how organisms interact with other organisms and the abiotic environment to form an ecosystem. Students will gain hands-on experience with watershed monitoring. Additionally, they will incorporate environmental
engineering topics such as water filtering and green roofs.
A biology educator is writing the program and will be mentoring college education majors as they staff the camp. Involvement of our Hope College science and education majors is a critical component of the program.
Through learning to develop and deliver environmental education programs, the student-teachers will be inspired to embrace such activities in their future career. Education majors report that camp staff positions give them confidence to take on their own classrooms and provide them the opportunity to explore new ways to teach and create inquiry-based lessons. Science majors will gain valuable experience communicating about science and participating in impactful outreach programs.
Exploring Ecosystems provides a more in-depth experience for interested students. Many science-themed camps provide students that opportunity to see the spark of wonder that nature provides. Students
are naturally curious about the environment and the interactions within nature.
But while camps are one option, casual family activities are a perfect place for learning, too. Whether it’s a camp, a camping trip, or a long walk on a beautiful summer evening, make your outdoor adventure the spark of learning and science exploration.
 Susan Ipri Brown is director of the ExploreHope program and instructor of engineering at Hope College.

The Holland area offers a long list of opportunities for summer exploration. Here are a few ideas:
Holland State Park
Ottawa County Parks
DeGraaf Nature Center
Outdoor Discovery Center
Hope College Summer Science Camps
Windmill Island Gardens
Riley Street Trails
Window on the Waterfront
Wolters Woods
Holland Farmer’s Market
Saugatuck Dunes State Park
City of Holland Parks
Hudsonville Nature Center