By Michelle Gibbs, Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute
The Macatawa Area Coordinating Council’s 11th Annual Green Commute Week kicks off today, Sunday, May 13, and runs through Saturday, May 19.
As part of the annual challenge to practice alternative ways of commuting, a Green Commute Expo is set for Friday, May 18. The Expo, focused on the sustainability framework category of transportation, is the last event of the 2017-18 series hosted by the Living Sustainably Along the Lakeshore team.
Set for 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the parking lot at City Hall on a Friday evening, the Expo will be at a special day, time, and location compared to typical events in the series. The Expo is designed to be a family-friendly event highlighting green transportation options for members of the greater Holland area community.
The Expo will include a short presentation about different types of green commute options and the role transportation plays in Holland’s 40-year Community Energy Plan, along with fun hands-on activities for the whole family, hosted by local partners.
Bike owners are encouraged to bring their bikes. Three local bike shops – Cross Country Cycles, Velo City Cycles, and West Michigan Bike and Fitness – will host stations with safety items, safety checks, a flat tire repair demo, E-bikes, and more. A MAX bus also will be on-site so riders can practice putting their bikes on the bus rack in a no-pressure situation. (If it is raining the event will move indoors and personal bicycles will not be allowed inside.)
We are encouraging members of the community to commute “green” at least twice this week. So, try walking, biking, riding the bus, or carpooling! New this year, the organizers have added telecommuting and driving a fully electric car as qualifying activities. Please register your efforts at www.the-macc.org/green-commute/green- commute-week- registration/.
The Expo will be a fun community event celebrating all the ways each of us can have an impact on our personal and community carbon footprint, helping to clean our air, and creating a healthier and more sustainable Holland. We look forward to seeing you at our final Living Sustainably Along the Lakeshore
event in this year’s series.
And, happy green commuting!
What: Fun family events at Green Commute Expo
When: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 18
Who: Free to everyone in the greater Holland area
Where: Holland City Hall
Michelle Gibbs, is the director of the Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute. Its mission is to foster collaborative efforts to infuse sustainability into the minds and practices of the greater Holland community.
This Week’s Sustainability Framework Theme
Transportation: The movement of people, goods, and services within the area links us to our regional, national and global networks.
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.