Posted inUncategorized

From the Headlines — February 7-11, 2022

Flood control? Detroit homeowners in 11 neighborhoods can now apply for help to install backwater valves and sump pumps in their homes to prevent basement flooding. The Basement Backup Protection Program will use $15 million received through the American Rescue Plan to pay for the program, requiring a 10% deposit from homeowners. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced a plan to invest […]

Posted inVoices

OPINION: Whitmer should consider E-bike incentives to achieve Michigan climate goals equitably

We certainly applaud Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s call to action on addressing climate change through reductions in carbon emissions – especially in the transportation sector.  However, reducing emissions solely through electric vehicles (EVs) is not going to get our state to carbon neutrality. The state needs a comprehensive approach that also invests in the other, more […]

Posted inAccountability

Is ‘renewable natural gas’ a real option to power Michigan? Consultant with ties to DTE and Consumers hired by regulators to help decide

This story was produced in partnership with Outlier Media. State regulators have hired a consulting firm with financial ties to DTE Energy and Consumers Energy to assess whether Michigan should scale up production of renewable natural gas, a controversial fuel of questionable economic and environmental value. Renewable natural gas (RNG), or biogas, is touted by […]

Posted inUncategorized

From the Headlines — January 31 – February 4, 2022

More than lead: A number of harmful chemicals like PFAS compounds and pesticides are showing up in Metro Detroit drinking water, according to a searchable database put together by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Many of these are considered safe to consume in small quantities, although EWG says the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) regulations for drinking water are “out of […]

Posted inSolutions

Camden, Newark, & Baltimore lead in building equitable access to urban tree canopy

Sheila Roberts recalls walking through Cooper Plaza, the Camden, N.J. neighborhood she calls home in 2002, noticing something unusual: a newly planted, tree-lined street. “Immediately upon looking at the street, I didn’t notice the trash. I didn’t notice the graffiti. And I didn’t notice how unkempt the street was,” Roberts says. “And it was because […]

Posted inSolutions

Cleveland’s reforesting efforts take root in once-redlined neighborhoods

Gwendolyn Garth is no stranger to a blank canvas. A self-defined “artivist” who blends art and activism to positively impact Cleveland’s neighborhoods, Garth has left her colorful fingerprint on numerous community murals and outreach projects across Cleveland. Now she’s set her sights on beautifying the city’s vacant lots—and helping to replenish the city’s tree canopy […]