Uncharted waters: Detroit’s Charter Commission proposed changes to the city charter that would affect government accountability, housing, water, and transportation. Among other measures, the commission is recommending a new water rate system and low-income fare plan for buses. “Every human being deserves true quality of life, and your historic efforts will enshrine these rights in the city’s constitution,” […]
Posted inCommunity
Planet Detroit’s first intern Jena Brooker moving on to greener environmental reporting pastures
Brooker will begin a fellowship this month with national environmental publication Grist Regular Planet Detroit contributor Jena Brooker is saying goodbye to Planet Detroit (for now). Jena will be moving on to a fellowship with Grist, an online environmental newsroom that calls itself “a beacon in the smog.” She’ll report on climate change and environmental […]
Posted inSolutions
Upcycling Kitchen converts rescued food to nutritious meals for food-insecure Detroiters
Many people experiencing food insecurity don’t have access to the tools to turn raw ingredients into healthy meals. Upcycling Kitchen bridges that gap while addressing food waste. When I entered the Upcycling Kitchen at Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church, I was greeted first by the overwhelming sight and aroma of organic vegetables. Chef Ederique Goudia and […]
Posted inAccountability
Citizens issue notice of intent to sue Dearborn’s AK Steel over repeated Clean Air Act violations
The notice claims the Ohio-based company has failed to correct violations and spews pollution a quarter-mile from residential neighborhoods and a school. Local environmental groups and residents living near the AK Steel Dearborn Works plant have taken the first step in filing a citizen lawsuit against the factory’s owner over alleged Clean Air Act violations. […]
Posted inUncategorized
From the Headlines – Week of February 22, 2021
Tree care: R&B singer SZA has teamed up with the TAZO tea company and tree planting organization American Forests to start a green jobs program in Detroit and several other cities that will train residents to plant and care for trees. As previously reported in Planet Detroit, tree planting could help the city manage stormwater and mitigate against extreme heat, […]
Posted inAccountability
How an east side land deal impacted a zoning dispute on Detroit’s southwest side
Keith Rodgerson had planned on attending a virtual meeting for Detroit’s planning and economic committee on January 14, but he was distracted by a demolition crew cutting down trees planted in a vacant lot near his house. The trees had been planted by the Greening of Detroit on the corner of West Grand Boulevard and […]
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From the Headlines – Week of February 15, 2021
Green budget: Details from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s proposed annual budget have begun to come into focus, with clean water and the environment emerging as priorities. A total of $100 million is included for promoting climate change resilience, healthy schools, and improving the Department of the Environment, Great Lakes and Energy’s (EGLE) emergency response capabilities for handling environmental contamination. “There’s […]
Posted inCommunity
Your River, Your Story: The Rouge is our river
by Scot Martin Let’s face it: the Rouge River is not a scenic river and will probably never receive that designation (though we can hold out for hope). In fact, part of the river and its encompassing riparian areas are downright ugly. Bare earth in the floodplain that has its ground cover continually drowned or […]
Posted inGuides
Ask Planet Detroit: What’s up with multifamily recycling in Detroit?
Dear Planet Detroit, Have there been any updates with Detroit’s multifamily recycling program? I haven’t heard anything in a while. Sincerely, Too Many Glass Bottles Here — Dear Too Many, Indeed, many of us have been eagerly and patiently awaiting for the city to roll out its multifamily recycling service. When it first announced the […]
Posted inSolutions
Can a community water lab restore trust in Flint?
Mckenzie Patrice-Croom was born in Flint, Michigan on January 31, 2017, right in the middle of the Flint water crisis. She had epilepsy and was regularly in and out of the hospital. And because of the water crisis, her parents faced challenges bathing her, making her formula, and mixing her medicines. On June 19, 2018, […]