A stop to shutoffs: Detroit’s moratorium on water shutoffs will extend through the end of 2022, with the ultimate goal of ending them in perpetuity. The city will “work on a permanent water affordability solution at the state and federal levels,” said Gary Brown, director of the city’s water and sewerage department said Tuesday. But Brown noted moratoriums do not […]
Posted inCommunity
Profiles in the fight for environmental justice: Jeremy Orr
Jeremy Orr was working on a paper mill cleanup project as a community activist and organizer when he realized two things: that a person’s environment dictates their physical wellbeing and health, and that a lack of representation in decisions on the environment affecting Black and brown people was pervasive. When Jeremy Orr was in college, […]
Posted inSolutions
Michigan’s weakened environmental laws lead activists to embrace other tactics
A loose coalition of environmental attorneys and activists are increasingly confronting industry with a multi-pronged approach — suing to force companies to follow the law, stepping in during the permitting process and waging campaigns to raise awareness of corporate misdeeds. During the early 1970s, Michigan enacted a bold set of environmental laws that helped form an […]
Posted inCommunity
Profiles in the fight for environmental justice: Shimekia Nichols
Detroit resident Shimekia Nichols has learned that critical questions are the first steps toward attaining democracy in a sector long dominated by convention. Most of us pay our electricity bill without much question. We do so without inquiring what exactly we’re paying for; without asking to be apprised of frequent rate hikes; without demanding a […]
Posted inGuides
Ask Planet Detroit: How much will air pollution affect my child?
Dear Planet Detroit, How will children living in areas with high levels of air pollution in Detroit be affected? Specifically, how might it impact their choices and their futures? Sincerely, Concerned Dear Concerned, This is a great question with far reaching implications. Children suffer the most from environmental impacts, as developmental side-effects from adolescence can […]
Posted inSolutions
Huron-Clinton Metroparks gets serious about diversity in hiring
As the Huron-Clinton Metroparks looks to be recognized as one of the premier parks systems in the State of Michigan and the nation, its leadership has determined that taking steps toward hiring a more diverse workforce is a necessary step to get there. In a recent media release that HCMA states that it “understands that […]
Posted inVoices
OPINION: Give thanks, but don’t celebrate myths this Thanksgiving
Mom’s green bean casserole, buttery mashed potatoes, sweet yams and pumpkin pie. Many families will gather around a turkey today to celebrate Thanksgiving, with the perception of love and unity between Indigenous Peoples and white settlers in the U.S. But the history of the holiday is one rooted in genocide, where colonizers murdered local Indigenous […]
