The Better Cities Film Festival, launching this weekend in Detroit’s Campus Martius, will feature films on critical urban issues, from environmental justice to sustainable transportation and placemaking, as part of the Detroit Month of Design. The free festival, now in its 11th year, showcases films that explore how to make cities and neighborhoods better places […]
Posted inGuides
What Metro Detroiters should know about wetlands
Natural and constructed wetlands can help prevent flooding, provide critical wildlife habitat for wildlife and create recreation opportunities.
Posted inGuides
Detroit Air Quality Tracker: Moderate air quality persists in Metro Detroit amid warm, dry weather
What you need to know about Canadian wildfire smoke and Detroit air quality all in one place. Updated regularly.
Posted inNews
Survivors of the world’s worst industrial disaster turn to Detroit activists
All Farhat Jahan remembers is the thick gas filling her home. Her mother grabs her in her arms and starts running. Her eyes burn, as if there were acid in them. If someone had only told them to take cover under blankets in their home, to not run for the hospital, “so many would have […]
Posted inDemocracy
Oakland County water commissioner race focuses on water affordability
This year’s race for Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner could have state-wide implications, as incumbent Jim Nash (D) and his challenger Steve Johnson (R) present contrasting plans to lower residential water costs. Nash has positioned himself as a key supporter of State Sen. Stephanie Chang’s (D-Detroit) water affordability legislation. The legislation seeks to tie water […]
Posted inNews
New bill would help protect overburdened Michigan communities from further pollution
New legislation to improve environmental justice could block permits for polluters in parts of Michigan where heavy industry is concentrated, such as the east side of Detroit or the city’s 48217 ZIP code. In July, State Rep. Abraham Aiyash (D-Hamtramck) introduced HB 5901, the Protecting Overburdened Communities Act, to prevent companies from obtaining permits for new facilities […]
Posted inNews
‘Latinos con Harris-Walz’ react to climate during Tuesday’s debate
About thirty Latino voters and other members of the Detroit community gathered last night at the Saint Regis Hotel for the debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. In the crowd were many lifetime Southwest Detroit residents with an eye on environmental justice policy, Venezuelan migrants, a Western High school counselor […]
Posted inNews
What we’re reading: Hazardous materials permitted on Ambassador Bridge
Windsor residents express concern after Michigan decides to allow hazardous materials on Ambassador Bridge.
Posted inNews
Detroit River toxic cleanup continues to stall
In May 2022, environmental advocates and other interested parties gathered in Dearborn to discuss the state of the Detroit River. While a range of issues were on the agenda, the main event was the lagging cleanup of the 3.5 million cubic yards of toxic sediment remaining in the river from the post-World War II industrial […]
Posted inNews
Planet Detroit wins 2024 LION Sustainability Award for financial health
Planet Detroit was recognized for its financial resilience, winning the 2024 LION Sustainability Award for financial health. The award was announced on Thursday, Sept. 5, at the LION Sustainability Summit in Chicago, where LION Publishers celebrated organizations that have excelled in building sustainable business models while delivering impactful journalism. Since its launch in 2019, Planet […]