Greening Detroit

Hydraulic Fracturing and Oil and Gas Production

Sally — Wed, 16 May 2012 21:48:37 +0000

As you may know, the Bridging Reductions to Energy Airborne Toxic Health Effects (BREATHE) Act, was introduced by Congressman Jared Polis (D-Colorado) on March 17, 2011.

This bill would eliminate two exemptions for the oil and gas industry under the Clean Air Act by listing hydrogen sulfide as a hazardous air pollutant and requiring the industry to add emission control technology to wells.

In addition to this bill, there have been several bills introduced that would regulate hydraulic fracturing. These bills would ensure that any chemicals used in this drilling process are closely monitored and kept out of our drinking water supply. As these bills come before me in the Senate for a vote, I will keep your concerns in mind.

Please continue to keep me informed about issues of concern to you and your family.

Source: United States Senate / U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Michigan

Detroit: Bursting with Potential for Vibrant Neighborhoods LEED – Neighborhood Development Forum June 8 at HFCC

Sally — Wed, 16 May 2012 20:26:51 +0000

Somewhere beyond the current financial challenges facing the City of Detroit, and all the media coverage of alternative energy, urban farming and sustainable building materials—lies the future and landscape of South East Michigan.

Real, substantive, transformative change is within our grasp, and for the most part, it won’t happen so much in the halls of government as it will at the drawing board. City planners, developers, architects, building contractors, and civil engineers, as well as elected officials, hold the real keys and responsibility for our new, sustainable Michigan future. The clear opportunity now exists for new neighborhoods and sections of the city and region to be developed or re-designed to offer improved efficiency, green spaces and better quality of life for all those who live, work, shop, play and learn in them.

The Detroit Regional Chapter of the US Green Building Council is presenting a ground-breaking forum on LEED for Neighborhood Development on Friday June 8 at Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn that will bring some of the nation’s brightest and foremost authorities on the topic to town to share their wisdom. All members of the planning and building community are invited and strongly urged to participate in the discussion. Information and registration is available at www.usgbcdetroit.org.

Presenters include:
Doug Farr, FAIA, of Farr Associates, Chicago, author of “Sustainable Urbanism” is an expert on implementing change “from room to region” Farr participated on the Core Committee at USGBC to develop the current LEED rating system, and also has no less than seven LEED Platinum building projects to his firm’s credit.

Daniel Hernandez is the Managing Director of Planning for the national Jonathan Rose Company, and has more than 20 years experience in successful real estate planning and development. Based in New York, he is a member of the Board of Directors for Smart Growth America. Hernandez is a frequent lecturer, a former professor at the Yale School of Forestryand Environmental Studies, and is currently a faculty member at the Pratt Institute.

David W. Kitchens, AIA, of Cooper-Carry in Alexandria, VA. Kitchen’s work includes Bethesda Row in Bethesda, Maryland, awarded the Best Block in America 2002 by The Congress for New Urbanism, the Excellence Award from theUrban Land Institute and the Maryland/DC NAIOP Award of Excellence for Best Smart Growth Master Plan.

Joongsub Kim, PhD, AIA, AICP is an associate professor on the faculty of the College of Architecture and Design at Lawrence Technological University; he coordinates The Detroit Studio, a college-based community outreach program.

Sam Butler is currently a Planning and Technical Program Manager at Michigan Community Resources (MCR). Butler co-authored the Neighborhood Revitalization Strategic Framework published by the Community Development Advocates of Detroit (CDAD) where he currently serves as the chair of the Strategic Framework Committee. Mr. Butler and Mr. Kim will share their experiences and expertise related to the development of typologies for the City of Detroit, and the development of future design guidelines.

The Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Neighborhood Development (ND) rating system pioneered by the US Green Building Council is the result of years of discussion and crafting of careful language—in collaboration with the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC), the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), to develop a method for rating the quality of urban designs and plans. This rating system is comprised of three primary categories – Smart Location & Linkages (SLL); Neighborhood Pattern & Design (NPD); and Green Infrastructure & Buildings (GIB).

This USGBC-DRC 2012 LEED ND Forum, June 8 at Henry Ford Community College, offers a pivotal opportunity to facilitate a positive exchange of ideas and innovation within the Metro Detroit building community. It is a very productive investment of time for anyone in the planning, design and construction professions.

Date: 8:00 AM-5:00 PM Friday, June 8th, 2012

Location: Henry Ford Community College, Dearborn, MI

Cost: $75.00 (Returning ND Forum I attendees – $45.00)

Online Registration Required: LEED ND Forum II Registration at www.usgbcdetroit.org

USGBC-DRC Office 248-233-0006, Media Contact: Nancy Phares, Media Alchemy, LLC 248.486.3424 office 248.390.7340 cell

Click here to be introduced to the USGBC

Source: USGBC / Robert Prud’homme, Chair – LEED Neighborhood Circle at the DRC-USGBC

Holy Bat Cave!

Sally — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:42:37 +0000

Bats. Not sure about ‘em. My basic introduction to them began at an early age Saturday mornings while watching Sir Graves Ghastly horror flicks and seeing a vampire manifest itself into a bat. Come to find out it doesn’t really work that way.

Holy Bat Cave!

“Unfortunately,” according to the Organization for Bat Conservation, “due to many years of fear and misunderstanding, bat populations are decreasing and some are nearly extinct.” Don’t be afraid. But you don’t need to open up your home to them either. Since their natural habitat is quickly disappearing, bat houses give them a place to call their own.

John Bradburn is General Motors’s resident expert on waste reduction and recycling. Rather than just recycling, which uses more energy and resources, he focuses on repurposing materials and what to do with unwanted scraps. So, with his love and appreciation of the earth and its wild life – combined with his job, he came up with a pretty cool idea. While trying to figure out what to do with scrap Chevrolet Volt battery covers, he came up with bat houses! So, he along with the help of Rob Mies, founder of the Organization for Bat Conservation located at the Cranbrook Institute of Science, figured out how to make the habitable environment for bats out of them.

I had no idea that the Little Brown Bat can eat up to 6,000 insects each night. Bats are the primary predators of night-flying insects including moths, beetles, flies, and mosquitoes. And if one of these bat houses can hold up to 150 bats, that’s 900,000 bugs in a night – gone!

Put away the Raid® and get yourself a bat house.

If you’re a school or organization and would love to adopt a bat house, wood duck nesting habitat or a screech owl house, contact john.bradburn@gm.com and see if he can hook you up with your very own habitat.

Want to find out even more? Check out this link! GM and Detroit Youth Turn Chevy Volt Battery Covers into Wood Duck Homes; Michigan Kids Go Batty for Chevrolet Volt Battery Covers

And, for additional fun stuff about bats visit www.batconservation.org

Click here to be introduced to Just Bea

Source: Birgit Keil, Just Bea

Mother’s Day Message to Congress

Sally — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:54:19 +0000

I’m writing to you today as a mom. When my husband and I decided to start a family, we wanted to make sure our baby girl, Hazel, came into this world healthy. I made sure to steer clear of certain types of fish prone to high mercury levels due to coal plant pollution. I didn’t want to put my baby at risk for the types of developmental problems mercury can cause.¹

Not every mom is as lucky as I was to know about the dangers of mercury. I recently read that one in ten newborn babies in Minnesota had unsafe mercury levels due to the fish their mothers ate.² I’m sure those moms had no idea they were putting their babies at risk!

I was thrilled when the EPA issued new safeguards limiting the amount of mercury coal plants can pump into our air. Unfortunately, Sen. Inhofe (R-OK) is proposing legislation to repeal these life-saving protections – putting the health of thousands of mothers and babies on the line.

Help me send a Mother’s Day message to Congress. Tell your senators that we won’t stand for any legislation that sacrifices the health of our moms and babies just to line the pockets of Big Coal CEOs!

Right now we have the technology to limit mercury pollution from coal plants but some operators have refused to update their power plants. The only way we can keep more moms and babies safe is to support the EPA’s safeguards and require coal plants to deal with their mercury pollution. In the 21st century, no mother should be exposed to dangerous levels of mercury. It’s inexcusable.

My daughter Hazel is now turning two. If and when she starts a family of her own, I hope she won’t have to worry about eating fish because of mercury raining down into our rivers, lakes, and oceans – we’ll be powering our country with clean energy.

Join me to stand up for Hazel and all our sons and daughters. Let’s send 20,000 Mother’s Day messages to Congress urging our senators to oppose the bill to repeal the EPA’s mercury health protections.

When the EPA established national mercury safeguards in January 2012, it was a true people-powered victory. Over 800,000 Americans wrote to the White House in support of the standards – more than have ever commented on any issue before the EPA. Congress called for these mercury protections over 20 years ago, but the coal industry succeeded in blocking them for decades. It was grassroots pressure and demand that finally overcame that resistance.

Now that we’re faced with new challenges to the EPA’s mercury safeguards in the Senate, I know that if we work together we can overcome Sen. Inhofe’s attack.

The Senate will vote on this legislation soon and it will be close. As we spend the day honoring the women in our lives, tell your senators to stand up for mothers and babies and oppose Sen. Inhofe’s dirty bill.

Source: Sierra Club

[1] Human Health: Mercury. Environmental Protection Agency. April 19, 2012.

[2] Seavert, Lindsey. Study: High Mercury Levels in North Shore Babies. CBS Minnesota. February 3, 2012.

New Information about Air Emissions from Electricity Generation (eGRID and Power Profiler) Available Now

Sally — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:18:20 +0000

Today EPA released a new edition of the Emissions and Generation Integrated Resource Database (eGRID), a comprehensive source of data on the environmental characteristics of virtually all electric power plants in the United States. EPA also released an updated Power Profiler, an easy-to-use application that helps people understand how their electricity use affects the environment.

eGRID2012 with year 2009 data is now available

eGRID’s carbon dioxide output emission rates are commonly used in carbon footprinting calculators and greenhouse gas inventories. eGRID provides researchers and policy makers with a powerful set of information about electric generators in one place. eGRID data are used widely by EPA and others to show the impacts of electricity generation and the benefits of reducing demand for grid-supplied electricity.

eGRID contains emissions and emission rate information for the following air pollutants and greenhouse gases: nitrogen oxides (NO_x), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O). CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O are greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming or climate change. NO_xand SO₂ contribute to unhealthy air quality and acid rain in many parts of the country. eGRID also includes data on electric generation, fuel mix (for renewable and nonrenewable generation), and many other power plant attributes. eGRID presents this information for power plants and for states, three different sets of electric grid boundaries, and the United States in total. See the eGRID website for details.

EPA’s Power Profiler updated with new eGRID data

Power Profiler is an online application that reveals the resource mix and air emissions information about electricity generation in your region. Enter a zip code, select a utility, and learn about the impacts of energy generation in your area.

State and local officials interested in additional information about developing and implementing cost-effective climate and energy strategies that help further environmental goals and achieve public health and economic benefits may visit EPA’s State and Local Climate and Energy Program site.

Click here to be introduced to the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency

Source: EPA

White House Council on Environmental Quality, Mayor Bings Office and GreeningDetroit.com Round Table Meeting

Sally — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:59:15 +0000

On Thursday, May 10th, 2012, The Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental Administration Office, held a meeting at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, #401, 2 Woodward Avenue.

White House Council on Environmental Quality, Deputy Director Gary Guzy partnered with Mayor Bing’s top advisors and GreeningDetroit.com. The round table discussion was regarding environment, sustainability, and energy from a local and federal perspective.

This roundtable facilitated a high-level conversation with the administration as well as the Mayor’s office. Invited were key principals of stakeholders in the Detroit area including GreeningDetroit.com.

Special thanks was given to GreeningDetroit.com from The White House Council on Environmental Quality for pulling together a very special meeting on such short notice. Twenty Two (22) out of Twenty Three (23) round table participants/attendees were identified and invited from the GreeningDetroit.com website.

The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) coordinates Federal environmental efforts and works closely with agencies and other White House offices in the development of environmental policies and initiatives. The Council’s Chair, Nancy Sutley, and the Deputy Director Gary Guzy, serve as the principal environmental policy advisers to the President of The United States of America – President Obama. CEQ assists and advises the President in developing environmental policies and initiatives.

For more information on Public Engagement/Policy Outreach Council on Environmental Quality www.whitehouse.gov/ceq

Source: The White House / GreeningDetroit.com

Founder & CEO of Wigs 4 Kids Nominated for Athena Award

Sally — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:34:13 +0000

Wigs 4 Kids is proud to announce Maggie Varney, Founder & CEO, has been nominated for the Athena Award through the Macomb Chamber. The Athena Award is presented to a woman —or man— who is honored for professional excellence, community service and for actively assisting women in their attainment of leadership skills.

Ms. Varney was nominated by Katrina Helsel, who works alongside her as a licensed cosmetologist & Salon Manager at Go Green Salon, located inside Wigs 4 Kids. Ms. Helsel nominated Varney after witnessing the hard work, dedication, innovation and caring nature she exhibited in breaking new ground by introducing the concept of Wigs 4 Kids to the state of Michigan. For Varney, the nomination came as a pleasant surprise. “I was so humbled to be nominated by Katrina, whom I have mentored and had the pleasure of working with for 11 years. I watched her grow into a successful beauty professional & Salon Manager and could not be prouder to receive this nomination. Whenever we are recognized for the work that we do, we are able to reach out further in the community to more families in need.”

Wigs 4 Kids provides wigs and support services to Michigan children experiencing hair loss as a result of cancer treatment, alopecia, trichotillomania and other disorders. The program is available to any child or teen from ages 3 to 18 at no cost to them or their families. For more information about
Maggie’s work with the Wigs 4 Kids program, please visit www.wigs4kids.org, or call the Wigs 4 Kids Wellness Center at (586) 772-6656. Wigs 4 Kids is located at 30126 Harper Ave. St. Clair Shores, M.

Click here to be introduced to Wigs 4 Kids

Source: Wigs 4 Kids

Bill to Expedite Mining Threat to Great Lakes Region

Sally — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:01:58 +0000

Great Lakes waters, lands and citizen’s rights are being threatened by recently introduced Federal legislation that will expedite mining of minerals. This legislation (H.R. 4402) expedites mining exploration and mine permits on federal lands.

Of major concern to you is that our opportunities to protect the places we love will be short-changed. For example, the bill:

Allows the Bureau of Land Management or Forest Service, whichever agency is dubbed the “lead,” to unilaterally decide the application does not “significantly affects the quality of the human environment” and side-step a review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA);
By side-stepping NEPA, it minimizes our right as citizens to engage in civil action to protect our resources;
Requires the lead agency to avoid additional reviews of the application. This largely leaves out reviews from our federal agency charged with protecting our environment – the Environmental Protection Agency;
Makes “bringing the mineral resource to the market place” a higher priority than environmental protection and citizen’s health by requiring the lead agency to “maximize the development of the mineral resource, while mitigating environmental impacts;” and
Creates unrealistic timelines for review of applications – less than half of what it took the Eagle Mine in Michigan to gain approval. Even more unrealistic is the requirement for the lead agency to negotiate with the applicant up front for more time to review the application.

H.R. 4402 is currently in the House Committee on Natural Resources and we need to make sure it doesn’t gain traction. Call your Congressional representative and let them know you want this bill stopped! If you are unsure of how to reach your member, click here to look them up using your zip code:http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/

Click here to be introduced to Freshwater Future

Source: Freshwater Future

EPA, Dept. of Energy Launch Tools to Determine Solar and Wind Energy Potential on Contaminated Lands

Sally — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:56:53 +0000

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energys National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have developed and launched two new tools designed to test underutilized sites and contaminated land for solar and wind energy potential.

State and local governments, site owners, and community members can use the tools to help identify the most desirable sites for solar or wind installations from both a logistical and economic standpoint, without the need for technical expertise.

EPA estimates that there are approximately 490,000 sites and almost 15 million acres of potentially contaminated properties nationwide. Positioning renewable energy on these sites can increase their economic value, provide a sustainable land reuse option, create local green jobs, and provide clean energy for use on-site or for the utility grid.
The new tools can be used to evaluate individual or multiple sites, such as brownfields, Superfund and other hazardous waste sites, abandoned parcels, landfills, parking lots, and commercial or industrial roofs, depending on the technology. The City of Richmond, California is serving as a pilot community for development of the tools.

Direct links to the tools:

Screening sites for Solar PV Potential (PDF) (18 pp, 814K)
Screening sites for Wind Energy Potential (PDF) (18 pp, 863K)

EPA will host a webinar to discuss these and related tools on May 22, 2012, from 2-3:30 pm EDT. For more information or to register for the webinar go to the webinar page.

Source: State and Local Climate and Energy Program

Wayne County offers FREE Health Expo for the Uninsured

Sally — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:48:45 +0000

In an effort to address the basic health needs of the uninsured, Wayne County will hold a free health and human services expo on May 16, 2012 at Cobo Center. All uninsured, or eligible low-income residents will have access to basic care services ranging from health, dental, and diabetes screenings to nutrition seminars, and on-site head start enrollment.

All attendees are encouraged to bring photo identification, social security information and income documentation with them to help expedite service.

The Wayne County Health Expo serves about 3,000 residents annually, many of whom list the expo as their main source of health care for the year. Screenings and programs will focus on a multitude of treatment driven approaches as well as preventive care techniques. Education on the benefits of smoking cessation, HIV testing and prevention, and weight management information through Wayne County’s Nutrition Exercise Weight Management Effort (NewMe) are among the topics covered at this year’s expo.

“With almost 350,000 uninsured residents in Wayne County, access to basic health care services is a top priority for us in Wayne County,” said Wayne County Executive, Robert Ficano.

Enrollment into an individual or business health care coverage plan will be available through programs offered by Wayne County, in collaboration with the City of Detroit, State of Michigan and other vendors.

For more information please call 1-800-WELL-NOW (800-935-5669), or visit our website at www.waynecounty.com.

What: Wayne County Health Expo

When: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 from 9:00a.m. to 4:00p.m.

Where: Cobo Center—Riverview Ballroom— 1 Washington Blvd., Detroit, MI, 48226

* Free parking, Cobo Rooftop Deck

Source: Wayne County Health and Human Services Department