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Mayor Bryan K. Barnett

City of Rochester Hills

Mayor Barnett has succesfully implemented several "green" initiatives throughout Rochester Hills. In April of 2009 Mayor Barnett launched the most innovative and comprehensive recycling program in the State of Michigan. Through a partnership with Recycle Bank, Rochester Hill’s residents can now recycle right at their curbside and earn points each week to become eligible to receive exclusive coupons that can be redeemed at national and local businesses in the community. Since launching the program, recycling has stacked up in Rochester Hills. Now with more than 90% of the residents recycling regularly, compared to the 18% in 2008 more than 5,200 tons of materials has been diverted from landfills to reuse! 5200 tons is equivalent to 10.4 million pounds of trash! Additionally, Rochester Hill’s residents have saved the equivalent of 50,299 trees, 3.5 million gallons of oil, and over 21 million gallons of water further indicating the massive impact this new program is having. Not to mention that residents are also taking advantage of the Recycle bank rewards program in a major way. To date more than 33,000 rewards have been cashed in saving our residents an additional $300,000 and driving customers through and to, our local businesses. But the Mayor’s efforts don’t stop there! His commitment to the environment and to the community is evident in several other green conscious initiatives. In 2008 the Mayor introduced “25 in 2, What Can You Do” initiative, a campaign to reduce energy costs at city hall by 25% over the next 2 years. In its first full year of the “25 in 2” city hall has reduced energy consumption by 15%! And that is just the beginning. In 2010, the City will renovate several city-owned buildings with the use of a grant from the Department of Energy which will make them even more energy efficient. The Mayor is now challenging the residents to “Make the Switch” in 2010. This city-wide campaign will focus on educating and increasing awareness of the many ways residents can become more energy efficient in their homes and in their daily activities. Such changes include switching to CFL lighting, to water conservation methods, and even offering residential and commercial energy audits. All of this further proves that Rochester Hills has become a “Green Leader” and will continue to be environmental stewards in protecting and preserving our natural resources. All of these changes require the support of the community and the desire to make lifestyle changes. The residents equally deserve recognition for their continued support.

 

Bosch Rexroth Corporation

Tech Center East

In Bosch Rexroth’s drive for sustainable manufacturing, it will add momentum to developing alternative energy sources that use renewable resources. Rexroth is heavily involved in advancing the viability of key renewable energy resources helping drive the development of manufacturing systems for rapidly expanding sectors, such as solar energy, wind energy, ocean energy and hydraulic hybrid technology, which is being developed right here in Rochester Hills, MI, at our Tech Center East, which is deeply involved in the development of the hydraulic hybrid systems that are being tested to conserve energy and reduce the environmental impact of vehicles. The facility plays a major role in the development of Bosch Rexroth’s hydraulic regenerative braking system and innovative automation solutions for solar applications. It will focus on the most advanced hydraulics applications like hydraulic hybrid vehicle technology, compact construction machinery, alternate energy, and off-shore marine applications. Tech Center East houses 120 workers and brings together technical personnel from the company’s hydraulics, pneumatics, electric drives, and linear motion and assembly technologies groups. Even during these difficult economic times, Bosch Rexroth has been expanding resources at this facility, further showing commitment to the work being performed in Rochester Hills, but more importantly, adding jobs to our community. Bosch also has technologies that you use in your homes every day. It is a leader in energy-efficient household appliances, as well as innovative power tools using lithium-ion batteries.

 

Sheriff Michael Bouchard

Operation Medicine Cabinet

Sheriff Michael Bouchard has initiated a new program through the Sheriff's Office in Oakland County, called OPERATION MEDICINE CABINET, which aims to protect our most precious and most valuable natural resource, our water. Considering law enforcement have enough to do as it is, it was a pleasant and impressive surprise to learn that Sheriff Bouchard was starting a prescription drug take back program to keep them out of our water supply. The U.S. Geological Society have proved that prescription drugs are being found in our watersheds and our fish population as a result of improper disposal (flushing or pouring down the drain)this frightening discovery demands action. Through his leadership and participation, four prescription drug drop-off sites were launched in 2009, and because of his help with other law enforcement agencies throughout the county, another 10 will be launched in conjunction with National Earth Day, April 22nd, 2010. Check www.operationmedicinecabinetmi.com for more detailed information. Sheriff Bouchard truly deserves to be our Earth Day Hero for what he has done through his office to make a difference.

 

Jacob Corvidae

WARM Training Center

Jacob Stevens Corvidae, LEED AP, is the Green Programs Manager for WARM Training Center (www.warmtraining.org), where he oversees WARM's Green Building Demonstration Center. An experienced program designer, Jacob has developed regional and statewide programs to advance energy efficiency and green building. He spearheads WARM’s work as a founding partner of the Southeast Michigan Regional Energy Office (www.regionalenergyoffice.org), providing technical assistance to local governments. Jacob conducts seminars and consults on energy efficiency, green building and renewable energy for a variety of audiences and clients. Known as an engaging public speaker, he delivers 30-50 seminars a year, including national and statewide conferences. He has also authored a variety of reports and guides on energy savings and green building. With a passion and commitment to social and organizational sustainability, he has been working with collaboratives and local groups on sustainable development since 1997 and is a co-founder of Sustainable Detroit. Other activities:

*Active supporter and speaker at Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit (www.glbd.org) Co-Coordinator of Sustainable Detroit and Detroit Green Map (www.sustainabledetroit.org)

*Teaching Sustainable Design at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture

*Other interests and occasional hobbies:

*Transportation (including carsharing, extensive biking and driving with biodiesel)

*Food (including community gardens, raising chickens, local food)

*Ecovillages (previously involved with Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in Missouri, EcoVillage Detroit and the Urban Ecovillage Network)

 

DTE Energy
GreenCurrents Renewable Energy Program
Detroit Edison’s GreenCurrents program, launched April 3, 2007, is a voluntary renewable energy program. The program allows customers to support the generation of electricity from Michigan-based, renewable energy sources including wind energy and biomass (landfill gas and methane gas from cow manure). The GreenCurrents program is designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and strengthen Michigan's energy independence. To date over 18,000 customers have signed up for GreenCurrents. Customer participation has enabled the development and/or expansion of several new Michigan renewable energy facilities to supply the program, including: Stoney Corners Wind Farm in Richland Township, White Lake Landfill in Whitehall, Green Meadow Farms Bio-Energy in Elsie, Laker Schools(wind energy)in Pigeon, and Wolverine/Harvest Wind Farm in Pigeon. These projects bring new new green technologies to a state suffering through a longer term economic downturn.

 

Nate Geinzer

Farmington Hills, Assistant to the City Manager

Nate has lead Farmington Hills' green efforts for two years, with City Manager Steve Brock, Mayor Jerry Ellis and the City Council. He has spearheaded the City Hall Revitalization project, replacing our failing City Hall building with a LEED certified building, he has lead the city's Green Efforts Committee and organized a model rebate program for homeowners to purchase energy efficient appliances and home improvements. He has lead the program to use performance contracting to bring energy efficiency to all city facilities. Our city's green efforts are among the best in the county and state because of his efforts.

 

L'Anse Creuse Middle School North

Macomb County’s Top MI Green School

L'Anse Creuse MS North has truly involved EVERYONE in his or her school in the Green Schools Program!

• Their National Junior Honor Society hade it one of their service projects to facilitate the paper recycling for the entire building.

• All students in their 2-D and 3-D art classes create art work from recycled materials.

• Energy conservation is evident in this building.This school had the second least electrical usage per square foot in their entire school district of over 25 buildings.

• In January, this building hosted a county-wide meeting show-casing their school garden initiative and recycling efforts to encourage other schools to do the same. This program was arranged and facilitated by school parents!

• John Da Via, the principal, is very actively involved in the Green Schools Program. He physically works with students each day sorting bottles for recycling. This program requires sorting of returnable’s, plastic bottles, cans and bottle caps. He even has a display in his office that is visible from the hallway with labeled bottles....one for each thousand bottles the school has recycled!

• The school's birdhouse habitat includes a purple martin house. When the students found that the purple martins they made arrangements to play a CD of male purple martin sounds during the estimated time of spring arrival this year.

• The school's closed circuit television system is utilized by their Going Green Club to do presentations related to Earth Day, environmental issues and school programs related to their Green Schools Program.

• This school has reduced the number of bags of cafeteria waste going in its dumpster from 24 to five daily!

 

Michigan Interfaith Power & Light

Since its inception, more than 300 Michigan houses of worship have received free energy audits and energy education classes through Mi-IPL's programs.  Through these efforts, countless congregations have made energy efficient upgrades to their facilities – a few have even installed renewable energy technologies like wind turbines, solar panels, and geothermal heat.  Green building techniques have also been used for a number of member congregations' new building additions. From 2004-2007, Mi-IPL members’ on-line purchases ultimately saved more than 17,000 tons of CO2, 171,000 lbs. of SO2, 83,000 lbs. of NOx, and 3,200 lbs. of particulate matter.  This is the equivalent of planting 4,700 trees or keeping 3,100 cars off the road for a year based on the EPA Energy Star calculating formula.

 

Mike Plesz

Mind Body & Spirits

Mind Body & Spirits, 301 S. Main Street, Rochester, MI is the latest venture from restaurateur Mike Plesz, CEO Pleszure Food Group (Rochester Mills Beer Co., Inspired Treats). Mind Body & Spirits is an extraordinary new dining concept offering great tasting healthy meals made with the highest quality natural, organic and local products available. All while minimizing the negative impact on our environment. Housed in a newly renovated century old two-story building on Main Street, Mind Body & Spirits is Michigan's first sustainable restaurant. When designing the space, Plesz's team explored and implemented every feasible green option before completing the project.The numerous eco-conscious features that are prominent throughout the restaurant are MIke went to great lengths to manage energy needs efficiently, conserve and recycle extensively, and create a healthy dining environment, while enhancing dining experience. Mind Body & Spirits' commitment to environmental stewardship is also evident through its partnerships with certified organic local farmers and eco-conscious suppliers as well as a continual assessment of its own sustainable efforts.The menu changes with the growing seasons to allow for the best local and organic ingredients. Partnering with our local farmers reduces the distance food has traveled which follows their sustainable initiative.

 

Royal Park Hotel
MI Green Lodging Certification
The Royal Park Hotel has earned certification with Green Lodging Michigan (GLM). GLM encourages hotels, resorts, motels, and bread & breakfast facilities to implement environmental initiatives and cost-saving 'green' practices to conserve energy, reduce water consumption, protect air quality, reduce waste, and participate in environmentally preferred purchasing. Like the Good Housekeeping seal of approval of being green, the mark of environmental responsibility of hoteliers who show a commitment to "green" business practices and can demonstrate that environmental and economic goals are a top priority. GLM is a joint effort between DLEG and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to encourage the lodging industry to conserve and protect the state's natural resources while increasing marketability and lowering utility costs.

 

Sashabaw Middle School

Oakland County’s Top MI Green School
Clarkston’s Sashabaw Middle School has many groups involved throughout the school. In addition to recycling paper, plastic, batteries, printer cartridges, cell phones, Capri juices pouches, metal/cans, and Styrofoam trays they are involved in very detailed specific green projects:

• ‘Wreathcycle”-the students in the technology class used objects that would normally be thrown away to make wreaths. The wreaths were auctioned off during parent teacher conferences.

• Bat houses –Academic Service Learning (ASL) project-during third trimester: The students in the ASL class will participate in building bat houses while working with the Bat Conservancy Group of the Cranbrook Institute of Science. The houses will be donated to local parks and area residents.

• Towards the end of last year, SMS students created a bluebird habitat on the school. This year's students will continue to monitor and maintain the habitat and develop it to encourage the nesting of bluebirds. Additionally, they will monitor and track the inhabitants of each of the nesting boxes.

• December 2009, SMS 7th grade science students conducted a home energy audit with their families. Students made a reasonable estimate of their home energy consumption and discussed/completed an energy audit with their parents. Students then noted possible changes that could be made at home to conserve, reduce and recycle.

• Twice each year, Clarkston Schools hosts an e-waste recycling event. On Nov. 7th, ASL students at SMS coordinated and hosted an e-waste recycling event. In cooperation with Classic Computer Recovery, SMS was able to divert 25,000lbs of electronic waste from being dumped into a landfill.

• This year, Mr. Pierson's 7th grade ASL & Science class was sponsored by Trouts Unlimited to raise Salmon in the Classroom in conjunction with the State of Michigan. In November, two teachers along with five students went to Wolf Lake Hatchery for proper training and acceptance of 200 salmon eggs.

 

Tom Stanton

MI Public Service Commission

Tom has spent three decades in state government promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy. He is an innovator and has made it a priority to communicate state energy policies and developments to the public. Recently as manager of the Renewable Energy Section of the Michigan Public Service Commission, he has successfully implemented our Renewable Portfolio Standard and Net Metering policies.

 

Trombly Elementary School

Wayne County’s Top MI Green School
Trombly was the first Grosse Pointe Green School. They have participated in the program for all three years.

• Schools recycling program: paper, ink cartridges, batteries, cell phones, plastic bottles, metal, fabric, digital cameras, digital video cameras, GPS devices, radar detectives, handheld game systems, laptop computers, ipods and MP3 players.

• They have a compost station overseen by a Master Gardener.

• They collect native plants from various sources and plant them in the Trombly Native Plant Garden.

• Classes participate in waste-free lunches. They research the difference and compare the data collected.

• They use Green Solutions in the Glean on the Go System. Less toxic cleaning products for the bathrooms, windows, and drains

• Remember, this is an Elementary school. Trombly participates in the Urban Farmers program. Trombly's Green Squad plants vegetable and herb seeds and over sees the seedlings. They are hoping to 2000 seedlings. Farmers from Urban Farmers will pick up the seedlings from the school and will be planted in the urban gardens around the City of Detroit. More Trombly students will participate on planting day.

• Trombly applied for and was the only school in Michigan to receive the "Keep Michigan Beautiful" award.