from Older Cities
How Local Governments are Taking the Lead on Climate Change
By Anna Clark / Center Ring
While global heads of state are continuing their conversations about how to respond to climate change, Michigan communities are committing to concrete action. Through partnerships and collaborations, change is happening – yet again – from the ground up.
It wasn’t just international leaders who flooded the city of Copenhagen last month for the United Nations Climate Change Conference; nonprofit and local leaders also made their way to Denmark’s capital. Brian Beauchamp of the Michigan Land Use Institute was one of them.
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Collaboration /
State, Cities and Suburbs Join Forces in Effort to Win $70M in Federal Energy Funds
By Anna Clark / Center Ring
While they might have been competitors, the State, its two largest cities and Michigan suburbs have instead come together in an uncommon partnership. They have put together a shared application to win $70 million dollars in federal energy funds that, if successful, will be used for energy efficiency projects in 39 neighborhoods.
“The heart of this grant proposal is a game-changing approach to widespread energy efficiency opportunities for our state,” said Amy Butler, bureau director of Michigan’s Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth, one of the collaborative partners on the grant.
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Techno-Regionalism
Web-savvy organizers close in on metro Detroit’s Tipping Point
By Anna Clark / Center Ring
Ten years ago, Malcolm Gladwell cued a shift in popular thinking about how change manifests in American culture through connectors, mavens and salespeople. Now, the explosion of social networking has Detroit-area leaders rethinking our approach to the “Tipping Point” and turning new tools towards regional reform.
Why is social networking so important to crafting regional change? It harnesses both people and power. Social networking offers a platform for us to connect broadly, as well as providing a virtual map for how ideas spread and choices are made. In southeast Michigan, the work of innovative people can be physically and practically disparate. The best of social networking offers an uncommon way of bringing coherence to our region. The visual and technological engagement that the network offers can be leveraged for real-life partnerships.
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The Natural Solution to Budget Woes
Recovery funds for environmental protection help cities to turn around
By Anna Clark / Center Ring
Nate Geinzer is seeing green all over these days. The assistant city manager of Farmington Hills is designing $800K worth of programming for energy projects and advancing the state’s first LEED-certified city hall. But it’s not all about greenhouse gases and global warming: like many Michigan cities, Farmington Hills will save big bucks when it leverages environmental program dollars to meet bottom line goals.
It’s no secret that southeast Michigan is blessed with abundant natural resources. Even in tough economic times, our landscapes buoy our spirits and enliven our imaginations. And now, they can also ignite our economy.
