African American-Led Grocery to Open Soon in Detroit
The Detroit People’s Food Co-op – projected to open in February at 8324 Woodward Ave. in Detroit’s North End – is an African-American-led, community-owned grocery cooperative. It seeks to address the issue of food insecurity, educate the community about nutrition and sustainability, support local businesses, and pump investment back into the area. Malik Yakini is the cofounder and executive director of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, the nonprofit organization that led the formation of the co-op, and serves on the co-op’s board. SBN Detroit spoke to Yakini about the co-op’s vision and sustainability goals. Q: Tell me about Detroit People’s Food Co-op. A: The Detroit People’s Food Co-op is a grocery store that’s in the development stage and is owned by member-owners. It’s projected to open in February 2024 and will have a full line of groceries, including produce sourced locally and regionally. It will carry value-added products that are produced by local entrepreneurs, and as much as possible we will hire staff from Detroit. The most significant part of a co-op is that it is not a corporation coming into Detroit to profit. It’s people in the community banding together to co-own the store so that the community reaps the benefits and profits. Currently, we have 1,958 member-owners. In this pre-opening stage, the member-owners make a lot of the decisions and shape the direction and culture of the store. The member-owners elect six of the nine members of the co-op’s board of directors, and DBCFSN appoints the other three. In June, the board contracted with an interim general manager who is tasked with getting the final pre-opening tasks done, coordinating the opening, and making sure that the store is positioned for success. The board hopes to hire a permanent general manager in the next few months. The other benefit of being a member-owner is the opportunity to share in the profits of the store. In any year the store is profitable, member-owners get a percentage. Q: What inspired the co-op? A: It grew out of discussions within the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network. When the network was founded in 2006, one of the goals was to support existing co-ops and to create this new food co-op. So, this has been percolating for 17 years. It grew out of the desire of members of the network to push back against extractive economic practices we see in Black communities within the food realm. There is only one Black-owned grocery store in Detroit – Linwood Fresh Market – and that is very recent. For a city that has an African American population of 80%, to have other ethnic groups owning almost all of the retail food outlets in the city and extracting those profits from the city just isn’t right I don’t want to overgeneralize. Some of the stores are doing a good job at community partnerships and some are not. But the desire is to push back against an economy where others come in and set up stores and use the profits for their communities and families. We want to keep the profits and decisions here in our community. A co-op is one of the best ways to contribute toward a circular economy. Q: Why do you think the co-op is critical from a business perspective? A: The co-op model is an important model that has historically been used by Blacks and others marginalized by the mainstream economy. It broadens the ownership base and by doing that, those member-owners provide some of the financing for the business as well as receive some of the profits. So it’s a model that is more accessible to low- and moderate-income community members who don’t have access to the capital. Q: Does this create job opportunities for those in the community? A: Yes. We are expecting the grocery store to create more than 40 new jobs. Above the store, DBCFSN will operate a banquet hall and kitchen facilities that will create more. An important piece of the kitchen facilities is that they will be available for rental, which we hope will inspire food entrepreneurs to step into this arena, and those doing it to scale up their businesses. So yes, the vision is to create specific jobs at the store and to stimulate new and existing food businesses. Q: What is the economic impact on the community? A: I can’t give specific dollar amounts, but generally what happens when a business like this opens, it creates new jobs in the community. And now you have more people in the community with income being spent in the community. We are expecting that in this way the presence of the co-op will stimulate the economy in the area. We are also already seeing an increase in property values, which is a mixed blessing. We want to revitalize this community, which has seen distress, but at the same time, we need to make sure that development happens in an equitable way and doesn’t push out existing residents. This is a dilemma we are faced with. Q: Do you think this acts as an example for others in Southeast Michigan to replicate? A: One of the things we know is that Detroit is in some ways the canary in the coal mine. Detroit is an example of what happens as the economy shifts from industrial to more information-based. We are acutely aware that Detroit is being watched by the world. So as we develop this and other programs, we are certainly creating a model that’s being watched globally, so we move with that awareness. I hope this model is replicated around the world. Q: How will the co-op educate the community about sustainability? A: An important part of the co-op will be community education. We are concerned about nutrition and health and also the health of the planet because they are bound together. So we have a number of activities that will be geared toward educating community members about issues related to the food system, how the
Interconnected Set of Greenways and Blueways to Create New Southeast Michigan Trail
There’s the Appalachian Trail in the East, the Pacific Rim Trail in the West, and the Continental Divide Trail in the Rocky Mountains. Now, Southeast Michigan will have its own regional trail called The Great Lakes Way. Over the past several years, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan (CFSEM) has convened a group of organizations, municipalities, and agencies to explore ways to build on the freshwater assets of the Southeast Michigan region. They created the vision for The Great Lakes Way. Once complete, The Great Lakes Way will be an interconnected set of greenways and blueways (water trails) stretching from southern Lake Huron to western Lake Erie, passing through the counties of Monroe, Wayne, Macomb, and St. Clair. The Way incorporates about 160 miles of greenways and 156 miles of blueways along Southeast Michigan’s coastline. SBN Detroit spoke with Greg Yankee, CFSEM director of arts and environment initiatives about the vision, the sustainability aspects, and how Southeast Michigan businesses can get involved. Q: How did The Great Lakes Way get initiated under the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan? A: We’ve been seeing a great greenway movement happening throughout the region. Communities are making serious investments in fantastic projects but there are gaps between them. It led us to think about how to connect these trails and in general, how to give more people access to trails and greenways and waterways all across the region. So, our mission is to connect people to the outdoors, to each other, and to water in a bigger way. This requires funding and community engagement and the actual work to make it happen, and all of that needs to occur in a certain order. The Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan works across all of these communities and can facilitate the outreach, coordination, and funding so it makes sense for The Great Lakes Way to have this initiative with us. We have a 35-member advisory committee at the heart of The Great Lakes Way project, providing us with information, guidance, and connections to critical resources. Committee members include representatives from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the Metroparks, Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance, the National Park Service, as well as parks and recreation leaders from the communities all along the route. Q: What solutions are you looking to provide with The Great Lakes Way? A: We feel that there is a definite need to provide more opportunities to spend more time outdoors recreating and enjoying our waterways. For me, growing up in Trenton we had Elizabeth Park on the water, but trails were limited and not connected to neighboring communities. There is a huge opportunity to strengthen community connections and make it easy for more people to experience these incredible natural resources all along our waterways. In short, there is no equitable access to water. In a lot of cases, geographical location determines whether you spend time recreating outdoors. But we are working to level the playing field and put these amenities within reach of as many Southeast Michigan communities as possible. Q: What are the goals of The Great Lakes Way from a sustainability perspective? A: Our goal is to help communities develop their public greenspaces while looking through a sustainability lens. Improving public access to water, building trails, and creating green spaces will also help grow our outdoor recreational economy – a win for the environment and the economy. When residents and businesses witness these projects making the environment healthier, getting people outside, connecting people to places, and enhancing economic opportunities, sustainability becomes more a part of our lives. We want to foster a stronger relationship between people and the watersheds they call home. Q: How does the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan oversee the implementation of these sustainability practices? A: The projects are planned and managed by the individual municipalities, of course, not us. But our team acts as a resource to help communities in the planning stages by connecting them to resources, experts, and service providers so that sustainability is not an afterthought. We seek to help, not interfere. We are mindful of and in communication with each of the municipalities and communities developing these projects. So, if, for example, Clinton Township is putting in a kayak launch and Trenton wants to do the same, we can connect the two communities to learn from each other and share resources. We do a lot of that. We value being an ally and our goal is helping and facilitating, not managing a community’s projects. Q: We hear a lot about greenways but not blueways. What is the vision for blueways? A: Again, although I grew up in Trenton, I did not consider myself to be living on the water. That’s because the area along the water was an industrial corridor and often impossible to access for recreation. We have these remarkable rivers and lakes, but traditionally it’s only been where factories go. We want to help revitalize former industrial spaces where appropriate and open them up for public recreation and enjoyment of the water. Combining greenways and blueways will be a huge victory for everyone. The defining geographic characteristic of Southeast Michigan is our waterways, and to make a shift toward people enjoying them for recreation, nature appreciation, and gathering places is exciting. This is what creating better access to blueways will provide. Q: How can The Great Lakes Way impact the economy in Southeast Michigan? A: We commissioned a study on the economic impact of The Great Lakes Way. The study shows, all told and over time, that the total economic impact of The Great Lakes Way is in the billions of dollars. Q: How will The Great Lakes Way impact businesses in Southeast Michigan? A: The outdoor recreation businesses will be positively impacted, no doubt. Businesses and other points of interest located along the Way will benefit from people who stop for lunch, coffee, shopping, or to check out a historical landmark. We strongly believe that employers now recognize the
Recycling Rates in Michigan Are At an All-Time High
According to a recent press conference from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), recycling in the Great Lakes Region is now at an all-time high. The total amount of residential recycled materials being reported for fiscal year (FY) 2022 was 620,494 tons – that’s over 66,000 tons more than the previous new record set the year prior. Materials Michiganders recycled last year would fill the football stadiums at Ford Field, Michigan State University’s Spartan Stadium, and the Big House at the University of Michigan. Michiganders recycled over 339,000 tons of paper and paper products during FY 2022, more than 154,000 tons of metals, more than 71,000 tons of glass, and over 45,000 tons of plastics and plastic products. SBN Detroit spoke to the executive director of the Michigan Recycling Coalition, Kerrin O’Brien, and executive director of Green Living Science, Natalie Jakub to get their unique perspectives on how the state got here and how businesses in Southeast Michigan are participating. Q: Recycling rates in Michigan are now at an all-time high. How did we get here? O’Brien: There is a history of recycling in Michigan communities. Those communities that made recycling a priority began to develop their own programs. With advocacy through the Michigan Recycling Coalition, we started to see state-level leadership around 2014. Then Governor Rick Snyder saw the value of recycling and productive materials management and funded four additional recycling technical assistance staffers. The state department also began working with stakeholders to identify the level of funding needed to support a robust recycling program in the state. Funding for recycling was passed in 2018 which supports community grants for infrastructure and market development which are needed to grow recycling in Michigan. Q: How do you think education has impacted the increase in recycling? Jakub: Green Living Science works a lot with youth and in schools and one of the things we continue to hear is that families will often begin recycling because their children have learned about it and want to institute it in their homes. So, more education at a young age is a natural part of this behavior. The more conversations we have about the impact that waste has on our lives, people start to understand. The simpler we can make the education and the actual act of recycling we will see more people willing to participate. The city of Detroit has a 40% recycling participation is a huge jump from 11% a decade ago, so people and businesses are learning and largely eager to support. Q: How does Green Living Science work with businesses in Southeast Michigan regarding recycling practices? Jakub: GLS began in 2011 with a focus on education in the schools but over the years we started to see a great need for local businesses to get support setting up programs. Many businesses don’t have a dedicated staff person so it’s typically an administrator now tasked with everything that is involved with recycling – which can be a lot. We developed a program called Bee Green Business to make it easy for businesses that includes setting up infrastructure, bins, signage, and education. Bee Green Business is an education and certification program that aids businesses and their employees in becoming responsible corporate citizens. This program has been successful from small independent brands like 14 East Café and Red Crown restaurant to large institutions like Henry Ford Health, Ally Financial the DIA, and more. A challenge we commonly see in commercial facilities is that they weren’t designed for more than one waste stream, so there are challenges with space issues and infrastructure needed to make the programs run smoothly and efficiently. Many haulers only offer dumpsters for recycling and we’ve learned that there’s a great need for cart programs. Something mobile that can be moved from an office to a loading dock and dumped. Q: How can we and are we bringing more businesses into our recycling efforts? O’Brien: Our perspective is that recycling services need to be on par with waste services. If we are serious about developing a circular economy and getting the most value out of the materials already circulating in our society then we have to divert waste to recycling. We are working to assure businesses have the services they need to do this. Businesses also have to make the budget and program choices to say yes recycling is worth it. Reducing waste can add to the bottom line and savings can be used to expand services to make recycling even more efficient. Real progress will be driven by a combination of factors including public opinion, consumer choice, manufacturer ESG goals, future resource needs, and policy. Together we think these elements are moving businesses to make smart choices with end-of-life materials. Q: What can businesses get even better at recycling? O’Brien: Right now, brands are driving recycling in a new way. Many national, and international brands are looking at where the resources for making future products will come from and many of them are recognizing that recycling provides them with needed feedstock for new products This long-term thinking about product development and impacts provides good reason to recycle for all of us. In addition, many more job and business opportunities will develop locally as we get better at sorting through waste to recover and process resources for manufacturing that would otherwise be thrown away. Q: What does all of this mean for job creation in Southeast Michigan? O’Brien: This is a big topic but basically what we are talking about in the development of a circular economy is creating a new sector based on extracting resources where no one saw resources before. Anything we can do in this new sector – collection, diversion, processing, secondary processing to turn plastic to pellets, for example, means a new business opportunity in this region, the state, and the country. Diverting the resources that are in our waste offers a huge opportunity for new jobs. Q: Governor Whitmer and the
MGM Grand Casino: Systems, Recycling, and Goals Are Key to Sustainability Efforts
MGM Grand Detroit is one of three casino resort hotels in Detroit and one of four in the Detroit–Windsor area. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by MGM Resorts International. The hotel opened in 2007. SBN Detroit interviewed Jay Love, vice president of facilities, and Carlton Dennard, director of environmental science and housekeeping, about sustainability planning and efforts in facilities and maintenance. Love said he is responsible for “anything that moves water or air within the facility.” He oversees general maintenance and works to improve processes and services for guests, as well as contributing to the maintenance strategy to extend the life of equipment and assets within the casino and hotel. Denard has been with MGM Grand Detroit since it opened and oversees a team of 250. He is responsible for the game floor and front and back of the house and the cleanliness of 400 guest rooms. Q: What type of sustainability planning does MGM Grand Detroit do? Dennard: In my role – among other things – we are heavily focused on recycling and it’s been a big commitment since day one in 2007. The goals that corporate institutes continually evolve, and we follow their lead. Love: Our corporate leadership team in Las Vegas rolls out a plan for every property each year. We pursue sustainability efforts in line with that. We’re committed to sustainability and reducing our environmental impact, while also contributing to economic growth in the region. Q: What are some of your current initiatives and goals in sustainability? Dennard: We are working on surpassing our annual recycling numbers. Last year we recycled 280k pounds and we are looking to continually increase these recycling efforts. When it comes to energy, our goal is to convert to 100% renewable energy by 2030. One example of work there is replacing all lights with LED bulbs. When it comes to housekeeping, we use environmentally friendly chemicals and cleaners. Ecolab supplies the resorts with chemicals daily. We also have a Green Advantage Program. If guests are staying for more than two nights, they can opt to reuse towels to decrease the waste involved in replacing towels. Love: The facilities department is working to reduce electrical consumption by 2.5% this year. This is done by adjusting set points to ensure units are not running as long or as hard, installing occupancy sensors, and making sure our mechanical equipment runs efficiently. So, we are really focusing on chillers, chilled water setpoints, boilers, boiler setpoints, heat exchangers, and that type of equipment. We’ve done a lot of preventive maintenance to ensure that the equipment operates as efficiently as possible. Longer-term goals are to reduce carbon emissions per square foot by 45%, and water by 33%. Toward these goals – and others – we have best practices laid out by our corporate office. Q: What are your biggest challenges? Dennard: It’s critical to remain proactive instead of reactive and with a facility of this size, that can be challenging. Love: Staying in front of reactive repairs to minimize the impact on the operation is key. If a boiler goes down, we need to have a redundancy in place, so we are ready to roll right away. And from a sustainability standpoint again, maintenance and ensuring efficiencies are key. Q: How does sustainability come into play when choosing vendors and partners? Dennard: There is a bid process used when selecting vendors and sustainability plays a large factor in our decisions. Love: It weighs heavily in all of our decisions. We go through a strict and thorough process with the purchasing department to approve all vendors. Also, to ensure all equipment purchased is up to spec and within sustainability guidelines. We will always consider bringing on new and local vendors to continue to diversify and support the economy. Q: How do you think your sustainability work impacts the businesses and communities around you? Dennard: Going back to recycling as one example on my end – MGM is responsible for 17% of recycling in the city of Detroit. I’m proud of that number and looking to grow it. We are working toward collaborating with other casinos in the city to that end. That has a significant impact on the community around us and the city of Detroit. Love: I think there is a huge impact. Any time we roll out a new initiative we try to use local businesses and minority-owned businesses to help the local economy and also to set an example. I think there is a domino effect. I think our commitment to sustainability demonstrates that economic growth and environmental responsibility can coexist, creating a better future for everyone. More about MGM Detroit’s environmental efforts can be found here Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for regular updates on sustainable business practices in and around Detroit.
SEMCOG Working to Develop Plan to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) recently was allocated $1 million to develop a plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful air pollution through the US-EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program. The plan will cover the MSA’s six counties – Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, St. Clair, Livingston, and Lapeer – as well as Washtenaw and Monroe counties. The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), which is the lead agency for Southeast Michigan’s Climate Action Plan, will manage the funds. The plan is in place to help local governments improve and maintain Southeast Michigan’s transportation systems, environmental quality, economic interests, and infrastructure. SBN interviewed SEMCOG Planning Director Kevin Vettraino about what this will involve, how it will roll out, and how it impacts businesses, residents, and communities in Southeast Michigan. Q: Tell us about SEMCOG. A: SEMCOG is the regional planning organization for the seven counties that make up the Southeast Michigan region: Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw, and Wayne counties. Our primary mission is to support our local government members, including counties, cities, villages, townships, and educational institutions. We work to improve the quality of the region’s water, make the transportation system safer and more efficient, revitalize communities, and spur economic development. These things shape the areas we get involved in. I like to say we focus on planning for the issues or opportunities that cross geographic or community boundaries, such as roads, rivers, lakes, air, and the economy. Q: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency allocated $1 million to develop plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and SEMCOG is acting as the lead agency to develop a climate action plan. What will this entail? A: At a high level, the plan will establish community-developed and evidence-based methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that will meet the requirements of the EPA and CPRG. One approach is to enhance natural areas that capture carbon. The plan will also integrate extensive stakeholder outreach and input, along with equity considerations, and consider the impact of policies, strategies, and actions from the regional level down to the household level. This work complements the recently adopted Southeast Michigan GREEN: Strategic Framework for Growing our Resilience, Equity, and Economy with Nature, which is an initiative to address some of the region’s most pressing challenges – managing floods, fostering climate resilience, improving community health, and protecting our natural assets – all while creating vibrant places where people want to live and where businesses will thrive. Q: What is the next step and timeframe for action? A: The next step will be launching a task force with the intent to meet at least eight times over two years. Part of the large overarching task force will be smaller focus groups that will cover more specific parts of the plan. The focus groups have not been formed yet, but they are likely to focus on transit, energy efficiencies, EVs and the impacts of the transition, materials management, and nature-based opportunities and impacts. Beyond the focus groups is community engagement. This is critical for success. It’s important for us to have a two-pronged approach here, that being education and data sharing and also public engagement and input. Q: What does community engagement entail? A: Surveys, local meetings, webinars, and other outreach with a lens toward ensuring that the benefits and policies that come out of this work support all residents, including lower-income residents. These people have traditionally been underrepresented and more impacted, and we need to ensure that any actions we take support them and don’t further negatively impact them. Q: How will this impact Southeast Michigan businesses and communities? A: My hope is that through our work there is an education component. In basic terms, we need to make sure we are speaking the same language. There are a lot of terms around climate action such as equity, green infrastructure, etc., and we need to ensure that whether you are a business, community, government entity, or a resident, we all have a similar understanding regarding what these terms mean and why they are important. I hope that business leaders can see themselves within the strategies, policies, and actions that come out of this work and align with them. We all have a role to play in this. This plan will not be the silver bullet that can solve the climate challenges in the region but all of us together can make an impact. From installing a green roof or rain garden to ensuring all people have safe facilities to walk or bike to destinations, whether it’s a sidewalk or bike path or considering nature-based and green infrastructure solutions when putting in a new parking lot or reconstructing a roadway, there are things we all need to be thinking about and doing. Q: What are your main challenges? A: Again, it’s getting a common set of words and a familiar language. It’s also about education and making everyone understand the importance of the plan, and working toward a healthier region, and putting sustainability practices in place to support our climate long into the future. A lot of our work targets dates far into the future, such as 2050, and sometimes it’s difficult to get buy-in when it’s so long-term. The challenge is we need buy-in and immediate action to get to where we want on the horizon. Q: What are the main opportunities? A: First, we have the $1 million funding to help develop a plan, inventory our greenhouse gas emissions, and develop policies – which is great. Through the development of this plan, the region and our communities and businesses will become competitive for an estimated $4.6 billion in EPA grant funding for implementation. Second, if we are able to get folks both in leadership and residents across the region to both understand the importance of the action plan and to be intentional about environmental justice and the allocation of funds and the action to support those directly impacted, that is a great success. Q:
Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority Seeks Decarbonization
Michigan’s largest inland port, the Port of Detroit is located on the Detroit River in Wayne County as well as the navigable portions of the Rouge River. The Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority oversees the port, which is made up of multiple marine terminals for handling general, liquid, and bulk cargo as well as passengers. Each year, the Port Authority oversees more than eight million tons of cargo at 29 private and public sector terminal facilities in the Port of Detroit, including international and domestic commodities, which are shipped in and out of the port. The port is the third-largest steel-handling port in the nation. At the Port Authority’s own terminal, steel, aluminum, and project cargoes are handled for the support of the manufacturing community in Southeast Michigan. Now, the port is undergoing a decarbonization project which aims to reduce its environmental impact and improve air quality. The decarbonization project will be undertaken in partnership with Tunley Engineering and Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision (SDEV) and will involve a range of initiatives, including the implementation of renewable energy sources, the electrification of port equipment, and the use of cleaner fuels while ensuring residents and businesses in the area are involved and have input. Said Raquel Garcia, executive director of SDEV, “We are on board to – among other things – make sure the community understands what’s happening in their own backyard and that they have access to people leading the project.” SBN Detroit spoke with the executive director of the port, Mark Schrupp, about the project and its impact on tourism, area businesses, and more. Q: The Port of Detroit is going green with the goal of net zero by 2040. Can you provide some background on how you arrived here and how you are taking this on? A: Discussions originated in early 2022 with the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers, looking at ways to help decarbonize the maritime industry. Our two overarching goals are to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A lot of the ports on the West Coast and Europe have been doing good work for several years. The Midwest is a little behind but starting to accelerate. We reached out to state Sen. Stephanie Chang, and she has been a great supporter. She assisted in helping us to secure $1 million in state funding to undertake a study on where we are today and develop a plan to decarbonize. The big challenge is that the Port Authority does not have the authority to compel the private terminals, which are responsible for 95% of the cargo, to participate. We have been identifying incentives and working to persuade these terminals to develop a single plan, measure the greenhouse gas emissions, and develop strategies together. To start, we needed outside expertise. We put together a scope of work in December and put out an RFP and ended up partnering with Tunley Engineering, which has been eager to jump in and help. We have also been working heavily with Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision (SDEV) who – among other things – is helping us to connect to the community to ensure we understand what their interests are. You can’t take on just a decarbonization plan… in the port region where people work and live it’s also about air quality, vibrations, sound and particulate matter, and more. So, we are looking at these things and working to address them through best practices. Since April, we’ve been engaging with terminals to get a baseline report of greenhouse gas emissions for each terminal. Once finished, we will publish an interactive map for people to see the current carbon footprint. We are specifically looking at the carbon footprint of moving cargo in and off the water – not the industrial practices of the businesses. We are also looking at the cruise ships that we service at our downtown dock, and the impacts and the footprint of governmental entities that participate in the port, such as the Detroit Police Harbor Master, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and more. This is a good time to be taking all of this on. There is a lot of federal and state funding and tax incentives that help bring down the initial cost of switching fuel sources. We’ll be applying for grants to help the terminals move forward. Q: What other entities are you working with to take on this project? A: We are engaging with many organizations and local sustainability offices to help and support our efforts. We have been working with The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to get data and take advantage of any grant opportunities to tackle air quality and particulate emissions. We have met with the EPA Region 5 office in Chicago to stay close in terms of funding opportunities and ways they can support our efforts. The International Maritime Organization has a 2050 plan in place and is setting standards around the fuel in the ships that move in international waterways. They are looking at cleaner fuel alternatives as well. The Port has a fueling station run by Waterfront Petroleum, and they are working toward a biodiesel fuel that can be used without having to change engines. Maritime infrastructure is very expensive and lasts a long time, so making changes needs to be planned carefully. Changing fuel to a lower carbon footprint, like biodiesel is a good first step because it doesn’t require any changes to ship engines. Zero-carbon fuels like hydrogen and ammonia will take more planning and investment. We can’t do it all at once but should do what we can as we work in the right direction. Q: Do you think this a unique undertaking for a port authority? A: Ports on the coasts have been working on this for some time. California has led the way and those ports are ahead of us. The Port of Cleveland has done work to reduce its carbon footprint. So, they are a little ahead of us, but
AECOM, Building the Economy, Sustainability Through Infrastructure
The work of AECOM Great Lakes Inc., which moved its primary office housing about 75 employees to Detroit last year, is the designer and builder of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, is designing the Henry Ford Macomb Hospital expansion, and also is working on I-75 and I-696 replacement work in addition to other infrastructure projects. The office is part of Dallas-based AECOM – ranked No. 310 on the 2023 Fortune 500 – which works on infrastructure projects across the globe. SBN Detroit talked with G. Jerry Attia, AECOM Great Lakes vice president and managing principal, about how the company thinks about and acts on sustainability and how its presence in Detroit impacts the city and Southeast Michigan. Q: What should we know about AECOM’s approach to sustainability? A: AECOM is the world’s largest infrastructure consulting firm, and we design infrastructure in four main areas: Vertical infrastructure – mostly buildings and anything vertical. Horizontal infrastructure that consists mostly of transportation systems such as highways, train rails, rapid transit, and other transportation systems, etc. Underground water infrastructure including stormwater management systems, water distribution systems, and other electrical systems. Program management for infrastructure systems that fall outside of those three groups. We also have an environmental business. When it comes to sustainability, everything we do uses carbon, so we have a large focus on the environment and resilience around infrastructure and building decisions. Within our new office in Detroit, when it comes to ESG (environmental, social, and governance) we put a lot of emphasis on the S – making good social decisions. In today’s market, often the “E” takes precedence over the “S,” and in cities like Detroit, the “S” must come first. Understanding the needs and constantly seeking the voice of disenfranchised people as to how they interact with infrastructure is paramount. So, we like to think about the “whom” in infrastructure. There has been a history of poorly made infrastructure decisions that have adversely affected certain social groups and as such they become less resilient. One example of this is the highway designs and redlining that happened in the ‘50s and continues to this day. Infrastructure is developed to enhance the economy and create economic development but often is not focused on the needs of disenfranchised people. A lot of my work in Detroit is focused on advancing opportunities for African Americans in engineering and architecture. Q: Will you elaborate a bit on how you think AECOM’s approach now keeps in mind the “whom” in infrastructure so as to not adversely affect certain social groups? A: I always insist we do two things we did not use to do on every project. First, we seek out the most diverse team possible – including gender, racial, and ethnic diversity. I believe that diversity of thought is the key to creativity. Second, we seek out as many people who are going to be affected by the imposition of whatever infrastructure project or building we are considering and get their perspectives in advance. This means get out of the C-suite and into the user groups, look for unintended consequences of actions, study history to understand the shortcoming of previous infrastructure projects, look for consensus and collaboration among people and seize on it, address the concerns as thoughtfully as possible, and incorporate the affected individuals needs into the solution. Design thinking can be really helpful when solving big problems. I work to lead the team to look always look for multiple benefit solutions, always be empathetic, and always seek out unique perspectives to understand a problem more deeply. And that only happens with diversity. Q: Has AECOM always had this focus on sustainability? A: It’s an important legacy for all of us, and AECOM formally adopted an ESG profile about three years ago. We are a $14 billion organization with nearly 45,000 employees and we are not as diverse as I think we should be. But I’m proud to say that when you look at the Detroit office it’s a strong representation of our city. Q: Your website says that you are leading the change towards a more sustainable and equitable future, partnering with those who want to make a positive difference in the world. How and who in Southeast Michigan are you partnering with? A: We talk about this in a couple of ways. We seek clients who are interested in doing the right thing for the environment in general. Most municipalities and government entities are focused on it and we work with several of them – Oakland County, Wayne County, the City of Detroit, and more. By and large, AECOM can teach as much as do. We look for minority partners who share our interest in advancing opportunities for disenfranchised people. I think the size of AECOM and our depth and breadth of work gives us a platform to serve as a good example to others. Q: How do you think the decision to move your primary office in Michigan to downtown Detroit speaks to the revitalization of Detroit? A: Yes, we moved our primary office in June 2022 to Willis and Woodward in the Cass Corridor. We had planned to do so earlier but due to the pandemic, it took longer than we had wanted. Large companies bring economic development opportunities to the areas in which they are located, so I think AECOM’s presence in Detroit helps to contribute to the city in some key ways, such as paying city taxes, employing Detroiters, and bringing our employees to the area to help the restaurants and retail, etc. I’d like to see more companies do this. Q: How do you think the work that you are doing now out of this new office impacts sustainability in and around Detroit? A: We look at every project through the lens of sustainability, resilience, and diversity and I think our presence helps more people use this lens for the city. Sustainability is just as much about society as it is about the environment and good decision-making around
A Social Investment Model Designed to Give Power to Residents and Local Businesses
Rishi Moudgil leads the GreenLight Fund of Detroit, a locally driven, cross-sector, community-centered model to collectively identify critical paths to prosperity and invest in equitable social impact programs for children and families facing economic barriers in Detroit. SBN Detroit spoke to Moudgil about the model, sustainability, and impact on Detroit residents, businesses, and stakeholders. Q: Tell us about GreenLight Fund – what is the impetus behind it? A: We are focused on tackling poverty and its effects on residents by investing in solutions that complement the local landscape and boost the existing ecosystem with a proven model that has had a track record in other urban areas. We believe that for a social impact model to succeed and scale it must be aligned directly with who it serves and therefore local folks must drive the process of both determining their needs and selecting the ventures we invest in. It comes back to the challenge of pushing into a community versus being pulled. Our unique model is pull-through. We organize the stakeholders and local advocates to ensure that only programs that align with their needs and have high quality are brought in. Q: What are examples of programs you’ve invested in and the outcomes? A: A workforce program example is the Center for Employment Opportunities. We launched this in Detroit, and it offers immediate and comprehensive employment options for those who have been incarcerated. It’s a multistage model that helps folks to gain immediate employment and put them on a path for long-term work. This dramatically reduces the human cost and financial costs of returning to the justice system. They also partner with existing organizations to shift policy measures that benefit thousands of residents to stabilize their lives and gain employment. Another workforce program is the New Teacher Center, which provides new instructors with embedded support to enhance teaching practice and retention. This builds sustainability within their jobs and student learning gains in the classroom. The program has trained over 150 veteran teachers who mentor new teachers with evidence-based support and it’s reducing the turnover rate in the Detroit Public Schools community district. These programs each came by a community-led process where local residents helped determine the gaps in their communities. We also then hire Detroiters to run the new programs. Q: Relating it to sustainability and businesses in Southeast Michigan – what role does economic sustainability play in your investment strategy in Detroit? A: The key foundation for people to prosper is a combination of economic stability and to have opportunities to advance. Workforce opportunities are critical, and in a place that has been plagued by disinvestment for so long, workforce and economic programs are not enough. We need to wrap around human services transit, housing, education, and more. There are so many topics related to creating an economic foundation for individuals and businesses. Q: What role does environmental sustainability play? A: We can’t have stable places to live, work and play unless the environment is stable. And low-income neighborhoods are some of the most environmentally unsound areas, so this exacerbates a host of problems that continues the cycle of poverty. But where development occurs, home ownership will follow, and thus begins the process of building a more sustainable community. Q: Your website says, ‘Our deep connection with the community and strategic partnerships help organizations ramp up and start producing direct, meaningful change. This ongoing support enables organizations to thrive over time.’ How does this work? A: What we are doing is shifting an approach of social investing to both trusting residents directly and developing stronger outcomes. We rely on residents to choose their destinies. We raise unrestricted capital from partners around the city and hand the funding decisions back to local stakeholders. Deep and ongoing trust is the key ingredient toward achieving the best outcomes. After we launch, we hold a seat on their board, shepherd additional partners and resources, and help create a path of success. Q: How do you account for ROI in your investments? A: We are completely focused on social ROI, as are all of our social investment recipients. We co-develop social impact metrics with both our communities and organizations before we begin operations so there is a clear set of performance outcomes we all agree on. Each organization has a set of outcomes that we all pull together toward achieving, and we know that if these goals are achieved then we are achieving the goals desired by our stakeholders. Q: What’s the largest hurdle you face? A: The biggest challenge is the people and families that have been in some of our neighborhoods the longest have received a disproportionate brunt of the disinvestment. There is no silver bullet. Multiple efforts need to be tackled over the long term. We have to be honest about how we all got here and have difficult conversations about race and gender and inequality. So, one of the largest hurdles is alignment. Are the solutions properly aligned to the true needs of the people and planet and are they sustainable to create lasting change over time. Q: How do you see the city’s Sustainability Action Agenda aligning with the work you are doing? A: We are completely aligned with the agenda and believe we need integrated action. This means centering people and the planet simultaneously. We can no longer isolate variables and expect progress. Sustainability and social impact goals must be front and center as we build toward the future. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for regular updates on sustainable business practices in and around Detroit.
Eastern Michigan University – Steam Heat, Solar Panels, and a Recent Bronze STARS Rating
Eastern Michigan University approaches sustainability through a systemized framework and a community-derived mindset that together drive several sustainability initiatives and sustainable infrastructure endeavors on campus. For its sustainability framework, EMU uses the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) and its Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) system and has developed a President’s Sustainability Commission, comprising a broad array of offices and people across the university to develop and execute sustainable practices. SBN Detroit spoke to Tom Kovacs, chair of the president’s sustainability commission and professor of meteorology and climate in the Department of Geography & Geology, about EMU’s sustainability efforts. Q: What are some of the recent sustainability initiatives you’ve put into place? A: First, we are very proud to have completed our STARS certification process and received Bronze Certification. We know that there is room for improvement, which is what we are working on this year. One of the areas we scored lower on is engagement, so to that end, we are building sustainability information into our orientation for 2023 and also are doing a lot more to let people know the sustainability commission exists and inviting people in to help with our efforts. We also very recently partnered with a sustainable mobility solution – Spin Scooters – as the exclusive scooter provider on campus which is helping a lot with student and staff transportation. Another development is a new partnership with EnergySage. EnergySage provides a marketplace that connects interested parties to vetted installers. You simply list your needs, and the various installers provide you with a quote and basically compete for your business, so you ultimately get the best deal. There is also an educational component of EnergySage that offers advisors to help work through the options, as well as a full library of resources on clean energy, and how to live more sustainably. This collaboration helps us improve our STARS ranking and benefits the EMU community so it’s a win-win. Q: How is the university’s heat powered? A: We have a 55-ton cogeneration system that is powered by natural gas and produces electricity and steam. The system supplies approximately 98 percent of the heat and 93 percent of the electricity to the 800-acre campus. The unit will create an annual reduction of 21,305 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), equivalent to 78.2 million miles driven by an average passenger vehicle – or the preservation of 260 acres of forests. Q: What are some other examples of campus infrastructure focused on sustainability? A: We have solar panels installed at bus stops lining the perimeter of campus and one in the middle of campus. The energy from the sun is stored in the battery assemblies to be utilized during the evening hours to keep travelers safe. We also have a student-led Giving Garden that provides an opportunity for staff, faculty, students, and Ypsilanti residents to grow fresh produce. It’s also used to educate local preschoolers and other students in the area. There is a new composting effort underway, and the garden provides locally grown food to the Swoops Pantry. Q: What is the Swoops Pantry? A: The Swoops Pantry was initiated by a former EMU student and is run by a leadership board of faculty, staff, students, and alumni volunteers. It operates as a sustainable resource for food-insecure students. There is a large stigma involved so they work hard to make things discreet and anonymous. Similar to Swoops, we also recently initiated an EMU Career Closet that provides apparel for students going on interviews. This is a great resource for those who don’t have the means to shop and purchase extra clothing. Q: The dining services in EMU dorms are managed by Compass Group’s Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services. What does this mean in terms of sustainable food practices? A: We shifted to privatized dining about six years ago and work with Compass Group to make dining a more sustainable endeavor. They’ve partnered with local community gardens; they work to incorporate composting; they work to limit waste; and they host a number of events such as Meatless Mondays and Farm to Fork luncheons. They also host a teaching kitchen. We have people from their team who volunteer on our Sustainability Commission, and they will be speaking at our student orientations on sustainability. Q: You also have an office supply program – Partnering for Sustainability. A: Yes, in 2019 we partnered with Office Depot. This allows the EMU community to purchase greener office products and select greener options when available. Recycled bags and reusable plastic totes are also used for delivery versus boxes. Q: What are your areas of focus for the near future? A: We’ll continue all of our efforts in the initiatives we’ve discussed here and seek to enhance them where appropriate. And again, coming off of the recent STARS certification process, our big focus is engaging the community in all of these efforts and more to work toward a greener campus and surrounding area. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for regular updates on sustainable business practices in and around Detroit.
Energy Savings Plus Workforce Development Aids Companies, Students
The Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) at Michigan State University, in collaboration with Michigan Technological University and Henry Ford College, offers the 6,200+ small and medium manufacturers (SMEs) in Michigan free technical assessments to help save energy, improve productivity, reduce waste, and reduce carbon emissions. As a result, the institutions are helping to build and expand a knowledgeable and diverse energy workforce pipeline. The scope of topics covered includes: – Energy and water savings – Smart manufacturing – Energy management – Cybersecurity – Resilience planning – Decarbonization – Electrification SBN Detroit spoke to Dr. Kristen Cetin, associate professor at MSU in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. She also is the director of the MSU Industrial Assessment Center. Q: Tell me about the Industrial Assessment Center A: We are a U.S. Department of Energy-funded center focused on two things: First, we support small and medium-sized manufacturers and commercial building owners by providing one-day no-cost assessments to identify opportunities to improve and support their energy and sustainability goals. Our second focus is workforce development. Once students graduate they take manufacturing and sustainability and energy knowledge into the workforce. Some students will go on to jobs in manufacturing or energy, and others perhaps not, but will know to integrate what they’ve learned in whatever career they pursue. We are one of 37 IAC centers across the country, and ours is a collaboration between Michigan State University, Michigan Tech, and Henry Ford College. Q: How did the IAC come to be? A: The Department of Energy program has been in existence since the ‘70s to support energy efficiency, and every five years they do a funding call. That’s where it began. Michigan has not had an IAC for about six years. I moved here from Iowa and was surprised that this manufacturing-rich area did not have an IAC providing this service. So, when the funding call came out we applied for Topic 1, which is the manufacturing side, and Topic 2, which is the commercial building side, pilot program. We knew MSU alone couldn’t easily support all regions of Michigan given how big Michigan is. Michigan Tech is surrounded by important and different industries, so they were a natural collaboration to support the northern part of the state. Collaborating with Henry Ford College as a community college helps us to support the Detroit area, as well as to better reach more commercial buildings. This collaboration also enables broader diversity of students to participate in terms of training. So we partnered, and it’s been going very well to date. Q: What does the assessment process involve and how much support do you offer outside of the assessment? A: The assessment process begins with a thorough analysis of utility bills, followed by a one-day in-person assessment. Sometimes we leave datalogger equipment to continue to monitor the operation of energy-consuming systems after the assessment. Once the assessment and analysis are complete a full report is written up including detailed recommendations, estimates of energy efficiencies, and associated costs. We then follow up about a year after the assessment to see what was implemented, if there were efficiencies gained, and receive feedback on what was actionable and what was not. This helps us figure out what we can do better and what kind of impact each assessment has made. In terms of supporting the implementation of our recommendations, we do a few things. If appropriate we contact utility companies to see if there are rebates or incentives that fit well. We also connect interested companies to the Better Plants program, which can help facilitate larger-scope initiatives and provide ongoing support beyond our assessments. And finally, a new development that is just becoming available is a matching grant program to support any company that completes the assessment. Part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law implementation, this is a new grant that will match company funds to support implementation of the changes recommended in the post-assessment report. Q: Are all assessments the same or do they vary depending on the building? A: We typically have one day to do them, so to that end we follow a similar schedule and format. But our recommendations and areas of focus vary depending on what kind of manufacturing the company is doing, or what kind of commercial building it is. We do a walk-through in the morning and obtain information about all of their systems in place. At lunch, we brainstorm about areas of improvement, and then we split into groups to dive deeper into those areas throughout the afternoon. Q: How many assessments are done annually? A: We do 30 assessments per year, approximately 20 of which are manufacturers and ten commercial buildings. Q: What is the role of the students? A: This is very much a student-led program. Students are the main point of contact with each of the companies we work with, the lead in the discussions, the lead in data collection, and all aspects of the program. There is a student lead for each assessment, and that person is in charge of setting up the logistics and takes the lead during the assessment. They also present the report and recommendations to the companies we work with. They also lead the student group in creating the report draft review, which is then reviewed and approved before sharing with the company. The faculty and staff in the IAC help to support and generate ideas, provide technical expertise, as well as review recommendations and overall reports. Our student groups range from approximately three to eight per assessment. Approximately 90% of the students are undergraduates from a variety of engineering and non-engineering backgrounds. There is also a three-credit training course that students in the IAC take during their first semester in the program. All students are paid for the work they do, including training. Q: What does it mean to have this practical hands-on experience? A: I think this hands-on training is even more valuable than taking classes. It’s invaluable – this
