environment

The cycletrack on Catherine Street in downtown Ann Arbor is expanding to make pedestrian travel through downtown safer. WEMU’s Ana Longoria has the details.

It's a special fundraising edition of "1st Friday Focus on the Environment." For a final time, WEMU's David Fair co-hosts this segment. He's joined by his co-host of more than 25 years, Lisa Wozniak from the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. And they're also joined by the original co-host and co-founder of 1st Fridays, Lana Pollack, the former state Senator from Ann Arbor, President of the Michigan Environmental Council and U.S Chair of the International Joint Commission.

The Ann Arbor Planning Commission has approved a rezoning and site plan for a new apartment complex on West Huron. WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert reports.

We often ask ourselves how we can make a difference in the health of our environment at home. One of the answers is to build a rain garden. There are now well over 1,000 rain gardens in Washtenaw County as the Water Resources Commissioner's Office has scaled a decentralized network to capture and filter stormwater. It's making a difference, and the effort will expand this year. WEMU's David Fair gets more details in a conversation with Rain Garden Coordinator, Susan Bryan.

Eastern Michigan University students spearheaded a recent effort to transform the annual Southeast Michigan Stewardship Coalition (SEMIS) Community Forum into a zero-waste event for the first time. Thanks to their efforts, 250 pounds of food and other materials were composted, and 165 pounds of unused food were recovered and donated to Ypsilanti-based Hope Clinic, resulting in less than a third of a bag of waste from the event going to a landfill. Lee Van Roth talked about the event and what it may lead to with SEMIS Coalition Director Anna Balzer.

As energy bills continue to rise the Michigan League of Conservation Voters is renewing the push for the passage of a state Ratepayer Bill of Rights. WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert reports.

Local restaurant and wholesaler Juicy Kitchen is nearing reopening after a freezer fire that forced the Maple Road establishment to close this past September. WEMU’s Ana Longoria reports.

It’s A2ZERO week in the City of Ann Arbor. Mayor Christopher Taylor joins in with a signed proclamation at tonight’s City Council meeting. WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert reports.

The University of Michigan collected more than 16 tons of reusable goods during the spring student move-out. It was a record for the long-running program design to reduce landfill materials. WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert reports.

The City of Ann Arbor is preparing to add electric vehicles to its A2ZERO Home Energy and Yard Care Rebates program beginning in July. WEMU’s Ana Longoria has the details.