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 Industrial designer Tom Newhouse has been committed to environmentally sensitive design for 40 years — long before the word “sustainability” was coined. Committed to “walking the talk,” Newhouse designed and constructed his own passive solar, earth-sheltered home and studio on Grand Rapids’ west side when he was only 28. He’s been driving hybrids since they came on the market, but is more proud of the fact that his commute to the office is 13 stairs. Newhouse is a frontrunner in West Michigan’s green movement in the areas of office furniture, LED lighting, kitchen cabinetry and appliances.
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 GRAND RAPIDS — A low-key but high-powered group of West Michigan influencers and business leaders thinks it’s time to put the rapids back in the Grand. They want to restore a 2-mile-long section of the namesake river flowing through downtown Grand Rapids to attract whitewater enthusiasts.
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When author Michael Nelson spoke at the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum’s January meeting, his talk about the book he co-edited, “Moral Ground: Ethical Action for a Planet in Peril,” touched off an idea.
Why not create a local collection of essays about what drives people’s passions about sustainability in West Michigan, the forum members asked. That idea spawned the creation of an essay contest, which attracted more than 40 entries from business leaders, students and community members.
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When author Michael Nelson spoke at the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum’s January meeting, his talk about the book he co-edited, “Moral Ground: Ethical Action for a Planet in Peril,” touched off an idea.
Why not create a local collection of essays about what drives people’s passions about sustainability in West Michigan, the forum members asked. That idea spawned the creation of an essay contest, which attracted more than 40 entries from business leaders, students and community members.
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 WEST MICHIGAN — In West Michigan, natural resources — especially those associated with water — are essential to the economic health of the region.
As the area continues to develop, land conservancies are taking a hard look at how they plan to stay relevant and engage the communities they work in.
The goal of conservancies is to protect and manage portfolios of unique and important land that are vital to maintaining a vibrant quality of life. However, funding issues, member support and maintaining relevance are some of the big questions facing conservancies as they contemplate their role in the region’s future.
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 WEST MICHIGAN — A new program not only helps members of the community to find affordable housing, but it also serves as a vehicle to teach other people the skills they need for a successful career in the construction industry.
In March, State Farm Insurance contributed $20,000 to link Grand Rapids Community College’s Tassel M-TEC program, Ferris State University’s Michigan Energy Center and Grand Rapids Public School’s Academy of Design and Construction in a project designed to help Habitat For Humanity of Kent County construct or renovate housing for those in need on Grand Rapids’ southeast side.
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