Mid-Michigan Environmental Action Council

©2004 Mid-Michigan Environmental Action Council
P.O. Box 17164, Lansing, Michigan 48901-7164
(517) 214-5684 jessicayorko@sustainablesolutions.biz

Mid-MEAC News and Events

Stream monitoring on the
west branch of Red Cedar

Volunteer stream monitoring
training

Bingham walks and bikes to
school

Updates on the Lansing Master
Plan Process, Events Feb 9-23

From the Master Plan Newsletter: "We are
excited to report we are half way through the
Design Lansing Comprehensive Planning
Process, and all of you have made it a
successful beginning! To date we have:

Completed a demographic study
Drafted a community pattern book
Conducted community visioning

sessions

Collected over 1,000 public surveys to

identify public priorities

Conducted over 30 Community

Workshops-In-a-Box

Completed a community priority list

Coming up in February we invite you to
discuss the planning issues that affect the
quality of life in your neighborhood. These
discussions are designed for the public to
meet and talk with City staff and professionals.
These February sessions will focus on a single topic giving citizens the opportunity to take an
in-depth look at how each issue relates to the city as a whole. Upcoming events:

February 9, 6:30-8:30 PM, Fenner Nature Center Public Workshop Topic: Green
Infrastructure
February 16,6:30-8:30 PM, Letts Community Center Public Workshop Topic: Economic
Development
February 18, 6:00-6:30 PM, Foster Community Center Room 213 Open House - view draft
of Non-Motorized Plan
February 23, 6:30-8:30 PM, SouthSide Community Center Topic: Land Use
More info: restell@lansingmi.gov

Let's Talk: Environmental Policy - Feb 16

Michigan State University Campus to Congress has set up a conference call with the offices of
Michigan Senators Stabenow and Levin to talk with Michigan students, faculty and citizens about
climate policy. Let's Talk is a project of the Bard Center for Environmental Policy. For more info:
www.bard.edu/cep/lets_talk/

Lansing's Complete Streets Network Plan Draft - February 18

6pm-8pm, FosterCommunity Center, 200 North Foster, Room 213. Come see what the City of
Lansing Transportation & Parking Office and the Lansing Master Plan Team have drafted thus far
for Lansing's Non-Motorized Network Plan (aka Complete Streets Plan), and give additional input
into the network planning process. The Lansing Walking & Bicycling Task Force held a total of six
community planning sessions in 2009 (March 3, 4, 5,and 7, and November 4 and 5). Prior to
these sessions the task force researched best practices from around the world in non-motorized
networks, complete streets, connecting with transit, law enforcement, education, and marketing
and health promotion. The draft plan will be a fusion of the community input collected and best
practices, set in the context of the rest of the Master Planning process. More information, contact
Andy Kilpatrick, City of Lansing, akilpatr@lansingmi.gov.

Greening Mid-Michigan - February 18
5:00-8:00pm at the Hannah Community Center in East Lansing. This evening event includes
dinner, a short informational speaker session, and an interactive green infrastructure mapping
activity. Please RSVP: Please email Harmony Gmazel, Land Use Planner at the Tri-County
Regional Planning Commission at hgmazel@mitcrpc.org. More info at www.greenmidmichigan.
org.

Hunter Park GardenHouse Book Club - Feb 23

For our next book, the rapidly growing GardenHouse Book Club will be reading a very explicit how-
to for turning your yard into a garden and your neighborhood into a community. You can purchase
Food Not Lawns by Heather C. Flores from Everybody Reads beginning later this week, and then
join us on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 6:30 pm at the GardenHouse. "For activist readers who believe
activism is a political pursuit, FOOD NOT LAWNS offers a different viewpoint, maintaining that
growing food where you live is a key method of becoming a food activist in the community.
Chapters advocate planting home and community gardens with an eye to drawing important
connections between the politics of a home or community garden and the wider politics of usage,
consumption, and sustainability. Another rarity: chapters promote small, easy changes in
lifestyles to achieve a transition between personal choice and political activism at the community
level, providing keys to change any reader can use." - Bookwatch/Midwest Book Review,
December 2006. For further information or to join this lively, stimulating book club, call Allison at
367-2468 or email her at allisonb@allenneighborhoodcenter.org.

Youth Garden Conference - February 20

Register now for the 3rd Annual Youth Gardening Conference at www.youthgardeningcoalition.
org. If you are involved or would like to be involved with a youth garden, come learn about what is
happening in the Lansing area. Gain knowledge and resources to help grow your youth garden
and network with others growing school and youth gardens throughout the Lansing area. Both
youth and adults are welcome.

Low Impact Development Events - Feb 25 and March 25

Protect your property from flooding, save money, and help the environment using Low Impact
Development (LID):

LID captures rainwater for reuse.
LID absorbs rainwater to help prevent flooding.
LID renews groundwater supplies for drinking water.
LID cleans rainwater that has collected pollution (like litter, dirt, and oil) from our roofs and
paved areas, instead of sending it into our rivers.
LID is simple, affordable, and easier than maintaining big lawns and paved areas.

The Greater Lansing Regional Committee (for Stormwater Management) is hosting a series of
presentations from experts on many different topics related to stormwater management and low
impact development. The committee expects the series to span throughout the entire year.
Presentations will be held on the last Thursday of every month. February 25: Grey Water Systems,
David Christian, DC Engineering, 2 p.m. Lansing Twp Hall. March 25: Pervious Concrete, Aaron
Harris, MI Concrete Association, 2 p.m.Lansing Twp. More information at www.mywatersheds.org
and www.midmeac.org/LID

Volunteer!

Walk and Bike Lansing! is seeking volunteers to help with a condition inventory of Lansing
sidewalks in 2010. Training will begin in March, assessments in April. Contact Payal Ravani to
sign up and get details: payal.ravani@gmail.com or 248-342-1695.

Michigan Environmental Education Curriculum Support (MEECS) Trainings -
March 4

3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Lansing Center, Lansing, MichiganTrainings will be held on each of the five
MEECS units: Air Quality, Ecosystems & Biodiversity, Energy Resources, Land Use, and Water
Quality. www.michigan.gov/deq-meecs Teachers and nonformal educators are welcome to enroll.
Register online at www.deq.state.mi.us/eforms/meecsregistration.html. $35.00. SB-CEU credits
will be available for those interested. Visit www.michigan.gov/deqworkshops for more info.

Quiet Water Symposium - March 6

9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Adults $8.00 - under 12 Free. At the Pavilion for Livestock and Agriculture
Education (Farm Lane, south of Mt Hope - on the campus of MSU). The Quiet Water Symposium
celebrates non-motorized outdoor recreation and a shared concern for our Great Lakes
Environment. At the Symposium visitors will find presentations by world famous authors,
photographers, and expedition travelers. Other presentations may cover skills, safety, local and
distant destinations. There may be presentations on bicycling, sailing, diving, and history. The
Symposium has a wide range of exhibits on the show floor. You will find clubs and nature centers.
Handcrafted and historic watercraft will be on display. Biking, hiking and water trails are
represented. Conservation and watershed groups are available. A number of outfitters and
liveries are represented to support your outdoor adventures. We have a growing selection of
outdoor oriented retailers as well. More info at www.quietwatersymposium.org/.

Michigan Organic Food & Farm Alliance Conference - March 5-6

Michigan Organic Food & Farm Alliance (MOFFA) will host its annual conference at the Kellogg
Conference Center on MSU campus, in East Lansing, Michigan on March 5-6, 2010. The theme of
the event is "Michigan Organic: Seeds, Soil, and Health." The conference, which is open to the
public, features educational sessions, exhibits and networking opportunities for those interested
in all things organic. This year's event will host keynote speaker Jeffrey M. Smith, founder of the
Institute of Responsible Technology, and bestselling author and leading global spokesperson on
the health dangers of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO's), and speaker C.R. Lawn, a
reputable seed company owner of Fedco Seeds and MOFGA (Maine Organic Farmers and
Gardeners Association) board member. The event is expected to feature 30 exhibitors and host
300 attendees. Registration for both exhibitors and attendees is available now online. Conference
admission ranges from $25 to $100 for the full conference. Student advance registration is $50
for both days. For more information, or to register, visit www.moffa.org or call the MOFFA office at
248.262.6826.

Michigan Bicycle Summit - March 27

Andy Clarke, Executive Director of the League of American Bicyclists, will keynote LMB's 2010
Michigan Bicycle Summit, and Chris Phelan, founder of the Ride of Silence, will be a special
guest. Come meet and greet these two nationally known bicycle advocates on March 27 in
Lansing, MI. Details at www.lmb.org or 334-9100.

Grand River Expedition - July 14-26

Drawing on experience from Expeditions in 1990 and 2000, paddlers in canoes and kayaks will
explore and document today's conditions in Michigan's Grand River and its watershed. We'll
contribute to the appreciation and awareness of the Grand and how it connects our communities
across the state. Learn more at michigan.sierraclub.org/issues/greatlakes/articles/gre2010.html

Ingham County Parks

Ingham County is facing budget deficit problems, and may cut funding to the Ingham County
Parks (Hawk Island, Burchfield, Lake Lansing, Potter Park). To voice your thoughts and feelings,
send a quick e-mail to the County Services Committee (Becky Bennett at bennett@ingham.org)
and Commissioner Dale Copedge, and contact other County Commissioners at: www.ingham.
org/BC/BDOCOM.HTM

New Healthy Lifestyle Newsletter from Ingham County

The Ingham County Health Department, Public Health Services Division announces the release
of the first issue of 'Our Health: Examining Topics from Our Health is in Our Hands.' 'Our Health' is
a 1-page, quarterly brief focusing on a specific health topic among residents of Ingham County.
The first edition of 'Our Health' entitled, "Physical Activity in Middle-aged & Older Adults in Ingham
County", focuses on the physical activity habits of middle-aged and older adults, one of the fastest
growing segments of our population. You can view the current issue in the 'Publication' page of
the Ingham County Health Department website or by clicking on the following link http://hd.ingham.
org/media/11301/ichdphysicalactivityfactsheet.pdf Upcoming topics of 'Our Health' include
diabetes, asthma, and cardiovascular disease related deaths. Email clarrieux@ingham.org to
subscribe.

Space to Plant Your Garden - Ingham County Land Bank

Have you considered growing a garden but don't have the space? Would like to grow a garden
but don't know how? Would like to show students how to grow a garden? Or maybe partner with
that wonderful Senior neighbor who has always told those great stories about their past
gardening? The Ingham County Land Bank, has many vacant lots around Lansing that are just
waiting for a new look and the possibility to help feed a family, teach our students how to tend a
garden, simply beautify an area with flowers. Contact the Land Bank for more information on this
wonderful idea and a way to help build a new relationship with someone by sharing time, teach
kids how to grow plants, or simply enjoying some down time for yourself. Ingham County Land
Bank: http://www.inghamlandbank.org/, 267-5221, info@inghamlandbank.org.

Tri-County Appropriate Transportation Coalition

Tri-County Appropriate Transportation Coalition is a group of advocates in the Ingham, Clinton,
Eaton areas of Michigan who are interested in promoting bicycling, walking and other modes of
transportation which are generally more affordable, fun, healthy and not as polluting as other
modes. Join the google group at http://groups.google.com/group/tcatc or the facebook fan page
at Tri-County Appropriate Transportation Coalition or contact flyingdutchman63@gmail.com.

Michigan Now - www.michigannow.org/

MICHIGANNOW.ORG is a one-stop resource for news and information about how Michigan can
succeed in the new economy. Beyond being a public radio news series, we showcase new
thinking, new technology, new products, and new ideas that have the potential to be catalysts for
Michigan's recovery.

MICHIGANNOW.ORG is also featured in online magazines promoting Michigan cities and metro
areas, including Model D, Metromode, Concentrate, Capital Gains, and Rapid Growth. Chris
McCarus created our public radio news series in 2005. A former Peace Corps volunteer and BBC
reporter, McCarus has traveled the world getting the story. He is committed to covering news from
around the state and the country that reflects ingenuity, vision, hard work, and perseverance, and
that has the potential to put Michigan at the forefront of the nation's economic recovery.

Asian Carp

From www.stopasiancarp.com: Bighead carp grow to 100 pounds, have no stomach and eat up
to 40% of their bodyweight every day, eliminating food supplies for native fish and causing their
populations to crash. Visit the website to read more and sign an online petition.

Energy Tidbits

Want to get a monthly summary of energy-related project in Michigan? Energy Tidbits is free and
is prepared by John Sarver, Michigan Dept. of Energy, Labor, & Economic Growth. To subscribe,
contact sarverj@michigan.gov. Previous copies can be found at www.michigan.gov/energyoffice
under Publications.

Community Calendars

Local environmentalist LeRoy Harvey has created a wonderful online calendar of “green” events
in the Okemos/Haslett area. Scan it for local nature, outdoor, recycling, community planning, and
other environmentally-related events: http://suapi2.org/api/169/s/hc/options:p=c
Thanks LeRoy!

You can find out about Lansing events at: http://www.lansingmi.gov/calendar_news.jsp

And East Lansing events at: http://www.cityofeastlansing.com/Home/Modules/CityCalendar/

Lansing Adopts Complete Streets Ordinance

On August 17, 2009 the Lansing City Council adopted the Lansing Complete Streets Ordinance.
This new policy for Lansing states that the city will have a non-motorized network plan, and will
update it every 5 years. This is major step forward for Lansing to become a walk and bike friendly
city. The adoption of this policy is largely a function of the tremendous grassroots support of more
than 100 volunteers and supporters who collected 5,000+ signatures in May and June, sent more
than 80 letters to the City Council in August, gave more than 60 individual comments at the August
10 City Council meeting, and created and presented a photo gallery of Lansing’s incomplete
streets. Many people came together to raise awareness about the issue of Lansing’s incomplete
streets and the need for a non-motorized network plan. The message was heard by the Lansing
City Council, and we thank them for adopting the ordinance!

The next step is creating the non-motorized network plan. Many people have already given input
and participated in sessions about the plan. More input is needed. Visit www.walkbikelansing.
com/designnetwork to learn more. Contact jessica@walkbikelansing.com if you would like to get
involved.

Mid-MEAC Volunteer Stream Monitoring Program

Mid-MEAC coordinates a volunteer stream monitoring program on the Red Cedar River, and is
looking for volunteers! Monitoring involves collecting and identifying macroinvertebrates (bugs).
Monitoring sessions are Saturdays from 9am-2pm, one held each spring and each fall. Bug
identification is handled on a separate day, typically in the evening from 5pm-7pm. We are always
looking for new volunteers to get involved in this program. Orientation and training are provided.
We currently monitor six sites located in Lansing, Okemos, Williamston, Stockbridge, and
Webberville. It’s a wonderful way to “get in touch with nature”, learn more about our ecosystems,
and collect valuable data about our local rivers and streams. We are currently scheduling our fall
session. Please contact contact Chip Kosloski, at 517-507-1303 to learn more.

More News and Events: