Grand Rapids plans park makeovers

Tonight, the city of Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation Department will unveil plans to upgrade eight neighborhood parks. The concept plans will be shared during...

University wins silver for $1.7M construction project

A university in the region has cut the energy usage at its honors college by 50 percent after a $1.7-million renovation and expansion project...

Bill under consideration encourages energy resilience

A bipartisan push to inspire private solar usage currently is under consideration by the Michigan House of Representatives. Reps. Steve Johnson, R-Wayland, and Yousef Rabhi,...

Eastern Market shares growth recipe

When the Downtown Market was first announced, one of its top selling points was its promise to spur economic development by fostering a network...

City, partners consult tribes on river work

New design guidelines are underway for the Grand River restoration initiative, based on new site assessments and input from the Native American community. The Downtown...

Wege Prize names winners

The winners of a locally based global competition have designs on changing the world. Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University’s Wege...

Meijer makes investment in wind energy

Six months after announcing its goal to reduce 50% of its absolute carbon emissions by 2025, a Walker-based retailer has made sustainability strides with an investment in wind energy.

Cascade Engineering receives recycling innovation award for EcoCart

Cascade Engineering’s EcoCart received a design innovation award.
AP

Michigan task force set to make dam safety recommendations

LANSING — A group responsible for offering new safety measures after two Michigan dams failed last summer destroying 150 houses and causing over $200 million damage delayed sending the governor its final recommendations, which include increased monitoring of dams and other risk reduction measures.

Minority-owned firms face transition challenges

Owners of certified minority-, women-, LGBT- or veteran-owned businesses have a few unique considerations to think about when it comes to planning for their...

Local First names LocalMotion winners

A nonprofit focused on the growth of local businesses has handed out some hardware. Six local winners were honored for their contributions to West Michigan’s...
AP

Judge OKs oil flow through second Great Lakes pipeline

TRAVERSE CITY — Enbridge said Wednesday it will fully resume operation of a Michigan Great Lakes oil pipeline after a partial shutdown this summer because of damage to a support structure.

Start Garden invests in electric vehicle charging

Is the electric vehicle market a good investment? Start Garden thinks so. The staff at Rick DeVos’ $15 million seed fund has decided to invest $5,000...

College teams compete in international Wege Prize

Undergraduate and graduate students from three West Michigan colleges are competing in the Wege Prize, an international design competition. Wege Prize announced last month the selection of...

John Ball Zoo becomes SITES certified

John Ball Zoo became the first zoo in the world to be awarded a SITES Gold certification under the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) rating system for its meerkat exhibition.

Grocer rolls out ‘perfectly imperfect’ produce

A locally based grocer has rolled out a new line of “perfectly imperfect” produce for customers. Meijer said yesterday it is selling its Misfits produce...

Meijer recognized by EPA for low refrigerant emissions

A local grocery retailer earned recognition for its sustainability efforts with refrigeration technology.

Utilities say energy bills will keep the lights on

Utility companies say a pair of energy bills that have garnered widespread criticism from the business, environmental, education and health communities is necessary to...

Kent County reaches agreement to build processing facility

The Kent County Board of Public Works approved a project development agreement (PDA) with Kent County Bioenergy Facility to build an approximately $280 million Material Recovery Facility.

Zoo named ‘Sustainable Business of the Year’

John Ball Zoo was named the 2020 West Michigan Sustainable Business of the Year by the members of West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum (WMSBF).