Tag Archives: Ann Arbor

The Changing Recycling Landscape, with Bryan Weinert of Recycle Ann Arbor

The Changing Recycling Landscape, with Bryan Weinert of Recycle Ann Arbor

 
 
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Recycle Ann Arbor (RAA) is known for its curbside recycling in Ann Arbor, among its other services (the Reuse Center, the Drop-off Station, the Recovery Yard for construction waste, and a myriad of education and zero-waste events). It started Michigan’s first curbside recycling program, which was also one of the first such programs in the nation. Director of Strategy Bryan Weinert talks with hosts Isabelle Brogna and Prachiti Dhamankar about how RAA is adapting to the changing landscape of recycling in Ann Arbor.

Some of these changes are general to recycling, such as concerns about quality versus quantity of the recyclable materials collected. As recovery rates of recycled goods increases, contamination with non-recyclable goods tends to also increase, for a couple reasons: people who know they should start recycling don’t know what is recyclable; and “mainstream” recycling service providers (like typical waste management companies) aren’t as proactive as RAA on keeping contaminants out of the recycling stream. RAA prides itself on not only increasing recovery rates where it can, but also increasing the quality. It increases recovery rates, for example, by servicing apartment buildings, which are more difficult to service than single-family homes. RAA increases quality of the recycling stream by educating individuals along each route who repeatedly have non-recyclable material in the recycling bins.

Bryan shared with us some critiques of Ann Arbor’s 2019 Solid Waste Plan. Bryan, and RAA, feel that the SWP doesn’t go far enough, even if it does have some good recommendations. In their eyes, it should be more of a zero-waste plan, “fundamentally rethinking the way that we handle waste, and not just to maximize recovery rates but also reduce the amount of waste ultimately that’s being generated.” The Plan also included a recommendation to municipalize curbside pickup, reasoning that the City could provide the same service for less than RAA. RAA has convinced the city to put curbside recycling out to bid instead of immediately bringing it under the purview of the city. RAA is convinced that their services were undervalued and that the city’s costs were underestimated in the Plan analysis.

In other news, RAA will be reopening Ann Arbor’s Materials Recovery Facility (MRF, pronounced “murf”). Shut down a few years back due to safety concerns, the MRF has since been open only as a transfer station, where recyclables are unloaded from the curbside pickup trucks, loaded into semi-trucks, and transported 250 miles to a MRF in Cincinnati. Having a local MRF reduces the carbon footprint of the recycled materials, as well as provides local jobs. RAA has found partnerships and end markets in the region for its recycled materials, and being a non-profit and mission-driven organization, it is excited about reopening the education center associated with the local MRF.

As Bryan mentioned in the episode, check out the A-Z Recycling Guide for all your recyclable questions! And remember, when in doubt, leave it out. If you don’t know for sure about whether a material can be recycled, it’s best to leave it out of the recycling bin. This ensures that the bulk of the recyclable materials are at a high enough purity to be sold on the market.

Ann Arbor is Going Carbon Neutral!

Ann Arbor is Going Carbon Neutral!

 
 
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In November 2019, Ann Arbor’s City Council passed a resolution committing the city to becoming completely carbon neutral by 2030. Sustainability and Innovations Manager for the City of Ann Arbor, Missy Stults, talks with hosts Isabelle Brogna and Prachiti Dhamankar about A2Zero, the city’s carbon neutrality planning process. A2Zero officially kicked off in December 2019, and aims to create a plan for achieving carbon neutrality by Earth Day 2020. A2Zero is an iterative, transparent, and failure-positive process, grounded in justice and equity, that will truly be a community-wide effort. The planning process involves three core components: technical committees, partner organizations, and the public. If you’d like to share your input with A2Zero, take a survey or host an event!

What is Ann Arbor Doing on Climate?

What is Ann Arbor Doing on Climate?

 
 

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This week, regular host Ed Waisanen was joined by Missy Stults (Sustainability and Innovations Manager for the City of Ann Arbor) and Ryan Hughes (former Independent Candidate for Ann Arbor City Council and current host of Civics Party on WCBN) to talk about what Ann Arbor is doing about climate change.

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Flashback Friday: What’s in our Water?

Flashback Friday: What’s in our Water?

 
 

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Today, we bring you an archived show from summer 2019 that Hot In Here alum Ben Sonnega recorded during the very first Galaxy Sustainability Learning Exchange.

As you may know, our show is intertwined with the Gala Platform which hosts the Michigan Sustainability Cases (MSC) at the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability (or SEAS). Check us out here if you’re curious.

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Local Food, Global Fun

Local Food, Global Fun

 
 

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Shannon Brines and Eliot Jackson stopped by the studio to chat with regular hosts Ed Waisanen and Bella Isaacs and shamelessly plug the Local Food Summit, which — wouldn’t you know it — is happening this Saturday, February 16.

Shannon is a local farmer and manager of the Environmental Spatial Analysis Laboratory at the UM School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS). He’s also one of the co-founders of the Summit and serves on the board of Slow Food Huron Valley.

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Something’s in the Water

Something’s in the Water

 
 

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Editor’s note: We faced some technical difficulties with this recording, but the sound will level out after 1:07. Thanks in advance for your patience.

Ann Arbor and its 72 sister municipalities form the Huron River Watershed, meaning that every drop of water that falls in these locations makes its way back to the river one way or another. We share this water not only with our families, friends and neighbors, but also with our governments, businesses, and manufacturers. In sharing a common resource like water—the essence of life—it makes sense to have a rule book that outlines permissible and non-negotiable actions as well as provisions to guide the course of action in the event of foul play. Michigan water quality standards fill this niche. However, as regular hosts Aurora Aparicio, Bella Isaacs, and Heena Singh learned this week from guest expert Laura Rubin, our rule book does not always keep pace with the discoveries of contemporary science.

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Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris: Feelings that Connect Us All

Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris: Feelings that Connect Us All

 
 

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Remember that edgy “out there” episode of Its Hot in Here where talented artists sang live tunes from the Tony Award winning musical Urinetown, while talented scientists talked to us about  research  on “peecycling” (or the recovery on nutrients from urine for use in agricultural fertilization?)  Along the way we considered infrastructure (including urinals!) in our greenways and parks, and how more art and science can be showcased in our public spaces.

Well,  they’re back. For the dead of winter spring break in our studios we welcomed the talent behind the  Penny Seats Theatre Company’s recent cabaret style show  Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris.  Fresh from their sold out, critically acclaimed performances at the downtown pub Connor O Neill’s, we head from guests including cast members Lauren London and Roy Sexton, show director Laura Sagolla, and musical director Richard Alder.

Jacques Brel is a famous Belgian singer-songwriter who wrote his songs in French during the 1960s. Through his art he became extremely well-known in France, to the degree that the French recognize Brel the way Americans know Bob Dylan or JoniJacques_Brel_Is_Alive_Cast_Recording Mitchell. The show, originally produced in 1968 off broadway, is a revue of Jacques Brel’s music and explores the universal emotions of love, loss, fear, obsession, and hope. Brel’s work is laden with pathos, yet also lighthearted. Continue reading Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris: Feelings that Connect Us All

Food, Love, and Money

Food, Love, and Money

 
 

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In this episode, we spoke with movers and shakers in Southeast Michigan’s local food and land conservation scene.  With the 8th Annual Homegrown Local Food Summit recently behind us, we discussed its growth over the years, and its developing importance to the community.  Lindsey Scelera shared with us some of this year’s food victories as well as the victories that have come about in years past, including current Ann Arbor staples like Mark’s Carts.  Keith Soster tells us more about U-M’s goals for locally sourced food and what they’re doing to get there, as well as how students can get involved.

There are many ways to access and start making a difference for a more food sovereign Ann Arbor, with more just access for everyone, such as the UM Sustainable Food Program, volunteering through WWOOFing, the Michigan Young Farmer’s Coalition and more.

We also learned about the importance of preserving Michigan farmland and helping our threatened farmers with succession and business planning to hand their farms off to the next generation of food growers, instead of losing them to development. Legacy Land Conservancy is just beginning a program called FarmNext to accomplish just that.

Join Keith Soster, Director of Student Engagement for UM Dining Services, Robin Burke, Land Protection Manager at Legacy Land Conservancy, Lindsey Scalera, MI Farm to Institution Campaign Manager from the Ecology Center, Nathan Wells, Master’s Candidate and food warrior at SNRE, and your hosts, Andrea Kraus and Alex Truelove for the love of food.

Diversity Matters: The State of the Environmental Movement

Diversity Matters: The State of the Environmental Movement

 
 

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This week, in honor of Martin Luther King Day, “It’s Hot in Here” brings you in-depth discussion of the state of diversity in the environmental movement and the University of Michigan. We kicked off the show with a brief review of the findings of the recently released report, “The State of Diversity in Environmental Organizations: Mainstream NGOs, Foundations, and Government Agencies,” spearheaded by Dr. Dorceta Taylor (SNRE) and the Green 2.0 Working Group.

Guests Beatriz Canas and Samantha Shattuck talk us through the implications of the report’s conclusion that, despite increasing racial diversity in the US, minorities remain underrepresented across the spectrum of environmental organizations. As a result, diversity tends to decrease as responsibility increases, with the “Green Insiders Club” remaining overwhelmingly white. Continue reading Diversity Matters: The State of the Environmental Movement

Fun with Fungi

Fun with Fungi

 
 

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This week our special in studio guest is Philip Tedischi, Past President and current Vice President of the Michigan Mushroom Hunters Club, Phil is a “real fungi.” We learned during our time in studio that he served as engineer for WCBN FM back in his days as an undergraduate at UM in the 1960s, but also boasts a total of 5 advanced degrees from the university of MI, including a PhD in Computer Science. Phil was joined on the mike by contemporary DJ Rodney, a Saline, MI resident who stopped on his way out of the studios after his show to ask a few choice questions about Morrell mushrooms. Tune in and learn along with Rodney! Phil is a real authority, and leads mushroom hunts on many fall weekends.

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