The City of Battle Creek is one of just four communities to receive silver certification in this year’s Michigan Green Communities Challenge.
The program recognizes clean energy and environmental leadership across Michigan and allows communities to establish benchmarks for progress toward sustainability initiatives, compare and compete with other communities, and create a roadmap for accomplishing initiatives.
The city and 25 other recipient communities were recognized at a June event on clean energy and environmental leadership.
Participating local governments are awarded gold, silver, and bronze certifications, or honorable mention, reflecting community leadership in areas like clean energy programs and sustainability planning. The Charter Township of Meridian, Clinton Township, and Muskegon County also received silver certifications this year.
Battle Creek received the honor, in part, in recognition of our increased recycling volume following implementation of the new program in 2016. Data from Waste Management showed that city customers recycled 46 percent more in 2016 than during the same time period in 2015.
Other items/projects considered in the challenge are performance of energy audits at government facilities, creating sustainability teams and plans, green development programs, renewable energy projects and upgrading local government-owned street and other lights to LEDs.
Some of the city’s qualifying projects include a wood chip boiler heater at City Hall that covers most of the heating for City Hall and the Police Department, our Sustainable BC committee, and the city’s Non-Motorized Transportation Network Master Plan.
Battle Creek received silver certification in 2016, and also has received gold.
In the 2017 challenge, gold medalists were the cities of Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Novi; Delhi Charter Township; and Pittsfield Charter Township. Bronze medalists were the cities of Brighton, Caro, Ferndale, Flint, Grand Blanc, Ithaca, Petoskey, Pleasant Ridge, River Rouge, Traverse City; the Charter Township of West Bloomfield; and the villages of Milford and Quincy. Visit migreencommunities.com for more information.