Never heard of the concept of sustainability? Maybe you have an idea of what it means, but all you can really picture is a blue box filled with recycled beer and pop cans or a green bumper sticker that reads ‘Save the Whales.’ But ‘sustainability’ is much more than some fancy term aimed at re-branding the environmental movement.
The basic concept dates back to early Native American culture. In the past decade, however, visionary modern day leaders – especially those in the private sector – have begun to embrace the attitude that defines sustainability. Now the idea is rising up as a widely accepted way to think about managing businesses and governments, improving education, as well as designing buildings, products, and even cities.
“[When it comes to the idea of sustainability] it doesn’t matter anymore whether you’re a Democrat, Republican, or an Independent,” said Norm Christopher, director of sustainability at Grand Valley State University. “What matters are the value system and the guiding principles that you bring to the work. If you’re going to do something, do it with the best intent. “
But back to first the question: what exactly is sustainability? Put simply, sustainability is both a philosophy and a practice. It means a form of development that is able to carry on indefinitely, simultaneously boosting profits, building social equity, and enhancing, rather than steadily degrading, the natural environment.
Or, as Christopher puts it, growing communities in a way that enables today’s generation to meet their needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
Simple and straightforward enough for many, perhaps not deep or complex enough for some, Christopher is quick to point out that this definition of sustainability is not a novel idea. In fact, the United Nations adopted it more than 20 years ago.
Today, the concept permeates Grand Rapids. In May 2006 civic leaders gathered for the inaugural Community Sustainability Partnership Summit. The Partnership includes a growing number of community, business, and educational leaders who believe that striving to achieve sustainability in metropolitan Grand Rapids – and across West Michigan – is perhaps the most important strategy to preserve the region’s environmental assets, maintain a high quality of life for all residents, and boost economic competitiveness in the global economy.
Three Keys to Early Success
Tufts University Professor Kent Portney, who served as keynote speaker at the recent summit, said Grand Rapids already is among the elite cities in the national sustainability movement. Portney, who authored a book titled Taking Sustainable Cities Seriously, recently ranked Grand Rapids 26 on a list of the top 50 sustainable cities in America today. East Lansing was the only other Michigan-based city to crack the top 50.
For a number of reasons, Portney said, Grand Rapids has quickly emerged as a leader. For starters, the metropolitan area claims more certified energy efficient buildings per capita than anywhere else in the United States. That’s a significant milestone considering that several cities, unlike GR, legally mandate specific environmentally friendly design standards in new construction.
Keystone Community Church, for example, is the first church in the nation to achieve the lofty standards of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a national rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council to certify so-called green buildings. The innovative design standards not only help to reduce consumption of natural resources such as energy and water. They are also widely regarded as a reasonable strategy to slash operating expenses such as utility and wastewater bills, reduce maintenance costs, and save real dollars.
Rapid Central Station, the downtown mass transit depot, is the first LEED certified public transit facility in the nation. The facility uses rooftop plantings to help collect and reduce rain runoff and regulate the building’s temperature. The paints and sealants used in the facility’s construction are specially formulated to reduce the emission of hazardous chemicals. And all the debris leftover from the station’s construction was recycled instead of land filled. Even the terrazzo in the passenger waiting area was made from recycled material.
Jennifer Kalczuk, external relations manager for the Rapid, the regional mass transit provider, said the agency soon will supplement the fleet with new hybrid buses that use less fuel, have lower emissions, and run quieter than the traditional public transit bus. The new vehicles are expected to go in service during the spring of 2007.
Grand Rapids also leads the country in the area of education and developing a new generation of leaders to strengthen the sustainability movement. Aquinas College, for example, is the first institution of higher learning in the United States to offer a four-year, undergraduate degree in sustainable business. The college also manages the Center for Sustainability, a nonprofit clearinghouse of information on sustainability.
Grand Valley State University offers interdisciplinary coursework that links everything from liberal arts to chemistry with the goal of pushing the boundaries of human knowledge about the practice of sustainability. And Grand Rapids Community College also offers a highly recognized sustainable business program.
“We have a mission to shape lives, to shape our students into global citizens,” said GVSU’s Christopher. “We want to give students a toolbox that can be used not only in business applications but in their own lives and communities as well.”
Greater Grand Rapids also enjoys exceptional corporate and political leadership on the issue of sustainability. City Mayor George Heartwell, for example, made sustainability the organizing principle of his 2005 State of the City Address. Working closely with city staff and a citizen’s advisory council focused on improving environmental stewardship, Mayor Heartwell has set an ambitious goal of reducing the city’s dependence on oil and coal and achieving a more sustainable energy source by 2008. He’s also declared the city will build only LEED certified facilities in the future and called for incentives that encourage businesses and organizations to advance the local green building movement.
Building a Movement
Greater Grand Rapids has risen as a leader in the sustainability movement by aggressively pursuing the construction of energy efficient buildings, educating young minds with new ideas, and expanding mass transit options.
But local leaders believe the city must step up its efforts in several areas if it truly intends to balance its economic, environmental, and social goals. Becoming a sustainable city, most agree, demands greater attention to cleaning air and water sources; innovating, marketing, and implementing more effective energy supplies; and preserving green space and open lands across the region.
The Community Sustainable Partnership has quickly become the public forum to shape the local vision for sustainability and outline the goals and strategy to achieve it. Founding members of the initiative include the City of Grand Rapids, Grand Valley State University, Aquinas College, Grand Rapids Community College, and Grand Rapids Public Schools.
But by the conclusion of the initial summit meeting, membership in the Partnership ballooned from a dedicated core of visionaries to nearly 100 member companies, institutions, and residents. Event coordinators said that’s an encouraging start.
“The summit was very good,” said Dr. Bruce Nanzer, director of the sustainability business program at Aquinas College. “Through the Partnership we hope to expand the idea of what a sustainable city is. So we needed to go beyond the original five partners.”
“We wanted to get more leaders together and get them thinking about sustainability and collaboration,” Nanzer continued. “An essential part of sustainability is working together and sharing ideas. But we could do more in terms of the professions, manufacturing, services, and non-profits. There are a whole lot more than 100 organizations and businesses in Grand Rapids that could take part.”
Photographs by Brian Kelly - All Rights Reserved
Image descriptions top to bottom:
The garden roof at East Hills Center by Bazzani Associates reduces rainwater runoff.
Rapid Central Station - The Terrazzo flooring is made from recycled materials.
Exterior of Central Station.
East Hills Center rooftop garden and run-off garden in the distance by Bazzani Associates
HVAC and beautiful plants live in harmony - East Hills Center by Bazzani Associates.