On July 14, about 400 people gathered at the north end of the Mackinac Bridge and listened as speakers warned about the aging oil pipeline that lies west of the bridge, beneath the Straits of Mackinac’s sparkling, cobalt-blue waters.
Articles by Jim Dulzo
Mackinac Pipeline Rally Will Raise Energy, Climate Issues
Organizers are rallying at Bridge View Park in St. Ignace to warn that there’s a 60-year-old oil pipeline beneath the Straits, operated by the same company responsible for the Kalamazoo pipeline oil spill, and that it’s putting the Great Lakes ecosystem at serious risk.
Andy Levin: ‘Lean & Green’ Can Help Efficiency, Clean Energy Soar
Andy Levin urges local leaders to adopt an ordinance he designed based on a 2010 state law, known as PACE, that would put tradesmen to work on efficiency and renewables projects for local businesses to boost their profits without spending public dollars. “PACE” means Property Assessed Clean Energy. It allows local governments to raise bonds to finance energy efficiency and renewable energy projects for local firms-and use special property tax assessments for paying off the loans.
Mike Hayes: GLE Co-op Must Heed Calls for More Clean Energy
Mike Hayes is retired, but he’s not taking it easy. Recently he helped organize Mancelona’s community garden and construction of its new farmers market pavilion. Now Hayes is running for the Great Lakes Energy co-op’s board of directors.
Mary Brower: More Renewables, Efficiency for Great Lakes Energy
Mary Brower is running for the Great Lakes Energy Cooperative board of directors because she wants her utility to embrace the future-particularly moving beyond coal power to more renewable energy and energy efficiency. Great Lakes Energy members will receive a ballot for their board of directors election in the July-August issue of the co-op’s magazine, Country Lines, which hits mailboxes soon. Brower recently took a break from her daily farm chores to speak by phone about her campaign to persuade fellow co-op members to check her name on the ballot and mail it in.
Energy Efficiency Pioneers: Who’s Leading the Charge?
Four different communities-in Virginia, Michigan, and Ontario-have reached the same conclusion: When it comes to making and using energy, it’s time to replace business-as-usual with breakthrough innovation. But each community is also traveling a somewhat different path to a better energy future. Here’s a look at three community energy plans in action.