Leaders with the City Council’s Green Task Force presented the council with a multitude of its successes, challenges, demands and policy priorities.
The Green Task Force is an environmental justice-centered group formed by the City Council in 2007. Its primary function, in partnership with the city’s Office of Sustainability, is to advise the council on “green principles and practices to better serve the City of Detroit.”
Membership is made up of several different organizers, advocates, business leaders, government employees and more. The group has helped lead or support several green initiatives throughout the city. This includes successfully advocating for and supporting the passage of multiple ordinances, including the city’s post-construction stormwater ordinance and the Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Ordinance, among other things.
The task force received effusive support from most council members, who seemed eager yet steady in their support of the items the group spoke about.
“Remember, this is a marathon and not a sprint,” said Council Member Scott Benson, who serves as task force chair. “These things take time.”
The task force called on the council for things like backing green policies, prioritizing more staff and funding to the Office of Sustainability, investing in safer street designs and much more. Here is a list of a few policy priorities and demands for council from the presenting subcommittees:
Transportation and Mobility: The group advocated for Complete Streets, which integrates people and place in the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of transportation networks.
Water: The group would like to find a way to make it a requirement that compost be used as demolition backfill for healthy, permeable soil.
Recycling and Waste Reduction: Did you know property tax billing was a barrier to commercial recycling?
Organics Reduction and Urban Ag: Diverting food waste from landfills is a top priority.
Energy Waste Reduction: The group wants to decrease the energy burden so Detroiters spend less on their energy bills. I know this is top of mind for neighbors, especially following last month’s tornado.
Renewable Energy: The group is calling on Council to support plug-in — aka balcony or residential — solar legislation.
Climate Action: The group is asking that the Council protect Detroiters’ health by recognizing that climate events, like extreme heat and flooding, are public health events.
You can read more on the task force’s website: https://www.detroitgreentaskforce.org/
