ROCKFORD, Mich. — The city of Rockford is making strides in environmental stewardship, earning gold-level status in the Michigan Green Communities Challenge and approving a Climate and Sustainability Action Plan in July.
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At the forefront of these efforts is the Rockford Sustainability Committee, a nine-member group of city residents appointed by the city council and established in 2018.
"What our entire committee envisions is that Rockford becomes a place where people can live, work, and play, and balance with nature. So, what that means is that we steward our limited resources wisely," said Amanda Boersma, chairperson of Rockford's Sustainability Committee.
The committee works with residents, businesses, and the city on environmental concerns through various initiatives. Members volunteer their time to search for and secure grants that help fund different city projects.
"We recently had a team at the harvest festival, and we taught people how to sort their waste and recycle properly," Boersma said.
Another key initiative is the Green Leader Program, which encourages local businesses to adopt environmentally friendly practices.
"We even have a few green leaders who, since signing on, they've partaken in composting programs. So instead of throwing away all of their food waste, they compost it to create new soil," Boersma said.
One participating business is Extremis, a furniture company that opened its North American headquarters in Rockford with sustainability in mind.
"We're a furniture company, and sustainability is actually very important to us," said Thomas Winance, Extremis North America president.
The company implemented automatic LED lights and improved building insulation as part of its green operations.
"It's actually kind of a no-brainer, because these things aren't only good for the environment, but they also save you quite a bit of energy, which costs money. So these, by now, these things have already paid for themselves," Winance said.
The committee has also organized volunteer efforts to clear areas near the city's river, making it visible again after it had been previously obscured.
"Sustainability is an opportunity. It's an opportunity to be part of restoring not only our ecosystem, but also our community," Boersma said.
The Rockford Sustainability Committee will be at a Holiday Decoration Shop and Swap on Nov. 12 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Rockford United Methodist Church. Committee members will be available to answer questions about sustainability initiatives.
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