City of Ferndale Michigan
 
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Environmental Information

For questions on recycling, please visit the SOCRRA website.

Green Tuesdays
ReGreening Your House
Green Tips
Renewable Energy

Ferndale's Environmental Impact Commission is hosting the following Ferndale Green Tuesdays Seminars:

October: Winterizing Your Home for Energy Efficiency

Tuesday, October 13
6:30pm - 7:30pm
Kulick Community Center (1201 Livernois, Ferndale)

With skyrocketing heating bills, becoming more energy efficient helps both the pocketbook and the environment. Please join us and learn how to make your home more energy efficient.

ReGreening Your House

The U. S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) have teamed up to create the REGREEN program. While every home will require special attention, this list is intended to prioritize the goals. Care should be taken upon initial inspection to identify critical areas of need. The Building System and Indoor Environmental Quality are primary areas of concern. Conservation of energy and water are also critical. Lastly, functionality and aesthetics should also be considered.

The following is a suggested guideline for the rehabilitation of residential structures in Ferndale. On a case-by-case basis, the following may apply:

  1. Install low-water-use kitchen faucet (WE41)
  2. Replace toilets with high-efficiency toilets (WE42)
  3. Install low-water-use shower heads (WE43)
  4. Install water-conserving faucet aerator (WE44)
  5. Choose high-efficiency water heater (EA79)
  6. Insulate hot water heater (EA80)
  7. Insulate hot water pipes (EA81)
  8. Set water temperature no higher than necessary (EA82)
  9. Install CO and smoke alarms (IEQ164)
  10. Install bath ventilation (IEQ167)
  11. Install ceiling fans (EA76)
  12. Install energy-efficient electric lighting (EA85)
  13. Install programmable thermostats (EA67)
  14. Properly seal and insulate HVAC distribution system (EA70)
  15. Make sure ducting is clean (EA71)
  16. Minimize dryer duct length and number of turns (EA73)
  17. Replace appliances with energy efficient models (EA93)
  18. Install attic insulation (EA49) Use high-recycled-content, formaldehyde-free insulation (MR117)
  19. Insulate rim joists and bond (EA55)
  20. Upgrade existing windows (EA56)
  21. Upgrade existing exterior doors (EA57)
  22. Weather-strip doors and windows (EA58)
  23. Install awnings or other exterior window shading systems (EA62)
  24. Design landscape features to minimize heat effects (IDP 17) Make use of trees and landscaping to reduce cooling loads (SS30)
  25. Design to minimize outdoor water use (IDP 18)
  26. Provide rainwater collection system (WE40)
  27. When possible, use FSC-certified wood (MR118)
  28. Use low or zero VOC construction adhesives, caulking and sealant (IEQ187)
  29. Use existing or refurbished materials, products that are recycled or have recycled content and low or no VOC content items.

For complete information and many more suggestions, see the ASID and USGBC REGREEN Residential Remodeling Guidelines Second Edition at www.regreenprogram.org.

Also go to REMrate or TREAT for an energy calculator.

Green Tips

  1. Consider purchasing a rain barrel: One ¼ inch of rain is enough to fill a 55 gallon drum (approximately 1000 square feet of roof space). Rain barrels reduce demand on the municipal water supply. They reduce storm drain runoff, which at a minimum, reduces the energy needed to treat storm and waste water.
  2. Statistics vary but typically a gas powered lawn mower emits as much pollution per hour as 40 cars.
  3. Yard waste, specifically grass clippings, make-up 20% of municipal solid waste collected and most of it ends up in our landfills. Mulching or composting this waste is a must.
  4. Use household newspaper, cardboard and office paper before using mulch. Place up to 10 sheets overlapping then water it down. No need to cut grass first. Lay mulch over the paper barrier and you will enjoy a weed free prepped surface good for planting and landscaping.
  5. Reduce your lawn size. The benefits of lawn reduction:
    • Save time on mowing using less fuel and emitting less pollution
    • By adding native, drought resistant plants you will promote a habitat for wildlife
    • You will conserve water

Plastic Bags

The FEIC encourages all Ferndale residents to stop using single use plastic bags for shopping. Instead bring along a canvas bag for your purchases.

The EPA estimates that each year 500billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are used and less than 1% are recycled. When plastic bags are thrown away, as they break down in the land fill, they release toxic poisons that contaminate our soil and waterways. This harms the fish, birds and animals in our local lakes, streams and rivers.
Not only that, but who is tired of seeing plastic bags fly all over the place??

Many countries and American cities have already banned these bags, or are in the process of doing so. Ann Arbor is working on being the first city in Michigan to ban plastic bags. At this time, Ferndale does not have a plastic bag-ban, so it is our civic duty as citizens to take the initiative to begin using cloth or canvas bags and to encourage our local leaders to take a stand on this issue.

Benefits of biking to work instead of driving a car:

  1. Save money- a bike is cheaper than a car: no car payment, no insurance; and at $4 a gallon, you’ll save a bundle every month just in gas!
  2. Better for your health- Commuting by bike reduces pollution that causes asthma and bronchitis. A commuting cyclist is also less exposed to air pollution than a commuting motorist. Also, cycling exercises the heart better than walking without the pounding of jogging.
  3. Better for the environment- it helps reduce your carbon footprint and helps others as much as it helps you! Bicycling adds NO emissions to the environment.
  4. It’s Fun!- Join the Sierra Club August 9th at the annual Green Cruise where you can Join the Parade • Wear Green • Dress Up in Costumes • Decorate Your Bike • Be Creative! The Sierra Club organizes the Green Cruise to celebrate green forms of transportation, and provide information on what you can do to be greener.

     

Stormwater Protection Tip

The water that enter your storm drain flows untreated to your nearby lakes, rivers and streams carrying with it oil and chemicals from roads, fertilizers and pet waste from your lawn and a whole variety of other debris and contaminants.

Here are a few of tips to help protect our lakes, rivers and streams:

  1. Never dump motor oil, chemicals, pet waste, dirty or soapy water or anything else down a storm drain.
  2. Promptly dispose of your pet's waste in the trash or down the toilet where it will be properly treated.
  3. Sweep excess fertilizer, grass clippings and dirt back onto your lawn.
  4. Choose a fertilizer with low or no phosphorous and that is a slow release fertilizer.
  5. Water wisely.  Your lawn needs about an inch of water a week.  Water your lawn in the early morning or evening.
  6. Adjust your sprinklers to water only your lawn and plants, NOT your driveway, sidewalk, or street.

For more information visit: http://www.semcog.org/OursToProtect.aspx

Healthy Yard Tip

A healthy, low maintenance, pesticide free yard is good for your family and the community.  Fertilizers can contain dangerous chemicals that aren't good for our kids, our pets or our water. 

  • Find out what your yard really needs by testing your soil.  For $9 you can collect a soil sample and send it to your local MSU Extension office and they will let you know what nutrients your soil is lacking, for more information, visit the MSU Extension Soil Pages for Consumers.

  • If you are going to use a fertilizer, make sure that it is organic and that it doesn't contain phosphorous. Phosphorous can wash off your yard and create harmful algae blooms on nearby lakes, rivers and streams.  Phosphorous free lawn fertilizers can be purchased locally at the Ace Hardware on W. 9 Mile.

  • Plant native plants.  Native plants are beautiful, low maintenance and require very little watering.  For information on what plants are native to the area and where you can purchase them, check out the Wildflower Association of Michigan's website.:

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb Tip

Why You Should Replace Your Light Bulbs with Compact Fluorescents

  1. If every one of 110 million American households bought just one compact fluorescent bulb, took it home, and screwed it in the place of an ordinary 60-watt bulb, the energy saved would be enough to power a city of 1.5 million people.
  2. Compact fluorescents emit the same light as classic incandescents but use 75% or 80% less electricity.
  3. A $3 swirl pays for itself in lower electric bills in about five months.
  4. Compact fluorescents, even in heavy use, last 5, 7, 10 years.
  5. The single greatest source of greenhouse gases in the United States is power plants–half our electricity comes from coal plants. One bulb swapped out: enough electricity saved to turn off two entire power plants–or skip building the next two.
  6. In terms of oil not burned, or greenhouse gases not exhausted into the atmosphere, one bulb is equivalent to taking 1.3 million cars off the roads.
  7. Sierra Club is offering these bulbs free of charge to encourage their usage!  Contact Tiffany at the Sierra Club Office: (248) 549-6213 for details.

Recycling Tip

Recycling not only benefits our environment by reusing resources and saving energy, but recycling also benefits you and your community by providing a rebate for every ton of recyclables. And recycling is as easy as 1, 2, 3...

  1. Start by getting a bin. You can pick up a bin for $10 at the Department of Public Works located at 521 E. Cambourne. For more information call (248) 546-2519
  2. When you pick up your bin pick up a pamphlet about what you can recycle. And for more information visit SOCRRA's website.
  3. Set-out your bin on collection day. Recycling is collected on the same day your trash is collected.

You can also drop of materials at SOCRRA's recycling drop-off center at 995 Coolidge in Troy, across from Meijer. They will take all of the things that you can recycle at the curb and MORE! For FREE!
 

For additional information, email the Ferndale Environmental Impact Commission

DTE's Green Currents Renewable Energy Option

The objectives of the program are to:

  • Promote independence from fossil fuels. 
  • Promote human health and sustainability by reducing air pollution.
  • Create jobs through a local energy economy.

Customers can select a renewable energy option that best fits their budget. 
 
For $2.50 a month in addition to normal charges, residential customers can purchase a 100 kilowatt hour block of renewable energy that's equal to 15-20 percent of a typical home's monthly electric usage.  You can purchase up to 10 blocks per month.
 
Residential customers can also choose to match 100 percent of their home's electricity consumption with renewable resources for an additional cost of 2 cents per kilowatt hour, $10 to $15 per month for a typical household.  The green currents portion of my bill has ranged from $6-8 per month.
 
Business customers can purchase 1,000 kilowatt hour blocks of green energy for $20 a month -- or match all of their electricity usage with renewable power for an additional cost of two cents per kilowatt hour.
 
Interested parties can get more information or enroll at www.greencurrents.com or (866) 207-6955
 
Comments are welcomed.

 

 

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The City of Ferndale, Michigan
300 East Nine Mile Road
Ferndale, Michigan  48220
(248) 546-2525

 

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