Green and Clean
Dating back to its early years, Dearborn has earned a reputation for preserving its beauty and sustaining the environment. While the world is aware of Henry Ford's automotive and manufacturing genius, many are unaware that almost a century ago he developed plastics made from existing agricultural feedstock and shared his vision for the environment including biofuels and bioplastics.
Today, Dearborn's landscape is a blending of tree-lined neighborhoods with parks, green beltways, fields of sunflowers, bike and nature paths, and a variety of conservation and restoration projects along the Rouge River. Whether you walk or drive around Dearborn, there is a wealth of opportunity to enjoy and benefit from the City's natural resources.
- City of Dearborn
- Ford Motor Company
- Rouge River
- Other Green Efforts
- Dearborn Public Schools
Being good stewards of the environment is not new to the Dearborn Public Schools. In 1991 the district began to replace old less efficient boilers, windows, and doors with more efficient, cost savings units. In 2002, an even more aggressive program to save energy and reduce cost was started. To date the effort has saved over $2.4 million dollars in energy cost. This incredible savings was accomplished by retrofitting lighting, continuing to replace less efficient boilers, occupancy sensors, water conservation, and computerized control of heating/cooling systems
The districts partner company, Johnson Controls, has calculated that the changes made in Dearborn has saved the environment from 15,225 tons of carbon dioxide(CO2), 42 tons of nitrous oxides(NOx), 136 tons of sulfur dioxide(SO2) and 3,089 pounds of carbon monoxide(CO). Putting this in real word perspective the green house gas reduced is equivalent to not destroying 45,371 trees and eliminating 2,995 midsized cars.
This year 14 Dearborn Schools were designated as "Green Schools" by Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano. Dearborn had more schools achieve this designation than any other district in the county. The Wayne County "Green Schools" program was implemented to encourage environmental stewardship, promote green infrastructure methods, energy conservation, and to enhance quality of life while helping to save taxpayer dollars through energy efficiency and environmental protection. The "Green Schools" is a statewide program with over 500 schools certified throughout Michigan. The Wayne County Department of Environment teamed up with the Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA) to introduce this program at the start of the 2008-09 school year. To be recognized schools must achieve 10 or more of the 20 required activities in an academic year.
Complete press release can be found by clicking here.
- A Bird's Guide to the Natural Area at the University of Michigan - Dearborn
- Parks of Sprawl: The Corporate Landscape: Fairlane
- Vehicle Networks Supplier Dearborn Group Plans Green Expansion
- Wayne County Receives Environmental Award (PDF)
- Dearborn Public Schools
- Green Resources
