Happy Earth Day!
Welcome to the Share Detroit blog!
We will use this space to highlight the amazing work our partner nonprofits do in the Detroit metro area each day to support our community, and we will provide insights into why joining, donating and volunteering with our partner nonprofits from Share Detroit’s platform will allow everyone to ‘do good’ in our community. Share Detroit is a 501c3 whose mission is to support and expand the reach of hundreds of SE Michigan based nonprofits that who are doing such important work each and every day.
In honor of Earth Day, we invited three organizations, Detroit Hives, Green Living Science and Friends of the Rouge, to provide us with some insight on ways we can support their respective missions and ultimately increase our energies to preserve our environment. We are so happy to have them as a part of our SHARE Detroit network and encourage you to explore ways to get involved with their efforts. You can learn more by visiting their websites -
Many of us seek days of commemoration or significance to make a change or “start a new leaf” and Earth Day is an excellent time to make one impactful change to benefit our environment. Timothy Paule of Detroit Hives encourages individuals to act now whether that means to simply plant a flower, recycle, volunteer and or donate to a cause you believe in, the Earth is calling for change now.
Natalie Jakub of Green Living Science encourages everyone to recognize the impact our choices have on the environment and identify ways they can reduce their waste. She shared if there is one material specifically to focus on reducing this year, it should be plastic! We know that only 9% of plastic has ever been recycled and also that we eat about a credit card worth of plastic each week! Plastic is impacting our environment in ways that are irreversible. The best thing we can do is ditch it and switch to more sustainable options like metal or glass.
Speaking of plastic, Lara Edwards from Friends of the Rouge also encourages us to cut down on plastic bag use as well as examining the frequency we drive when walking may be an option. Edwards shares that if you want cleaner water and a healthier Rouge River, make sure your gutter downspouts drain into your lawn, not your driveway or underground into the sewer. Better yet, redirect your downspouts into your home rain garden!
Separately, all organizations have filled a void in Detroit and the surrounding communities. Green Living Science is proud to have helped push forward the environmental agenda for the city. Jakub shared that “a decade ago, the City of Detroit didn't have a curbside recycling program, now we have over 35% of residents participating because of our relationship with the Department of Public Works and the Curbside Recycling Ambassador program. GLS is actively involved in policy around waste and recycling at the state and local level, always advocating for Detroit residents and the opportunity to create a healthier environment for all Detroiters.”
Paule states that Detroit Hives is addressing habitat loss for pollinators, transforming vacant lots into productive green spaces that help company food insecurity. Through their mission, Detroit Hives works to build sustainable communities for people and pollinators by transforming vacant lots into productive green spaces inclusive for all living things. This action creates social, environmental and financial impact for the Detroit and Southeastern Michigan area.
All three of these organizations unite in a desire to create a lasting impact on individuals who volunteer or donate to their mission. Friends of the Rouge hopes after engaging with their organization they feel empowered and more connected to local nature. Green Living Science believes states that you don't have to claim that you are an environmentalist to care about what's happening to our planet. It's going to take all of us making better choices to protect our planet. Everyone has the opportunity to do their part and make a difference, by doing so we are also setting a positive example for the next generation. Detroit Hives wants to provide their existing/potential donors and volunteers with a feeling of fulfillment while knowing that they have made a difference. Paule encourages those to consider volunteering, as many opportunities to do so exist on the SHARE Detroit website. He reminds us that as a volunteer, you never stop learning, developing new skills, discovering new passions, gaining new insights about yourself and the world around you.
Friends of the Rouge educates their constituents on the incredible presence the Rouge River has on our area as four main branches of the Rouge River flow through 48 communities in Southeast Michigan! Lara Edwards states that the Rouge River “connects us in ways that transcend city borders. And the river doesn't lie. It's health is an indication of the health of your local environment. Presently, the Rouge River is one of the most polluted in the state. Like many, you may travel the state to enjoy Michigan's beautiful streams, lakes and rivers. But like most, you would never allow a child to swim in your own backyard river. "Pure Michigan" should not be a four hour drive away. You deserve it, right here in your own backyard”