From the recyclables you put out on the curb each week to the roll cart that carries them, closed-loop manufacturing is redefining the way plastic products are created, and extending their lives far beyond a single-use.
Fashion is a choice, one which these designers and retailers have made with an eye for sustainability. From choosing raw materials, to designing the garments, to sourcing them from overseas, the journey from fabric to fashion can be complicated, but these businesses are proving that it doesn't have to rely on human suffering and pollution.
The journey that medical products take from ideation to launch has been extended over the years by federal standards and regulations, but the basic outline remains the same: help people by making their lives easier, and call in whoever you need to make that happen.
Whether diving right in to their first episode, or dwelling on the idea for a year before hitting record, new podcasters inevitably revisit their ideas of what makes a good show after the first season. Some even question whether it's worth recording a second. Here are three stories of podcasters who started off in different situations, and intend on continuing.
Whether you are interested in the unexplained things that go bump in the night, or interviews with the funniest people in West Michigan, a number of locally produced podcasts have the subjects covered. Here are a few you should be listening to.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, Citizen Labs' work is a photo album, one that's connecting open-sourced data points from regional nonprofits and government to informative and interactive web-based dashboards, and keeping residents throughout the state informed of the actions their government is taking.
Anyone can be a geek, and at more than 4,000 members strong, the West Michigan Geeks meetup group proves that many are. This group has been growing steadily since 2014, helping geeks of all stripes meet and share interests. As well, a resurgence in tabletop gaming has brought new players off line and on the board, making new friends out of fellow players.
The Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance has been supporting and funding local initiatives that build culture and connection between West Michigan neighbors since 2011. Programs like the Godfrey-Lee band camp, Pinery Park Little League, and regional tornado preparedness efforts have all been assisted by this city-run nonprofit. The fund has been growing every year, and the plan is to give it all away.
Small raingardens in front of homes in West Michigan are helping clean and cool polluted runoff water before it reaches one of the most critical watersheds in the area. The Plaster Creek Stewards are behind it all, and their impact is growing.
Four graduates of a Grand Circus boot camp found out just how important air quality data is to a city when they followed the thread of a dangerous carcinogen on Grand Rapids' Westside. Their app, Weather Worry Wonder, helps residents understand more about their neighborhood air quality than has ever been possible before, and now the team is looking to scale it outwards.
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