The Sierra Club, Southeast MI Group recently honored me with an endorsement. Here are my responses to the Sierra Club Candidate Questionnaire.

2009 Sierra Club, Southeast MI Group
Ferndale City Council & Mayoral Candidates 2009 Questionnaire

1. Please list 3 environmental issues facing Ferndale and tell us in a few sentences how you think Ferndale City government can and should be involved in these problems and their solutions.

Ferndale is an environmental leader in southeast Michigan, and I will continue as a strong champion on policies, programs and practices that improve our quality of life and promote environmental conservation. I believe that Ferndale’s environmental issues focus on how we best use our land.

Building Redevelopment & New Construction
Recycling underutilized, vacant and blighted buildings is the ultimate way Ferndale can improve its environmental impact. Buildings are the prime emitter of carbon emissions, and an energy efficient building translates to healthier people and homes and a more productive work place.

Cleaning Up Contaminated Land
The clean up and remediation of contaminated land leftover from older industries, former gas stations and other chemically based businesses continue to affect the health of our community. Properties with chemical based underground storage tanks corrode and leak chemicals into our local water table. These properties are more expensive and difficult to convert to new uses. Ferndale must be aggressive about redeveloping these properties.

Reduce Local Energy Use
The city of Ferndale has taken proactive steps to reduce its own energy consumption in municipal buildings which saves money and allows the city to better use tax payer dollars for other services. In the future, Ferndale needs to shift to policies that promote more renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and geothermal heating systems, where it makes the most sense for residents and businesses.

For over five years, I have worked tirelessly for urban communities to become more proactive at redevelopment and educate businesses and residents why recycling land is the one of the best way to build sustainable communities. I have worked with state and federal agencies (MI Department of Environment Quality, US Environmental Protection Agency, Smart Growth America and the National Vacant Property Campaign) to help cities implement solutions to these challenges.

Ferndale needs to be aggressive at redevelopment, and our local government has an important role to play. I understand the complexity of these issues, and have the experience and knowledge to help make good decisions on city council.

2. Ferndale has signed onto the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. What more can Ferndale do to help meet the standards laid out in that agreement?

The US Climate Protection Agreement contains 12 actions that communities can take to reduce climate change. Ferndale has programs and policies that address all twelve actions though there is more the city can do. I believe the city should focus on the following:

• Become Transit Ready with Transit Oriented Design practices. Change zoning codes that increase building heights along Woodward corridor.
• Implement stronger redevelopment policies and practices to attract investment into our community.
• Allow wind, solar, green roofs and other renewable energy sources for businesses and residents such as personal wind turbines and solar panels.
• Increase the number of households and businesses that recycle. According to SOCCRA, Ferndale ranks lower on the percentage of waste that we recycle compared to other Oakland County communities.
• Advocate for more effective “green” building codes with our legislators (MI has the lowest building code standards in the nation).

3. In your opinion, are there any important environmental issues that require cooperation between Ferndale and the surrounding government bodies?

The big environmental issues facing Ferndale are the same issues facing every community in our region, lack of mass transit and uncoordinated environmental conservation goals.

Transportation Choices
Our region needs to provide more transportation choices to better connect citizens to work, home and destination districts. Light rail along Woodward will help Ferndale reduce its own carbon footprint, decrease auto dependency and keep our air cleaner. Not only will we improve the health of our own community, we will also attract new investment and jobs that will make our region more prosperous.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements
We need to make walking and biking safer for people in Ferndale. People go about their daily activities in and outside Ferndale, and we need to better connect to these communities. Local governments must have effective leaders that value long-term planning and investing in projects that will continue to benefit generations from now.

4. How should the City of Ferndale involve residents in environmental issues?

The current city council created the Environmental Sustainability Commission, a dedicated group of resident volunteers that help set environmental policies and educate residents on the simple actions each of us can take to reduce our own personal impact on the environment. I think the commission is one of the best ways to citizens can help the city identify and implement new solutions to environmental issues.

I will continue to support the Environmental Commission and promote environmental programs like the US Green Build Councils LEED building certification program, Sierra Club’s Growing Cooler program, the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement and any other program that makes the most sense for Ferndale.

5. What have you done personally to help the environment?

My environmental advocacy work spans the national, regional and local levels.

Nationally
• Collaborated with the US EPA Leaking Under Ground Storage Tank program and the National Vacant Properties Campaign to develop solutions that help communities become better at redeveloping contaminated land.
• Advanced the knowledge and practice of Brownfield property cleanup during the 2008 National Brownfield Conference hosted in Detroit. I was a session presenter and served on the local planning committee.
• Active supporter of Transportation for America, helping our local communities transform our local transportation policies.

Regionally & Locally• Launched Redevelopment Ready Communities, a program that evaluates urban communities to help them create more effective, efficient and transparent development processes and attract sustainable development projects.
• Planned and help launch the Southeast Michigan Regional Energy Office, a regional collaboration helping cities improve environmental efficiency.
• Participated in US Green Build Council LEED Training sessions.
• Helped vision and plan bike and pedestrian improvements as a volunteer on the Ferndale Downtown Development Authority.

Personally
My husband and I chose to take the small steps that reduce our own personal impact on the environment.
• I commute to work by bicycle.
• We drive fuel efficient cars.
• We compost our food waste.
• Use recycled bags for shopping.
• Diligent recyclers: How diligent? We removed and recycled every nail from every piece of wood we deconstructed during our master bedroom remodel.
• Reduced our household water consumption by 30% through low-flow plumbing fixtures and energy star appliances.
• Reduced our household energy use, following REGREEN’s recommendations including energy efficient light bulbs, new attic insulation and low VOC paints, as examples
• Participate in DTE’s Green Currents Program.
• Next year we plan to convert our front easement into a rain garden and install a rain barrel.

6. Are you a member of the Sierra Club? Yes.

7. Please list the environmental and/or civic groups of which you are a member, the offices held and committees that you have participated in.

• Serve on the Hamtramck Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, Vice Chair
• Support Clean Water Action, Member, 4 years
• Serve on the Community Legal Resources, Vacant Property Legal Team, Vice Chair
• Member of the American Planning Association, Michigan Chapter