Every year, it gets easier to impart the holidays with an air of sustainability -- which is something that Green Space is certainly thankful for. So, in the spirit of the most food-oriented holiday, let us suggest some options from which to purvey your Thanksgiving feast.

In her story "The Omnivore's Detroit", Model D's managing editor Clare Ramsey explores several options for obtaining local, organic turkeys for her family's dinner last Thanksgiving. She ended up scoring at Roeske Farms in Hartland, about an hour  northwest of Detroit, near M-59 and US 23, but also found Sunshine Meadows Farm in Ortonville and Harnois Farms near Pinckney.


Concentrate ran a similar story for those who live in Washtenaw County.

Eastern Market and the Royal Oak Farmers Market boast plenty of locally-grown produce that will remind you that celebration of the harvest bounty is truly at the root of this November holiday.

In other news, the Lions game on the 26th will be a carbon-neutral event. For the third year in a row, the Lions are partnering with TechTown-based Carbon Credit Environmental Services (CCES) and the Greening of Detroit to plant 650 trees in Detroit that will negate the 466 tons of carbon dioxide emitted by travel to and from the game as well as energy used at the stadium.

To get around, consider The Night Move. Thanksgiving Eve, the green shuttle will run its regular weekend route between Royal Oak, Ferndale, and Downtown Detroit from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. as well as a free shuttle for The Night Before Thanksgiving party at the Roostertail (from the Red Wings game at Joe Louis, Fishbones in St. Clair Shores, and Excalibur in Grosse Pointe Park). There's also a Night Move shuttle running to and from the Thursday Lions game, but it's already sold out.

Thanks for reading Green Space!

Sources: Monica Tabares, Greening of Detroit and Jennifer Harlan, The Night Move
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Grosse Pointe's newest entrepreneur isn't some middle-aged automotive engineer dealing with a layoff or a retiree looking for something to do. Meet Elizabeth Turner, the 26-year-old owner of Kumon Math and Reading Center of Grosse Pointe.

Kumon is a nationwide after-school math and reading program founded in Japan in 1958. The new Grosse Pointe spot is in the Pointe Plaza shopping center on Moross Ave. Turner, who had worked with it before, couldn't wait to go into business for herself with the help of some savings and a bank loan.

"I love the teaching method. I love working with the kids," Turner says. "It's working really well for me."

The learning method uses a systematic individualized approach that helps children develop a solid command of math and reading skills through year-round daily practice.

Kumon centers have been popping up throughout Metro Detroit in recent years. This is the first one to open in Grosse Pointe.

"Most Grosse Pointers don't know about Kumon yet," Turner says.

For information, contact Turner at (313) 281-1364 or elizabethturner@ikumon.com.

Source: Elizabeth Turner, instructor and owner of Kumon Math and Reading Center of Grosse Pointe
Writer: Jon Zemke

The three partners behind Grosse Pointe Today are ready to launch the new online news site all the way to the 1950s, and that's a good thing.

Local long-time journalists Ben Burns, Nancy Nall Derringer and Sheila Young Tomkowiak want to take the webzine back to a time when new sources were locally owned, operated and focused. To them, that's the 1950s before corporate greed started to erode the quality and effectiveness of community newspapers.

The fledgling website (started in April) hopes to parlay that local-centric philosophy into a non-profit business model that will allow it to become what local newspapers used to be to the community. That includes offering space for wedding announcements and obituaries for free.

"We think we will become the definitive information source for the Grosse Pointes and the east side of Detroit," says Ben Burns, publisher of Grosse Pointe Today and former executive editor of The Detroit News.

Right now that includes a lot of people working sans paycheck, to start. The three partners, advertising staff, 15-20 professional journalists and another 15-20 interns all contribute to the publication. The long-term goal is to establish the website enough to pay everyone the same way that the quickly-disappearing local community newspapers used to.

Burns hopes to establish the website within the next year or two and look toward expansion when it has reached a sustainable level. So far, it's off to a good start.

"We're getting more hits on our site now than we expected," Burns says.

Source: Ben Burns, publisher of Grosse Pointe Today
Writer: Jon Zemke

Clean Emission Fluids doesn't have to worry about washing its latest investment of $100,000. The venture capital comes straight from Automation Alley.

The Grosse Pointe start-up received the funds to help develop its FAST (Fluids Affordably STored) biofuel and clean diesel system. The new technology helps blend a variety of biofuels to make the right combination of bio-diesel for the right truck when it pulls up. Most other fuel pumps don't have this blending ability.

Clean Emission Fluids installed its first such pump on the NextEnergy campus at Detroit's TechTown business incubator early last year. The pumps are turn-key usable with prices starting at just under $20,000 each. The company formed in 2007 and employs a handful of people.

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation recently gave Automation Alley $1.5 million to invest in start-up technology-based companies across Southeast Michigan. This is one of the first two companies it has invested in. The other is Franklin-based Circle Builder.

Source: Automation Alley
Writer: Jon Zemke

Have you ever flirted with the thought of not driving -- or at least not alone -- to and from work each day? Well, next week has been tailor made for you.

SEMCOG -- that's Southeast Michigan's metropolitan planning organization -- is promoting Commuter Challenge week with a variety of ways for commuters to participate.

First off, signing up. You can attend the Commuter Fair at Campus Martius in Downtown Detroit on Friday, May 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sign up in person and get some cool promo goodies. If you can't make it, head to SEMCOG.org/MIrideshare to sign up and then record your progress through the week.

As if living better is not reward enough, there are some serious prizes on the table for participants. The Grand Prize is a one night stay at the Ren Cen Marriott along with meals at Signature Grill and 42 Degree North Restaurant. Other prizes include gift cards to Hard Rock Cafe, Fishbones, Opus One and Bookie's Tavern. There's also an iPod, a 31-day SMART bus pass, and Night Move passes.

Now starts the week. Every day has a special focus, although all forms of alternative commuting -- car- and vanpooling, public transit, biking, walking and telecommuting -- are encouraged all week long.

• Saturday, May 9 - National Train Day

• Monday, May 11 – Carpool / Vanpool / Flextime Day

• Tuesday, May 12 – People Mover Day

• Wednesday, May 13 – Ride the Bus Day

• Thursday, May 14 – Walking Day - Grand Opening of the Dequindre Cut

• Friday, May 15 – Bicycle Day - Annual Bike-to-Work Ride

Save some gas, lower your carbon footprint...it's all good!

Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Earth Day is here on April 22, and there are two big events in Southeast Michigan worth checking out.

The biggie is up in Rochester on April 18 and 19. 50,000 people are expected at Oakland University’s fourth annual Earth Day Expo -- its growth forced organizers to move off campus and into downtown this year, at Third and Water.

The premise behind the Earth Day Expo is to "celebrate, learn, shop, connect." The event will showcase everything needed to live green, from energy and food to transportation and clothing. There will also be live music, presentations and lectures, documentary film viewings, activities for kids, walking tours and a farmers market.

Admittance is free, but visitors are encouraged to make charitable contributions. Check out the website for schedule, parking info and tons more.

Over on the east side, LocalMotion is hosting Healthy Earth, Healthy Living at the Grosse Pointe Community Center on April 25. Free bike diagnostics, organic food, lots of information from local green businesses and a presentation on green cleaning are on the agenda.

The Community Center is located at 20025 Mack and the event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Both events are free of charge.

Also, remember that Greenovation.TV launches on Earth Day. Read more about the locally-produced internet show here.

Green Space wishes everyone a wonderful Earth Day -- with the hopes that the energy put towards this day each year translates to everyday environmental thinking!


Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

It didn't take long for Nick Johnston and his two partners to think of a way to build a business off of Michigan's new movie-making incentives.

The two quickly came up with the Producers Guide to Michigan, a Grosse Pointe-based website that serves as a local resource guide for filmmakers. Need a video camera, the Producers Guide to Michigan can tell you where to go. How about a grip for a set? It knows where those are, too. Soundstage? Please.

"We think there is a lot of talent in Michigan," Johnston says. "There are a lot of qualified people who can do this work."

The idea is to connect filmmakers with local businesses and the basic pieces of production. It's also an idea that is flourishing in California with several similar sites.

"We thought that it was something that was obviously needed here," Johnston says.

The Producers Guide to Michigan is already seeing a sizable bit of traffic even though it's only been up a few months. Johnston hopes to have 2,000 members paying $150 per year to list their equipment, stages and expertise on the site by the end of the year.

Johnston's company intends to hire a few more people as it climbs toward that number. It's also looking at creating a printed guide for it.

"There are a lot of directions this could go," Johnston says.

Source: Nick Johnston, co-founder of the Producers Guide to Michigan
Writer: Jon Zemke

The people behind Environmental Transportation Solutions believe they have the answer for high gas prices with the EcoV Electric car.