A tree grows on top of a neglected building, next thing you know it could save the planet. OK, not really, but it's a start -- and the benefits of a green roof are plenty.

Excerpt:

Proponents of living roofs argue that they have met most, if not all, of the technical challenges involved in grafting a biological layer onto the top of buildings of almost any scale: everything from a vegetable stand or bus stop to the ten-acre roof of Ford's truck plant in Dearborn, Michigan. While the average cost of installing a green roof can run two or three times more than a conventional roof, it's likely to be cheaper in the long run, thanks largely to energy savings. Vegetation also shields the roof from ultraviolet radiation, extending its life. And it requires a different kind of care, akin to low-maintenance gardening.

Read the entire article here.

Internships are like seeds in a garden: Plant them -- the kids -- in the internship here in the state, they'll stay, and, potentially, grow Michigan into a plentiful garden that will make all the neighbors jealous.

Excerpt:

The Detroit Regional Chamber and the West Michigan Strategic Alliance have launched a new Web-based initiative to connect college students with potential employers throughout Michigan.

The Intern in Michigan initiative uses a central Web site to link college students seeking internships with Michigan-based employers looking to hire them.

By logging into InternInMichigan.com and creating profiles, students can search and apply for internships. Employers can create organizational profiles, post internships and recruit college graduates.

"The launch of this initiative is timely as well as an important step in creating and promoting employment opportunities for our college graduates right here in Michigan," said Detroit chamber President and CEO Richard Blouse Jr., in a news release.

Read the entire article here.

"Counselor, please step up to the bench. I'd like to ask if you went to the University of Michigan Law School 'cause they were just ranked No. 9 in the nation by U.S. News and World Report."

Excerpt:

The University of Michigan Law School maintains both the reputation and the price tag to rank in the top 10 law programs nationwide, according to the annual rankings released this week by U.S. News and World Report.

The Ann Arbor law school ranks No. 9 out of 184 schools surveyed nationwide — essentially unchanged from a tied No. 9 ranking last year. This year the University of Chicago and University of California at Berkeley are tied at No. 6.

Read the entire article here.

New words are being invented all the time for all the new ideas and thoughts and movements that are popping up all over the place. And "locavore" -- Someone who only eats food grown within 100 miles of home -- is another one. Locavores are expected to pack the 16th annual Royal Oak in Bloom May 10.

Excerpt:

Locavores — people who eat food grown or raised within 100 miles of home — will find vegetables and herb plants offered by as many as half the 60 vendors at the 16th annual Royal Oak in Bloom.

This year, vendors expect an increase in locavores. Locavore was the Oxford American Dictionary’s 2007 Word of the Year.

From 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 10, the parking lot by City Hall will be transformed into an open-air market for edible plants, flats of annuals, landscaping plants, and garden art and accessories.

The event has become a Mother's Day tradition for many families. They have breakfast or brunch at downtown restaurants before or after walking around the booths set up at the municipal lot south of 11 Mile Road and east of Main Street. "We think this year more people are interested in vegetable gardening," said Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce Event Coordinator Shelly Kemp. "They see it as a way to save money, eat the freshest possible food, save energy and gain a sense of personal satisfaction."

Read the entire article here.

In a few years it's gonna be no more cigs on three campuses of the University of Michigan. That shouldn't mean get all your smoking in now, it means start weening yourself off the nicotine.

Excerpt:

Joining hundreds of college campuses around the country, the University of Michigan plans to go smoke-free on its three campuses by mid-2011.

The policy was unanimously approved by U-M President Mary Sue Coleman and the university's executive officers, which includes the chancellors of both U-M Flint and U-M Dearborn.

The idea is to promote a healthier campus culture where smoking is actively discouraged, said U-M Chief Health Officer and University Health Service Director Robert Winfield. He estimates about 15 percent of faculty, staff and students smoke at least casually.

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A package of cucumber seeds for pocket change could yield pounds of cucumbers that would cost more than the toll to get to Canada. So, it's not exactly science... it's horticulture! Your garden will save you money and it doesn't hurt to get a few green things in your diet - especially if they come out of your own garden.

Excerpt:

"I know it saves me money when you compare it to the price of produce in the store," said Tracy Parrish of the vegetable and herb garden she plants every spring in her Ferndale yard. "When you grow it at home you can just go outside and get it for free."

Garden advocates have dubbed the renewed green-thumb movement "recession gardens" and the trend -- part self-sufficiency, part health-consciousness -- has even reached the White House where last month first lady Michelle Obama unearthed a grassy patch of the south lawn to start a fruit and vegetable garden for the first time since the Roosevelt administration.

"Growing vegetables at home has never been easier. Plants can be grown in the ground or in containers. There are many products on the market that can be used if you don't have space or enough sun in the ground," said Jennifer Youngquest, marketing manager with locally based English Gardens florist and garden center. The company, with seven area outlets, has seen double-digit seed sale increases, she added.

Read the entire article here.

Now it's serious, folks. A movie studio is moving into Allen Park. But it's not just a win for Allen Park, it's a win for neighboring Dearborn. At least that's what city officials are saying.

Excerpt:

East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Michael Boettcher Thursday said the construction and subsequent opening of a movie production studio in Allen Park -- to be called "Unity Studios" and located at Southfield Road and Enterprise Drive, near I-94 -- is an outstanding idea and believes that while the studio is technically in Allen Park, the project could prove to be an economic boon for the city of Dearborn, as well.

"I think Dearborn can be a destination for people who come into the area to work at the studio," Boettcher said.

Dearborn Mayor Jack O'Reilly shared Boettcher's sentiments, adding that with the studio being minutes away from Dearborn, the city's restaurants and hotels could see a huge increase in business.

Read the entire article here.

Keep a lookout for people on the lookout for film locations. Film industry location scouts are out and about looking for property to star in motion pictures, TV shows, music videos, documentaries, and pretty much everything else.

Excerpt:

Filming in Detroit (FID) represents property owners who lease their land, business or home to studios and production entities for location sites. In addition, FID also represents people who may want to work as actors, models or extras.

Serving primarily, however, as a property "casting" agency, FID represents private owners of Michigan property (predominately in Detroit and its surrounding areas) for locations in major motion pictures, television shows, music videos, documentaries and other media. In addition, FID also leases sites for event planning and public relations firms. There is a nominal fee for representation by FID for metro-Detroit property owners able and willing to lease their homes, businesses or land for location sites. Only the opportunity to profit handsomely for participating, and the thrill of potentially being part -- a crucial part -- of a Hollywood movie.

Read the entire article here.

You need seeds to grow a garden and you need grads to grow a state. Michigan can only go as far as its college grad retention will take it.

Excerpt:

Because employment growth and high wages are increasingly knowledge-based, primarily in five broad sectors of the economy: information, finance and insurance, professional and technical services, health care and education. These industries, all of which have at least 30 percent of their employees with four-year degrees, are concentrating in the regions of the country with the greatest concentrations of college educated adults.

Unfortunately Michigan ranks 34th in college attainment. In a flattening world where work can increasingly be done any place by anybody, the places with the greatest concentrations of talent win.

Read the entire article here.

Social media is here. Well, actually it's been here for a bit, but not it's really here, sitting on the couch, watching TV, completely moved in. Facebook, MySpace, Twitter -- all of these, and other types of social media, are changing the way people do business, stay in touch, and, yes, even vent.

Excerpt:

Though it's an effective, low-cost way to reach out, she said, most nonprofits aren't taking advantage of social media. "We need to catch up."

Song described Twitter as perfect for communicating with a nonprofit's constituency and raising money. "It's like a stream of consciousness coming from your organization." NEW uses Twitter to promote workshops and other events, but also to pass along links that other nonprofits might find interesting, and to talk about what staff members are doing. (One recent Tweet: "Quality Coffee Friday at the NEW Center today. Tenants are loving @Sweetwaters House Blend and House Decaf!")

Related to Twitter, TipJoy is an application that allows you to raise money via your Twitter network. It’s an alternative to the more well-known PayPal e-commerce system, Song said, and is preferable for nonprofits because it charges lower administrative fees for the transactions.  Song reported that a nonprofit called charity: water raised $250,000 in a week-long TipJoy campaign.

Read the entire story here.

Detroit's modern living boutique Mezzanine blogs about a modern living oasis in St. Clair Shores.

Excerpt:

An influx of young Dwell magazine-reading families could really make this neighborhood of starter homes a hot little modern gem - a bookend for the more traditional Cabbage Patch neighborhood at the southern border of Grosse Pointe.  The price is right on these places - my pics were taken last fall, BEFORE the market bottomed out - when they were going for a little over $100k typically, and a fixer upper was priced as above.  And they're all in walking, and certainly biking, distance from some great shops and restaurants on Mack Avenue, including Josef's bakery and Merchant's Wines.

With a little elbow grease to un-DIY some of the design mistakes, and a few more Mini Coopers in the driveways, this neighborhood could be out-of-control cool.

Read the entire article here.

A tween, if you don't know, is that time in one's life when you're not exactly a teen and you're not exactly a pre-teen. You know, it's between. It's tween. With that said, a show about 'em will be entirely done here in Michigan and produced by Ferndale's own S3 Entertainment Group.

Excerpt:

Titled "The Wannabes," it's described as a tween sitcom filled with singing and dancing. It’s set to star members of a real-life teen group called Savvy.

S3EG is partnering on the project with Stern-LeMaire Productions, a Texas-based company that manages Savvy, whose members also are from Texas, according to online biographies of the group's members.

Shooting is supposed to start in June. Jeff Spilman of S3EG said today that he expects to have a virtually 100% Michigan crew.

The show has been sold to various networks internationally, according to an S3EG spokeswoman. Spilman said he anticipates it winding up on a U.S. network aimed at the tween -- or preteen -- market.

Read the entire article here.

Looking for a new bike path or some park lighting or a few patches of pretty flowers? Well, if you live in one of the 67 communities slated for federal transportation aide you're in luck.

Excerpt:

Ten metro Detroit projects valued at nearly $16 million are part of a $47.3 million in transportation enhancement funding paid for with federal stimulus and other transportation-related dollars announced in a statement by Michigan Lt. Gov. John Cherry on Thursday.

Sixty seven communities in 27 counties will get money. Twenty two projects will be funded by federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money that requires no local match.

The money will pay for enhancements such as bike paths, paved shoulders, lighting, landscaping, sidewalks, crosswalks, and preservation work on bridges and rail facilities, the statement said.

Read the entire article here.

Thomas Video, a haven for cult and obscure movie buffs, has moved and will no longer be under that big yellow sign in Clawson. However, they have moved for the better; when most places like theirs are being closed because of chain stores and technology, Thomas has managed to beat the odds.

Excerpt:

To call Thomas Video a niche business is an understatement of vast proportions -- "supremely prescient" might be a better description.

Opened as Thomas Film Classics in 1974, the shop's then-owner, Dennis Thomas, recognized the potential of the home video market before the technology even existed.

"Dennis was a visionary," says Jim Olenski, who bought into the business in 1976. "He started off with a film store, but he saw that there would be a market for people to own movies -- it was a natural flow into video."

Olenski and band mate Gary Reichel (from early Detroit punk ensemble, Cinecyde), started working for Thomas in the '70s. He eventually sold the business outright to Olenski and Reichel, who later partnered with Carol Schwartz. Now, 35 years later, the business has beaten the odds, staying strong through trends, technology and economic tumult.

Read the entire article here.

Ferndale has been a hotspot for Southeast Michigan for a while, everyone knows that. But, did you know that it's becoming even hotter? Not temperature wise, but in terms of nightlife and dining options and chic boutiques. And how could you go wrong with alliterations like this: Friendly Ferndale, Fabulous Ferndale, Fashionable Ferndale.

Excerpt:

The city has gone from a cool place to buy records and get some pizza with friends, to a diverse epicenter of all things hip and chic. You can dance. You can dine. And you can absolutely be yourself.

"It's a city that others should model their own after," says 23-year-old Eric Allen, a new Ferndale resident. "Everyone is so accepting. The streets are clean and safe, and things just seem to be generally more upbeat and happy when I see people out and about downtown."

Read the entire article here.

Over the lips, past the gums, look out tummy, here it comes. That can be applied to pretty much anything you put in your mouth but in this particular instance let's apply it to beer and how well the brewing industry is doing here in the state of Michigan. Nearly 4,000 people work in the industry in Michigan and almost $5 billion contributed to the state's economy. Not bad... now where's my beer?

Excerpt:

Michigan's beer industry directly employed some 3,920 people in the state last year, paying total wages of $250 million, according to a study sponsored by two national industry groups.

The study, by the National Beer Wholesalers Association and the Beer Institute, estimated the overall industry contributed $4.9 billion to the state's economy, ranking it as No. 13 in the nation for economic impact of the state's breweries, distributors and retailers. (California, with its 200 some breweries, was No. 1.)

Read the entire article here.

The buy local movement is moving beyond just the residents of a community to make its way into local government, with a proposal by the village council of Dexter to keep funds with local merchants.

Excerpt:

On Monday night, the Dexter council discussed a resolution to affirm the village's commitment to purchasing goods from local merchants. Stating that for every dollar that is spent locally, about 80 percent is returned to the community, the council verbally reaffirmed its support of village businesses and will vote on the motion later this month.

Last week, the Ypsilanti City Council approved a motion agreeing to try to "maximize the creation of American jobs'' in the way it spends federal economic stimulus money. Ypsilanti Mayor Paul Schreiber said that city's resolution doesn't bind it to using only American-made products in construction or other projects, but the city "is going to make an effort to do this.''

The Dexter resolution is the result of a recent retreat in which council members reviewed the village's goals and objectives. One goal is to stimulate the local economy through the use of local vendors.

Read the entire article here.

Governor Jennifer Granholm writes to Newsweek magazine with her two cents on Michigan and its future. There's a lot of talk about going electric and green jobs.

Excerpt:

In Michigan, we are doing everything we can to become the home of this new electric auto industry — and to the jobs this industry will create. We've adopted unprecedented tax incentives to make sure that auto batteries are not only designed but produced and assembled in our state. Our No Worker Left Behind training initiative is giving displaced manufacturing workers the skills they need for "green jobs." We are tapping our world-class research universities and the 330 automotive research-and-development facilities in Michigan to develop the breakthrough technologies that will produce that next engine.

Read the entire article here.

Looks like Oakland County has the market cornered on hospitality here in Michigan. Eight different spots in the OC received high marks on their AAA report cards, including the Radisson, the Royal Park, and the Westin in Southfield hotels, all of which received the Four-Diamond rating.

Excerpt:

Eight different hospitality-oriented establishments in Oakland County have earned Four-Diamond ratings from AAA for excellence.

The eight local hotels and restaurants honored by AAA, including the Townsend Hotel and Rugby Grille in downtown Birmingham, are among 25 across the state that won the coveted award.

Read the entire article here.

If you ever ridden a bike along Woodward in Ferndale or Royal Oak you've probably hear, "Get outta the road!" more than once. Yet riding on the sidewalk isn't feasible in these cities. So, what to do? Well a group in Royal Oak is pushing for a more biker friendly downtown that includes bike lanes.

Excerpt:

The Royal Oak nonmotorized transportation task force wants to improve the situation and prevent more accidents...

"Studies show that when a city is safer for bicyclists, those people tend to stay in their city for entertainment," Regan said. "They bike to local restaurants and venues ... I'm tired of the self-righteous attitudes by motorists in Royal Oak that assume only motor vehicles have the right to the road."

Honking, angry drivers tell Regan to "get off the road" and "Go ride on the sidewalk."

The reality, he said, is that more people are injured riding their bikes on sidewalks than in the streets. Motorized vehicle drivers usually aren't paying enough attention when turning, and if a bicyclist is crossing the street, that's often when they're struck.

Read the entire article here.