“Going green” is a phrase we hear a lot these days. There’s a whole laundry list of actions you could file under going green, and it’s become sort of a vague phrase for being environmentally conscious. While a priority for many, the idea of going green can be daunting due to all the different avenues and opportunities you can pursue. That’s why an important community resource organization, and Cherryland member, decided to form a whole team dedicated to the cause.

Child and Family Services of Northwestern Michigan formed the Green Team in the fall of 2021. “We were at a board retreat, and people were talking about our core values. They were talking about the sustainability value and whether it was referring to financial sustainability or sustainability in the environmental sense,” explained Child and Family Services Development and Compliance Specialist Tara Ward.

By the end of that retreat, Ward and Nicola Philpott, secretary of the organization’s board of directors, were tasked with creating the Green Team. They started by adding a new core value, specifically dedicated to environmental responsibility. Philpott said, “Many of our clients are children and youth, and that population will be impacted by climate change more than any other. So it makes sense that an organization that worries about and supports the well-being of children and their families would want to do our part to minimize our contribution to climate change. That’s why we set up the Green Team.”

“So then, we thought about what small things we could do. Eating a plant-rich diet is one of the things you can do to minimize your carbon footprint, so we organized a plant-based picnic. Another thing you can do is to reduce your waste, so we supplied all staff with reusable water bottles,” Philpott explained.

Many of the initiatives in this young program are aimed at helping Child and Family Services staff and volunteers take steps to do their part in protecting the environment. They’ve even partnered with local groups like Norte, Green Spire Middle School, and the National Cherry Festival to create fun opportunities to live their mission through fuel-free transportation, learning a little gardening, and cleaning up the community.

While the little things certainly add up, the Green Team also has bigger goals that require a little more time and money. Child and Family Services conducted an energy audit through Keen Technical Solutions to learn more about how they could make their Veterans Drive location more energy efficient. With a list of ways to upgrade their building, they needed to secure some funding to make this next, larger step. “There was a grant available through the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), and we applied for it. We got funding for $25,000 worth of energy improvements,” explained Ward. She continued, “It was not just for lighting, heating and cooling, thermostats, and things, it also helped us create an energy action plan with a consultant.”

The Green Team now tracks their carbon emissions and how much they spend on energy needs. After upgrading to energy-efficient lighting and a more efficient furnace, they saw a noticeable difference in energy use and cost savings.

The Child and Family Services Board of Directors recently approved the Green Team’s Energy and Emissions Action Plan, complete with short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals. “We’ve met our short-term goals, growing our Green Team, tracking our energy use, and making recycling better around the office. Our medium-term goals include a lot of energy-saving goals. We just got a grant for energy efficient, climate-resilient landscaping. We continue to make lighting improvements, and we’re adding more smart vents,” explained Ward. Philpott added, “A longer-term goal would be to buy electric tools instead of gas-powered tools, leasing electric vehicles, and maybe even getting a solar array.”

The Green Team’s intentional approach to making environmentally conscious changes and decisions takes that sometimes ambiguous idea of going green to the next level, turning it into something much easier to wrap your arms around. They demonstrate how anyone can take steps to make the world a better place, even if your business, nonprofit, or club isn’t one you’d traditionally associate with these types of goals and priorities.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Green Team or starting your own – email Tara Ward at [email protected] or Nicola Philpott at [email protected].