Westland • Michigan
Compassionate City
COMPASSION MOTHER
For
EARTH
THE MAYOR ’ S MONARCH PLEDGE At the 2016 Earth Day Celebration , Mayor William R . Wild announced the city of Westland ’ s involvement in a new program , the Mayor ’ s Monarch Pledge , which was created to encourage local municipalities to take a leadership role in the creation of monarch butterfly habitats .
The monarch butterfly is an American icon that has captured the imagination of millions of Americans . Due to loss of habitat , their numbers are dwindling . Mayor Wild joined the Pledge , and has worked with local agencies and community gardens to create additional monarch habitats .
This is part of the city ’ s ongoing Westland : Mission Green initiative , a wide-ranging program , launched in 2008 by Mayor Wild , designed to create a sustainable Westland for future generations .
“ The Pledge encourages the creation of butterfly gardens on city-owned properties such as parks and right-aways ,” said Wild . “ In response , two new butterfly gardens have been created , one at the Jefferson Barns Community Vitality Center ( JBCVC ), the City of Westland Monarch Butterfly Refuge , within the city ’ s oldest neighborhood , and the other at the Westland Senior Center .”
LANDMARKS ALONG THE MISSION TO BE GREEN
Westland Mission : Green , through a special grant , was fortunate to procure several of the coveted milkweeds plants ( a favorite of the monarch ) from the Monarch Watch – University of Kansas , which were then distributed to the city ’ s existing community gardens and the newly created butterfly gardens .
EARTH DAY ALL YEAR LONG Mayor William R . Wild and the city of Westland held another successful event for Earth Day 2016 at the newly renovated JBCVC . The event began with the presentation of a new baseball complex with several other amenities at the JBCVC . Wild outlined the plans for the new improvements and introduced State Rep . Robert Kosowski , who secured a $ 175,000 state grant to fund the recreational improvements . The ball field presentation was followed up with a groundbreaking for these wonderful improvements designed to provide open space and recreation amenities for the youth in the Historic Norwayne Community , as well as all of Westland .
The mayor also used the event to tout the city ’ s recycling efforts that are highlighted by a single stream curbside recycling effort that boasts an incredible 80 percent participation rate from the city ’ s 25,000 households .
A pack of Westland Boy Scouts after learning about Mission Green at the Westland Recycling Center .
Westland residents annually recycle more than one million pounds of trash , which saves the city hundreds of thousands of dollars each year on landfill costs . Wild also highlighted a new recycling program , Simple Recycling , which provides bags for curbside collection of clothing , shoes and small household items . “ Clothing unfortunately remains one of the major items that fill the country ’ s landfills and this unique program will allow Westland to lower our city ’ s environmental impact and through a special arraignment with Simple Recycling LLC , the program will also generate much needed revenue to help keep our recycling programs free , explained Wild . He also presented the Mission : Green Eco-Award to Simple Recycling for this innovative private / public partnership with the city of Westland .
Mayor Wild also announced a new citywide greening effort that the city would embark on in 2017 . As part of an initiative geared at sprucing up Westland neighborhoods , the mayor announced that his administration would be rolling out a tree replacement plan to begin to offset the devastating loss of right away trees , due to Michigan ’ s Emerald Ash- Borer plague .
SPRING CLEANING When the spring rolls around , the city of Westland is ready to help with the cleanup . “ As many families clean out the garage and basement , they stumble upon household hazards ,” said Mayor Wild . “ They find old chemicals or fluids , batteries or other items that are deemed hazardous waste . We don ’ t want anyone to throw them out in the trash . That contaminates the landfill .”
Instead , Westland collaborates with the Wayne County Department of Public Service on Hazardous Waste Collection and Electronics Recycling events . This past year , they were held at the Westland Shopping Center behind JC Penney .
Items that were collected included : floor wax , floor care products , carpet cleaner , furniture polish , bathroom cleaners , stain removers , household paints , stains and dyes , glues , auto batteries , mercury thermometers , fluorescent bulbs , fertilizers and pesticides , anti-freeze , motor oil , gasoline , cell phones , TVs , computer monitors and printers .
“ In Westland , every day is Earth Day and , as current residents of our proud city , it is our responsibility to be good stewards of the environment and do our part to pass on a sustainable community to future generations ,” said Mayor Wild .
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Innovative Health - Winter 2017