Imagine what it would look like if the City of Ann Arbor finally got to true sustainability. The City of Ann Arbor is going to try and help residents and business owners do that with the third annual A2Zero Week during the first week of June.
This series of talks, conferences and fun events are designed to keep the public up to date with the community’s environmental status and to demonstrate new ways to keep or improve your standard of living while also helping the environment. It will take place June 4-10.
Missy Stults, director of sustainability and innovations director at the City of Ann Arbor, said, “A2Zero week is when we commemorate the adoption of the community’s A2Zero plan, which is our plan to be carbon neutral in a just and equitable way by 2030.”
The week will kick off with the forty-ninth annual Dexter-Ann Arbor Run at 8:30 a.m., Sunday, June 4. This will be the first of many zero-waste events; where you can meet people and have fun while also observing zero-waste practices. You will need to register in order to participate on the half marathon, 5K or 10K routes.
The Ann Arbor Distilling Company will be teaching adult attendees how to make Eezy Treezy cocktails which don’t leave a scrap of waste in preparation.
Registration is required for the classes at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on June 5. Across town, the State Theater will be playing the documentary “Beyond Zero” at 6:30 p.m. that evening.
A big part of the city’s plan to achieve carbon neutrality by the end of this decade is to establish a circular economy – meaning an economy that recycles or repurposes everything it uses to prevent landfill waste and other damaging ecological effects while also servicing the economic needs of the community.
Establishing this is central to making Ann Arbor’s carbon neutrality goal realistically achievable.
Ann Arbor Mayor Chris Taylor said, “We have a long way to go. But I am excited that we are expanding our recycling and composting program. With the climate action millage, we are going to be able to support those initiatives and multifamily residential.”
This is going to be explored in depth with REPAIRsday, where you’ll be able to learn how to repair electronic devices on Thursday from 5:30-9 p.m. at 255 East Liberty Street.
The Citizen’s Climate Lobby will also be hosting an environmental trivia night at Conor O’Niell’s on Thursday, from 5-8 p.m.
On Friday at 5 p.m, there will be at Bryant Community Resilience Hub Open House at 3 Eden Court.
Saturday is going to be the busiest part of the week. It will start with four different site tours at Food Gatherers, Clague Middle School, Chapel Hill Condo Association, and the Project Grow location at Matthaei Botanical Gardens; all from 9-11 a.m.
The YMCA will be hosting an eco-friendly block party featuring VegMichigan, the University of Michigan Solar Car Team, EMS, and Human Electric Hybrids from 12-4 p.m. on the same day. Children will be able to learn about sustainable lifestyle solutions, and solar powered transportation.
The Ann Arbor Summer Festival will also be hosting an event from 5 p.m.- 9 p.m. There will be a kid’s zone at the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History for children to learn about bioluminescence from 5- 8 p.m.
More information on A2Zero Week can be found on the city of Ann Arbor website.
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Drew Saunders is a freelance business and environmental journalist who grew up just outside of Ann Arbor. He covers local business developments, embraces his foodie side with reviews restaurants, obsesses over Michigan's environmental state, loves movies, and feels spoiled by the music he gets to review for Ann Arbor!
