Ann Arbor Sustainability & Innovations Notebook

The City of Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovation (OSI) is sharing updates and opportunities to advance the A2ZERO goals.

In November, OSI launched the A2ZERO Ambassadors program. Ambassadors are residents interested in learning about the various ways the city and the community can advance sustainability and carbon neutrality. Ambassadors are then given the tools to help operationalize that information. All ambassadors are committed to attending a nine-week training course, supporting the implementation of a community project that advances sustainability, and conducting at least 20 hours of additional volunteer work in support of community sustainability and carbon neutrality (i.e., speak at events, talk to neighbors and peers, host community learning sessions, lead local projects). This is the first ambassador’s cohort, but OSI plans to run another cohort in 2021. Learn more at www.a2gov.org/sustainability.

Calling for participants! As Ann Arbor’s Solarize program enters its second year, OSI is gathering interest from residents who would like to participate in 2021. Solarize is a community-centered, group-buy program that brings neighbors and friends together to learn about residential solar and explore whether it is a good fit for them. If you would like to attend a future meeting or help gather neighbors and community members for a group, let OSI know! To learn more or see discounts offered through the program, please visit www.a2gov.org/solar.

OSI has been working on a draft set of energy criteria and principles to help guide energy-related investments necessary to meet A2ZERO. These principles will be discussed with City Council at a working session in January and re-presented to the Energy and Environmental commissions in January. OSI plans to bring the final set of principles to City Council for formal adoption in early 2021, as they will be instrumental when seeking solutions to achieve some goals identified in A2ZERO. Review the draft principles at www.a2gov.org/sustainability.

The University of Michigan will soon be releasing their draft recommendations on achieving carbon neutrality. These recommendations will be open for public comment until mid-January. The public is encouraged to review these recommendations, which will be posted on http://sustainability.umich.edu/carbonneutrality.

Are you interested in greenhouse gas emissions tracking? OSI has updated its website, created a video and published a report that dives more deeply into how greenhouse gas emissions is calculated. Learn more and check out these resources on the city’s sustainability website at www.a2gov.org/sustainability.

Upcoming events

Join OSI at one of the following upcoming events. Register and see more events, which are being added weekly, on the city’s public calendar at https://calendar.a2gov.org/CalendarNOW.aspx?fromdate=12/1/2020&todate=12/31/2020&display=Month&more=1/1/0001:

Special announcements

  • OSI has updated its website! If you haven’t yet, please check it out at www.a2gov.org/sustainability.
  • OSI has launched a YouTube channel! Did you miss an event, or do you want to see what OSI has been up to? Check out the new YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGt5xJTxnyY&list=PLw6eY79a9rp8SUIhKeJXX85L1gwhKLN7v.
  • Remember that the Sustaining Ann Arbor Together grant program is available to those who have ideas for how to advance sustainability in the public right of way. Learn more and apply on the sustainability website, www.a2gov.org/sustainability.
  • The Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association has recognized the A2ZERO Ambassadors and the Solarize Program as the GLREA Exemplary Project of the Year.
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