City of Berkley Again Earns Gold for Environmental Leadership

For the second year in a row, the City of Berkley has earned gold in environmental leadership from Michigan Green Communities.

The gold award, the highest achievement in the Michigan Green Communities Challenge, reflects Berkley’s community leadership in areas such as energy efficiency, climate adaptation and resilience, recycling and environmental justice, among others. MGC is a statewide network of local government staff and officials that promotes sustainability solutions and offers the annual MGC Challenge, which enables participant communities to track and benchmark their sustainability progress.

The City achieved gold status in the MGC Challenge for exemplary action in multiple categories, including planning, economic development, land use, climate resilience and adaptation, energy efficiency, renewable energy, recycling, composting and waste diversion, water conservation and protection, and clean mobility.

“The City of Berkley is proud to once again receive the highest honor in the Michigan Green Communities Challenge for our commitment to and leadership in protecting the environment and promoting environmental stewardship in our community,” City Manager Matt Baumgarten said. “Through our Environmental Advisory Committee, City Council and City staff, we have enhanced our operations and services to help create a sustainable community both today and well into the future.”

The City of Berkley’s recent sustainability achievements include:

• Its first two electric vehicle charging stations were installed in February at the Berkley Public Library, and two more stations will be added at City-owned parks over the next month. EV chargers offer environmental, operational, residential and business benefits by preserving the environment and protecting green space, requiring less maintenance than non-electric public works yard equipment, increasing property values and attracting new customers. For more on the City of Berkley’s EV chargers, visit org/boards_and_commissions/ev_charging_in_berkley.php.
• The HVAC systems in City-owned buildings are more than 20 years old and are being redesigned for significant energy efficiency. Funded through federal and state grants, this work will begin in spring 2024 and will include the Library, City Hall and Public Safety building.

The City of Berkley was one of 48 communities across the state to earn gold, silver or bronze status in this year’s MGC Challenge.    

The Michigan Green Communities program is open to all local governments in Michigan at no cost and provides sustainability networking, benchmarking and technical assistance. It guides and supports communities in adapting to a changing climate, protecting infrastructure, improving the quality of life for residents and creating a more environmentally and economically sustainable future for the state of Michigan.

For more information about MGC and the challenge, visit migreencommunities.com. For more on the City of Berkley’s sustainability and environmental efforts, visit berkleymich.org/boards_and_commissions/environmental.php.