Michigan Sustainable Business Forum Celebrates Southwest Michigan Sustainability Leaders

Michigan Sustainable Business Forum recognized five organizations and three professionals at the fifth annual Great Green Gala at the Box Factory for the Arts last month on May 28, 2024. The Great Green Gala is the signature event for sustainability practitioners in Michigan’s Great Southwest, celebrating local efforts that are driving positive outcomes for their environment, community, and economy. 

Presented by title sponsor Inovateus Solar and award sponsor Southwest Michigan Planning Commission, the 2024 Sustainable Business of the Year Awards recognizes businesses and institutions that are modeling a commitment to sustainability and sustainable business by advancing climate solutions, protecting local watersheds, supporting the creation of a circular economy, and promoting social justice or corporate social responsibility:

Benton Harbor Community Development Corporation’s (BHCDC): Benton Harbor Community Development Corporation’s (BHCDC) sustainability efforts aim to empower residents and promote a healthier, more sustainable Benton Harbor. BHCDC has brought about the establishment of a community resilience hub that has transformed empty lots into community gardens, worked to address the urban blight and economic disenfranchisement within the community, as well as, launched the “Transformation Beyond Imagination” project to revitalize the Empire Corridor.

Better World Builders: Focusing on energy efficiency and healthy home performance, Better World Builders (BWB) has serviced over 3,600 properties in the Southwest Michigan area. BWB specializes in helping homeowners and business owners reduce energy waste and improve comfort. Its mission is to enhance home value by fostering healthy, resilient, and energy-efficient living spaces. By focusing on energy use and indoor air quality, Better World Builders aims to create more sustainable and comfortable environments for its clients.

Camp Friedenswald: Camp Friedenswald drives positive outcomes through solar energy production, composting, biodiversity enhancement, and extensive recycling programs. It also emphasizes sustainability education and supports social justice through initiatives like land acknowledgment and living wages. 

Cycle-Re-Cycle: Established in 2010, Cycle-Re-Cycle’s mission is to divert bicycles from landfills and promote alternative transportation by encouraging the use of bikes. Cycle-Re-Cycle promotes cycling for commuting, exercise, and recreation, as well as, offers classes and programs to teach bike skills and maintenance. It’s mission is to foster a strong biking community in Southwest Michigan and to advocate for safer roads and trails for all users. 

Pokagon Band of Potawatomi: The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi undertook a monumental project to restore the historic meanders of the Dowagiac River in Southwestern Michigan to improve the river’s ecological health. This $5 million project included planting 550 native trees, 2,635 shrubs, 410 live stakes, and seeding 16.7 acres with native plants. This effort has increased the river’s resiliency, restored hydrology to 53.2 acres of wetlands, and doubled the river’s length within the restored area. 

Furthermore, three local professionals were inducted into the Southwest Michigan Sustainable Business Hall of Fame: Nancy Carpenter, District Manager for the Berrien Conservation District, Matt Davis, President Emeritus and Special Project Manager for Wightman, and Alex Little, Interim City Manager for the City of Benton Harbor, received a lifetime achievement award for their extraordinary contributions to the growth of sustainable business in the region.

The event was sponsored by Inovateus Solar, Southwest Michigan Planning Commission, Wightman, Mno-Bmadsen and Bodwe Professional Services Group, Cycle-Re-Cycle, Brewery Vivant, Abonmarche, and Martin’s Super Markets.