Environment and Sustainability
From GRPLpedia
Contents |
Select Titles
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| Endangered Species |
Global Warming & Climate Change Green Building |
Recycling |
Socially Responsible Financial Investments Sustainable Business Development Waste Management |
Clean Technologies
| Green Technology |
Sustainable Food
| Composting | Urban Gardens | further info on real food |
Water Resource Management
| Water Rights | Water Use |
GRPL Rain Garden
During Earth Week 2007, we held a contest asking staff to share ideas on how to make the Library a greener place to work. The winning entry, coming from Tim Warren, suggested we add a rain garden in an area where standing water occurs after heavy rain fall.
With help from Dr. Dave Warners from the Biology Department at Calvin College, we began planning our rain garden in late summer/early fall 2007. Funding for this project was made possible through the Grand Rapids Public Library Foundation. Construction on the garden began on Earth Day, 22 April 2008. Dr. Warners recruited Calvin's Environmental Stewardship Coalition and his Biology students to assist Library staff in planting the garden.
The site of the GRPL Rain Garden is on the east side of the building, where the Ryerson and Keeler buildings are joined. A sidewalk is in place to tour the garden.
Magazines and Journals at the Library
- Environment and Nature Magazines at the Main Library
- The library owns literally thousands of magazines and newspapers in print, microfiche, microfilm, and electronic formats. These magazines are located in the Reading Room, our Youth Services Department, the Grand Rapids History and Special Collections Department, and our Retrieval Desk at the Main library, as well as at each of our branches.
- Search our catalog for specific titles.
- Search our databases for full-text articles and citations from thousands more magazines and newspapers. Check MeL (the Michigan eLibrary) to find out if a magazine's full-text articles are included in a database.
- EBSCOhost Green Info Online This free online database provides access to many articles related to sustainability and the environment.
Community Resources
City of Grand Rapids Environmental Services -- Learn about what the city is doing to protect the environment.
food for thought -- Free magazine focusing on West Michigan food found at various locations or can be downloaded off their website.
Greater Grand Rapids Food System Council -- A non-profit, membership based organization striving to reconnect food, place and community.
Kent County Household Hazardous Waste Program -- Properly dispose of those hazardous materials you have around your home.
Land Conservancy of West Michigan -- Protects West Michigan's valuable environmental resources for conservation and recreation.
Rain Gardens of West Michigan -- An environmental program focused on stormwater education and the value of water quality.
West Michigan Environmental Action Council -- West Michigan's leading voice in environmental protection since 1968.
