An Image of Sustainability in Detroit

A photographic and written examination of positive environmental change in the city of Detroit alongside the areas that need it most

When you hear the word sustainability, through the current state of the world, many people think of environmental sustainability. Protection of the environment is what brought me to this project, but there is a larger picture of sustainability. Most people break down sustainability into three sections: Profit, People, and Planet. Through my personal connection to the city of Detroit as well as my interest in living a “green” lifestyle and caring for the environment, I chose to take a look at sustainability in the city of Detroit.

For Detroit, this means examining what environmental strides the city is taking to reduce their carbon footprint, what social programs are being implemented to sustain the community, and what economic investments are being made to keep the city growing and surviving. In some cases, it is the reverse - looking at areas that need environmental help and the negative effects it is having on the community. As I take a look at them, I realize that the three areas are almost always intertwined.

This photographic documentation has a broad focus and is currently focused on showing as many areas of Detroit as possible. As the project develops, there will be more in-depth documentations of specific locales.

Unions are an integral part to the culture and workers of Detroit. Through auto workers and industry workers, we’ve seen time and time again the way that unions impact our community and economy. Buildings such as IBEW Local 58 being transformed into a sustainable base for union members and employees provides a long-term home with minimal utility costs and a tiny carbon footprint. The building is a prime example of environmental sustainability impacting the people and economy to provide sustainability in other ways for the city of Detroit.

There is a great juxtaposition in the development of the Eco Homes neighborhood and how it affects the community. The development is a wonderful example of efficient housing that can be done in mid-size homes on small lots, much like other Detroit residential properties. Building sustainable homes allows for low utility and maintenance costs for residents and hopefully provides longevity. However, at a higher market price of half a million dollars, the people buying these homes are not primarily Detroit residents. The people buying these homes are primarily coming from the suburbs, with a few moving from other homes in the neighborhood. While building green homes is wonderful framework for residential sustainability, the focus should be on helping the people of Detroit and providing sustainable features for their already built homes, before constructing homes from the ground up. People moving to Detroit from the suburbs provides constant change for the communities and is not sustainable for the cultures that have existed for many years.

Detroit’s eastside neighborhood Jefferson-Chalmers has experienced extreme flooding due to rising water levels and issues in the city’s sewer system. The city has installed 100,000 sandbags and a tiger dam spanning all of the waterfront homes in the area. Many Michigan waterfront property owners will be feeling the effects of climate change directly. Constant changes in water levels around the Great Lakes are prevalent and the damages can be costly. The environmental effects are clearly being felt by all of the residents, many being extremely inconvenienced.

The air is heavier as you drive through 48217, an area in Southwest Detroit which makes up the city’s cornerstone of industry. Now known for being Michigan’s most polluted zip code, the residential area is surrounded by factories in every direction. In a myriad of industries, there are over 40 facilities that are large polluters of this area, including a Marathon Petroleum Refinery, Detroit’s Salt Mine, a Waste Treatment plant, DTE’s coal energy plant, and 7 Asphalt Plants. The residents of this area see increased cases of cancer and respiratory issues. Unlike other Michigan neighborhoods, tree lined streets and open grass fields are not something you will find here. In order to fly my drone which requires an appropriate distance from metal and magnetic objects, the only place I could find was the local high school football field, after trying 5 other locations.

Matters have only gotten worse since Covid-19 hit. The Trump Administration laxed EPA standards in March 2020 to accommodate for the added difficulty of safety and health precautions. The oil giant in Marathon took full advantage of the loosened reigns and has not been obeying Michigan’s allowed levels of emissions and subsequently has been strapped with notices and fines from Michigan’s Department of Environment.

Residents of this area are reluctant to leave because an overwhelming majority of the homes were family homes that are paid off and were left to them.

When the city of Detroit allowed Marathon to expand their refinery a number of years ago, it was under the premise that additional jobs would go to Detroit residents. As it stands in 2020, 30 of their 500+ employees are Detroit residents.

I am truly surprised that more lawsuits have not been brought against the factories in this area. Previous class action lawsuits have been dismissed for being outside Michigan’s statute of limitations. I do believe that the people of Detroit will make it harder for these industries to continue the track they’re on as more people are becoming aware of the the effects of pollution and the damage that they are doing to Detroit residents. In the meantime, all positive strides that the city of Detroit is taking to provide a sustainable future are honestly hopeless when factories such as these are allowed to skirt the rules and pollute entire communities.

Hantz Woodlands is an urban tree farm located on Detroit’s east side. The project focused on cleaning up vacant lots and dilapidated houses to plant thousands of trees over the last 7 years. Hantz has bought over 2,000 parcels of land in deals with the city and subsequently planted over 25,000 trees consisting of maples, oaks, birches and poplars. The tree farm is maintained regularly and avoids overgrowth during the growing season. The neighborhood has seen homeowners investing in their homes’ exteriors which has led to home values rising and a safer community for residents.

Detroit’s Vegan Restaurant Wave

Chili Mustard Onions, Seva, The Brooklyn Street Local

Although just a small showing featured here, the influx of vegan and vegetarian friendly food options in the city of Detroit has increased significantly in the past 2 years. While Detroit as a whole is going through a food revolution and it being a target city for a lot of young, talented chefs to open restaurants, it is good to see that translated into other diets as well.

Detroit’s population is 80% black and historically, Black cuisine is known for being unhealthy and causing a slew of personal health issues such as heart disease and diabetes. As research in this subject advances, more people are learning of the lifelong effects of a poor diet. But, plant-based eaters are educating and serving the public everyday to offer other options. Restaurants such as Detroit Vegan Soul in Detroit’s West Village aim to keep the culture of black cuisine alive, but in a healthier, plant-based manner.

Many environmentalists eat a plant-based diet because they are aware of the sustainability of it. If everyone ate a plant-based diet, globally, we’d need 75% less farm land than is currently used today. That excess farm land can be open areas for wild life and plant life to thrive. Not including the carbon emissions that come from producing and shipping industrial meat. Not to get into the thick of it, but plant-based diets are statistically healthier options and avoid preventable diseases. Healthier communities also provide sustainability for the city of Detroit.

If interested in reading more about plant-based diets from doctors and scientists, I recommend “Proteinaholic” by Garth Davis M.D., “The Cheese Trap” by Dr. Neal Bernard, and “How Not to Die” by Michael Greger M.D.

Luckily, there are so many great options for individuals to exercise a greener lifestyle in the city of Detroit. Although not all encompassing, newer transportation additions such as the Q-line and increased bike lanes offer environmentally friendly transportation options. Try a plant-based meal at a local vegan restaurant or pick up local produce at Eastern Market or one of Detroit’s Urban Farms. Use a reusable coffee cup for your morning caffeine. One message that should remain is supporting your community and small businesses is a better choice for protecting the environment and providing sustainability to the people of your city rather than supporting corporations who are polluting our cities - as we see in 48217.