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Photo by Karl Sparrman

Mayor George Heartwell, who spoke to students Tuesday, wants Grand Rapids to use only renewable energy by 2020.

All of the van Reken floors have student-inspired questions that are shaping the programming done on the floors this semester. The Creation Care floor on 1st van Reken, has this question: “What initiatives need to be taken to be truly sustainable, and who can inspire us to take them?”

The answer to the second half of that question could very well be Grand Rapids’ mayor, George Heartwell. Heartwell visited the floor on Tuesday night, meeting a group of just over 20 students who were drawn to hear him speak about how he, as a political figure, makes sustainability a priority for the city, and what specific initiatives have been taken to make Grand Rapids more sustainable.

The first thing the mayor discussed was the three different approaches to sustainability: economic, environmental and social equity. For him, the social equity reasons were the ones driving him the most. He had been a Christian minister for 16 years before he became mayor six years ago. He also had a love of nature, appreciating things like backpacking and fly fishing. After becoming mayor, he got an environmental council together.

“I realized that because I’m the mayor, I can tap the smartest, brightest minds in the city,” said Heartwell.

This is exactly what he did. That council of 32 total people turned his love of nature into a passion for nature, Heartwell said.

Grand Rapids is the first U.S. city to be chosen by the United Nations to be a regional center for sustainability and expertise, which is both an honor and a tough job. The United Nations has specific things that it wants a city with that title to do.

Heartwell then talked about specific strategic plans that he has been a part of creating for the city. In 2004, an initiative was passed that declared by 2008, 20 percent of the city’s power would be renewable energy. This was accomplished. After that victory, Heartwell declared the next step: he said that there is no reason that by 2020 all of the energy used by the city could not be renewable, and that by 2020 all of the energy used by the city will be independent of fossil fuels.

Another project that the mayor is working on is called “Get the lead out.” In a three-year study in the Baxter neighborhood, a low-income housing neighborhood, 46.6 percent of children tested at medical intervention level for lead, which causes neurological problems. Heartwell explained how disastrous this would be since children would be more inclined to drop out of school. Partnering with a number of non-profit organizations, the city has been granted three $5 million federal grants and has seen improvements.

Another project is the issue of recycling. Right now, recycling must be separated into the categories of paper, cardboard and plastics, but the mayor hopes to create a single-stream recycling center. At the same time, he would like the trucks that pick up the recycling to be able to weigh it and scan a barcode on each family’s bin. That way the family can log in to a website and find out how much accumulated recycling they have done. The mayor’s next idea was to reward families for recycling, while at the same time promoting local businesses. He explained the idea of “city bucks” in which, after receiving the reward for recycling, residents could redeem their city bucks at local restaurants and businesses.

Sophomore Willem Both asked the question, “Where does your arm reach?” particularly asking if he could influence the types of food in supermarkets.

Heartwell said he did not have the authority to tell supermarkets how they should purchase their items, but with this notion of city bucks, he did have the ability to influence purchasing habits and move them to local businesses.

Even though the mayor’s job is technically only a part-time position, therefore limiting the scope of the mayor’s executive power, he does have the bully pulpit of the mayor’s office that allows him to influence businesses and to arrange meetings to talk to people about environmental issues. He mentioned a few trips that he has taken recently, one to Norway to give a speech on working locally, and also a trip to Portland, Ore. in which he was inspired by the public transit system in place there.

Senior Paul Chaplin asked, “Do you have any ideas on how to change the social stigma of bus riding?”

Heartwell commented that undoubtedly that will be a slow process until light rail is introduced, which is the system in place in Portland.

One condominium development had 64 units and only five parking spots for the building, which were for vehicles owned by the condominium. If people needed to go on a long trip, or pick up furniture or something, they could rent the vehicles, otherwise they walked and took public transportation.

The city had been working to develop a light rail system, and four years after the process, Congress approved $32 million for it. The state then offered $8 million, but wanted to make sure that the city would be able to afford the operating costs. The plan changed from light rail to a bus system called the Silver Line, which is like a light rail system on wheels: there would be raised stations, not just bus stops on the side of the street, and an express lane reserved for the Silver Line. A vote was taken last May to see if the millage would be approved. It was defeated. The mayor was not giving up, however, and plans to represent the millage next spring.

“What can students really do?” asked sophomore Isabella Felzer-Kim, who had just returned from Washington, D.C. where she and others from Calvin had been lobbying for environmental issues.

Heartwell replied that there are a number of other student-led environmental groups at other colleges in the area that can be partnered with. He also suggested putting pressure on the administration.

“Perhaps you can put the pressure on Calvin to commit to having 20 percent of the energy the college uses be renewable within the next five years. Perhaps it could even be a joint project with the city, in fact,” Heartwell declared.