Greenleaf Commission on Sustainability - Livonia, Michigan

06/20/2026

Come see us!! The Wilson Barn is having their first farmers market of the year, and we are hosting our 2nd annual native plant sale with Michiganense Natives 🌱 🌼

The Livonia Public Library’s Seed Librarian, Noelle Lomas, is here, too!! 🌿

06/19/2026

06/19/2026

Visit the Greenleaf Commission Native Plant Sale and discover beautiful plants that support pollinators and Livonia’s ecosystems. Stop by, explore, and find the perfect native plants for your garden!

06/07/2026

The Greenleaf Commission enjoyed connecting with residents at Passport to Safety!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth to learn about recycling, composting, and simple ways to keep Livonia clean and green. Together, we're building a more sustainable community—one conversation at a time.

05/30/2026

Greenleaf Commission's 2026 community outreach season is off to a great start!

We're also trying something new this year by adding QR codes to our displays, making it easy for visitors to download program information to their phones instead of taking paper copies. It's a simple way to share information while reducing waste.

05/14/2026

Thank you to Carrie Budzinski for attending the May 2026 Greenleaf Commission meeting and taking the time to listen, participate, and share ideas about sustainability in the Livonia community. We appreciate your support and interest in helping Livonia continue moving forward on environmental initiatives and community education efforts!

I do my best to attend a different commission meeting each month. Last night, I went to the Greenleaf Commission meeting and I'm so glad I did because topics included two of my passion areas: composting and native plants.

Robb Harper from My Green Michigan presented on how the company is bringing food waste recycling to neighboring communities. This has been an interest of mine since 2021 when I was able to bring curbside compost collection to Livonia thru Midtown Composting. While that is an individual household program, My Green Michigan offers community collection and building location site services. Costs for weekly collection of a 64 gallon container is $153 a month. Surrounding cities have a central collection location (for example, Livonia has Glendale which is already used for trash drop-off and ERG is a designated location for hazardous waste collection) and/or public area collection locations (i.e. neighborhood parks or farmers market).

I will happily be working with the Greenleaf Commission to see if there are funding options to pilot this program in Livonia. Food waste makes up about 30% of landfills and unnecessarily contributes to the release of greenhouse gases because food can naturally decompose and be used for compost in gardens. Keeping food scraps out of the trash can is an easy change that has a big impact on the planet.

♻️ Livonia will continue to make efforts to keep recyclable materials out of the trash with a $7,500 education grant received from the Michigan Recycling Coalition. DPW will evaluate the most impactful ways it can use the funds to raise awareness and understanding about what materials can be recycled.

🚘 The Greenleaf Commission continues to work with DPW to develop a plan to install charging stations at select city locations.

🌱 The next Native Plant sale will be during Opening Day of the Farmers Market at Wilson Barn. Saturday, June 20th from 9am to 2pm.

🏅All of these efforts are just a few of reasons why Livonia has been elevated from Silver to Gold Standard by Michigan Green Communities. The members of the Greenleaf Commission, led by Jim Baringhaus, are constantly advocating for sustainability improvements in the city and showing up in the community to provide educational resources.

The Greenleaf Commission meets next on Wednesday, July 15th at 7pm at the DPW building on Farmington Rd. https://livonia.gov/1405/Greenleaf-Commission

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day to all the amazing moms, grandmothers, stepmoms, and mother figures who make the world a better place!

04/29/2026

Residents came together to learn how community solar programs can make clean energy more affordable and accessible right here in Livonia at the Solarize Wayne County - Livonia meeting. From cost savings to reducing our carbon footprint, it’s clear that solar is a smart step forward for our community.

04/28/2026

The Greenleaf Commission on Sustainability is partnering with Wayne County to host "Solarize Wayne County – Livonia," a community-focused event designed to help residents, businesses, and organizations explore the benefits of solar energy.

Date: April 28, 2026

Location: Rosedale Gardens Presbyterian Church
9601 Hubbard St., Livonia, MI 48150

Time:
• 6:00–7:00 p.m. — Commercial and nonprofit session
• 7:00–8:00 p.m. — Residential session

Solarize is a statewide program that provides clear, accessible information about solar energy and offers group‑buy discounts of up to 15% through vetted installers. The initiative supports homeowners, businesses, nonprofits, schools, places of worship, and local governments by helping them make informed decisions about renewable energy. The program also strengthens community connections through a peer‑to‑peer approach that encourages shared learning and support.

All are welcome to attend and learn more about whether solar may be a good fit for their property.