GreenMichigan.org is a West Michigan-based nonprofit that assists people, businesses, organizations, and communities in identifying and reaching their sustainability goals.
All of us here at GreenMichigan.org are striving to create a just and equitable environmental movement that empowers and inspires people to take action. We make "going green" less overwhelming with our online resources, educational workshops, and affordable consulting services.
DREW PALOUCEK (she / her)
Director of Engagement
drew@greenmichigan.org
Hi! My name is Drew and I am so excited to be here, with you, on your environmental journey. My love for nature, and connecting with others, have always been my primary passions in life.
My mom and I began warm water scuba diving together when I was just in middle school. Seeing the devastation of the underwater ecosystems propelled me to start making changes in my life at a young age. Between altering my appetite for seafood and trying to wrap my head around the amount of trash at even the most remote dive sites, this is where my passion was ignited. During dives I would fill the pockets of my dive gear with debris until there was no room left.
This momentum translated into my adult life when I moved to West Michigan to foster a closer relationship with our green and water spaces. And, even further, on Earth Day in 2017 when I found the impact that could be had by combining my passions. This particular Earth Day is special to me because I thought I was headed on a beach adventure with a few friends and ended up with over 30 pounds of trash collected. This journey in nature, combined with some research, and my appetite to make a difference, is where I found my love for connecting through beach cleanups.
Over the past few years, our beach cleanups have brought together hundreds of individuals, businesses and communities all up and down the coast of Lake Michigan. I have found so much beauty in rolling up your sleeves, getting dirty and connecting over the things you are finding and the changes that we can make together. As you can see from my photo, this is when I am “in my element”!
Whether hosting an informational booth to have a conversation around our environment, culture and daily habits OR out on the beach with community members, and local businesses- we always here to have the conversation about the changes that you and the people in your life can make. Whether it is saying no to the next straw you encounter or learning how to develop/pass along new routines, there is no change or conversation too small to create the eco-friendly life that you deserve.
We are in this together, and the GreenMichigan.org team is here to support you in every step of creating your most sustainable life!
ANN ERHARDT (they / them)
Director of Community Resilience
ann@greenmichigan.org
Ann considers themselves an explorer in all aspects of life, whether out on the trail or at home. They find new adventures every day through books and reading, always connecting seemingly disparate or opposed concepts. While exploring these new theories and models, they blend ideas to see what works, looking for new paths to take to reach solutions that could help improve the world around them.
As Director of Community Sustainability, they cultivate new project opportunities and clients that contribute to strong, sustainable communities. In the day to day, Ann laser-focuses on climate change, sustainability, and community resilience, offering their expertise in planning, engagement, strategy development, mitigation, assessment, and capacity building to create effective outcomes for their clients and partners. Their history of connecting, convening, and curating a multitude of initiatives, programs, and policies has created positive change across the state.
Before joining Green Michigan, Ann held a multidisciplinary career leading organizational change and accelerating initiatives in social justice, sustainability, and community resilience. They served as chief sustainability officer with Michigan State University, focusing on core business integration of sustainability into policy. They also acted in a number of capacities for organizations like the West Michigan Environmental Action Council, Michigan Diversity Education Center, and Association of Climate Change Officers.
ANGELA FOX (she / they)
Director of Sustainability Strategy
angela@greenmichigan.org
Hi there,
My name is Angela Fox, and I am the Executive Director of GreenMichigan.org. This is a fun photo of me recording one of our sustainability radio segments on WYCE.
I became passionate about environmentalism in 2010 when I opened a retail store in West Michigan called Treehuggers that helped people reduce waste and live more sustainability. The store offered free recycling of nontraditional items like chip bags, styrofoam, clothing, and electronics. In addition to the recycling center, the store had a package-free grocery department, a composting section, and hosted workshops on various sustainability-related topics.
The store closed in 2013, and around that time, I helped start GreenMichiganl.org with two friends. I also started a consulting company and other nonprofit that focuses on waste reduction and sustainability education.
I am passionate about composting and recycling and have helped businesses, organizations, and cities implement composting operations and recycling programs of various degrees, reducing landfill waste.
I am also passionate about social justice and work very hard to ensure environmental actions are just and equitable for everyone. I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in sustainability at Arizona State University with plans on becoming an educator that will bridge the gap between academia and the applied.
I am here to help you, your business, and your community identify and reach your various sustainability goals. Please reach out and let me know how I can assist. angela@greenmichigan.org