Students from Grand Haven High School on Nov. 4 told the Grand Haven City Council they want the city to pursue a mix of low-cost, visible changes and longer-term investments to improve local sustainability and the city’s Michigan Green Communities Challenge score.

The presentation was delivered by a student team participating in Future Prep, a program run by the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District that pairs high school students with community partners to research local problems. The students framed their project around the MI Green Communities template and said Grand Haven currently holds gold status and could reach the platinum threshold with additional action items and community buy-in.

The students said their proposals fall into two categories: “low-hanging fruit” — inexpensive actions that can be implemented quickly to generate points and public buy-in — and longer-term, cultural shifts such as hiring a sustainability coordinator. Short-term suggestions included a vehicle idling policy for city vehicles with clear public-safety exceptions for police, fire and emergency medical services; citywide transitions to LED street lighting; additional downtown composting bins; and a requirement that to-go foodware sold by local businesses be recyclable.

They also recommended targeted habitat protections — for example, creating formal pathways in Mulligan’s Hollow and Duncan Woods and improved trail design in Rosy Mound to keep visitors on footpaths and protect vulnerable undergrowth — and downtown incentives and recognition for businesses that adopt sustainability practices. The students showed a draft certificate/sticker for businesses and proposed grant-seeking and volunteer events to fund and demonstrate progress.

Students described their research process: interviews with city operations staff and local stakeholders. They told council they had spoken with Ryan (superintendent of wastewater), Derek (public works director) and Eric (water plant superintendent); they also consulted Danielle at MI Green Communities and Britney with Aldea and the Grand Haven Sustainability Commission. They said Jean, a former 3M scientific affairs manager, emphasized the poor health of local parks and forests; Gary Boyd, owner of the Unicorn Tavern, described how businesses already use curbside sustainability practices and suggested a district-based recycling drop-off to drive down costs through economies of scale.

The students described a recent, small grant—about $3,000—that paid for infrared equipment to assess tree and forest health and argued such modest grants and volunteer programs could be used strategically to reach MI Green points. For longer-term capacity, the students suggested pursuing foundation funding to hire a part-time sustainability manager or paid intern (they proposed roughly $10,000/year) drawn from nearby universities to coordinate grants and community programs.

Council members praised the presentation and encouraged continued engagement. Several councilors said the recommendations align with the city’s strategic pillars and asked staff to explore next steps and possible follow-up at a future meeting.

If the council chooses to pursue actions identified by the students, staff and commission members will need to return with specifics on funding, timelines and whether proposed ordinances (for example, an idling policy or requirements for recyclable to‑go foodware) should be brought forward for formal consideration.