We’re on a mission to create a healthy, clean Detroit.
In our vision, Detroit is a healthy, clean and safe place for people to live, work and thrive.
DEA members represent 20 local, nonprofit organizations who are committed to environmental justice.
About the Detroit Environmental Agenda
The Detroit Environmental Agenda (DEA)Collaboration was initiated in early 2012 following an environmental summit held by the City of Detroit in 2011. Ten organizations came together and formed the DEA, whose purpose was to engage Detroit residents and groups about sustainability, public health, and environmental justice issues taking place in their city.
The DEA surveyed nearly 500. residents and created Detroit’s first grassroots sustainability action agenda describing the state of the environment in Detroit’s neighborhoods, while also providing community-based solutions to respond to these problems. This report, named after the Collaboration, was titled Detroit Environmental Agenda and was published in July of 2013.
Our top environmental issues
Support climate resiliency & increase access to renewable energy
By supporting climate resiliency, we help Detroit reduce the negative effects of climate change. Detroiters pay some of the highest energy rates in Michigan while experiencing some of the least reliable service
Support land acquisition for urban farming
Residents depend upon Detroit’s network of gardens and farms to access healthy, affordable, and culturally-appropriate food. The City of Detroit needs to put measures in place to protect our existing network, as well as develop policies and services that ensure residents can purchase and lease land to grow produce and earn a living.
Create clear pathways for residential access to land
Communities in Detroit struggle to raise their quality of life through beautification projects, re-purposing of vacant lots, and removing blighted properties, many of which are owned by the Detroit Land Bank Authority (DLBA). They are also concerned with new development projects coming into their neighborhoods that lead to an increased cost of living, among other issues
Improve air quality
Immediate action is needed to reduce exposure to harmful air pollutants. Harmful air pollutants that are found in Detroit include sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and particulate matter. Detroiters are disproportionately affected by air quality problems stemming from increased truck traffic, industry construction and more.
Ensure affordable access to clean water
Detroit is a Great Lakes city and yet water shut-offs are causing a public health emergency. Water is our most precious resource, especially the water we use to drink, wash, and care for our families. To protect our water, we need to commit to conservation, efficiency, and green stormwater infrastructure.
Increase access to green space and healthy, active transportation
Parks and green space, as well as safe biking and walking environments, are all urban quality of life indicators. Detroiters need more green space and more safe transportation options. Increasing vehicle speeds have become a major topic across the city, as they result in more traffic accidents and make Detroit’s streets less safe for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Ensure access to green and healthy homes
We know that Detroiters, a large part of whom are renters, live in aging, poorly weatherized housing that contains old pipes, as well as potential lead, mold and asbestos hazards.
Increase the City’s waste diversion rates
Sustainable waste management in Detroit is critical to reducing the negative effects associated with waste disposal and litter, as well as improving markets for recyclable and compostable materials. Currently, 37.4% of residents are participating in the curbside recycling program and the contamination rate was recorded at 22% in May of 2019.
Ensure Detroiters have access to good, paying, green jobs
Jobs related to the environment (i.e., green jobs) are critical to advancing solutions to economic disparities and climate change. Detroiters trained to enter careers in construction, renewable energy, recycling, water infrastructure and conservation, air quality, and others, will play a meaningful role in championing public health and economic wellbeing in their communities.
Get in touch with the DEA
Do you have an environmental concern in your neighborhood or workplace? Questions about how to get involved on the ground? We invite you to reach out to our coalition today!
You can also follow us on Facebook to see upcoming events, volunteer opportunities and more.