■Grand Rapids has been named Green Generation Customer of the Year by Consumers Energy, May 2009.

■The City of Grand Rapids was inducted into the U.S. Environmental Protections Agency’s Green Power Leadership Club. The induction recognizes organizations that have significantly exceeded the EPA’s minimum purchase requirements of green energy, February 2009.

■ FastCompany, a national business magazine, has named Grand Rapids "America's Greenest City," saying the region has more green buildings per capita than any other U.S. city, October 2008.


Van Andel Arena:

·       Reduces energy consumption by putting outdoor marquee on “night hours”

·        Promotes employee battery recycling with the support of the Rechargeable Battery Recycling 
         Corporation

·        Uses cleaning products that are Green Seal Certified

·        Diminishes use of non-plastic disposable products by eliminating the purchase and 
         consumption of Styrofoam

·        Is currently switching facility’s paper products to products that are made with a higher percent 
         of post consumer waste

·        Recycles Arena’s cardboard, office paper, homosote, plastic from ad panels, and all metal 
         by-products and delivers to recycling stations

·        Honors clients’ requests to recycle waste produced at their shows

·        Delivers used computers to be refurbished and reused or recycled

·        Plans to install water restrictors in facility to aid in reducing water waste and change the
         DI Zamboni water system to a more environmentally-friendly reverse osmosis system  


*As the exclusive food/beverage provider for Van Andel Arena, SAVOR has teamed up with Earth Pledge and adopted the following green initiatives including:

·        Avoiding plastics and Styrofoam products made with petroleum-based chemicals that 
         contribute to pollution, toxicity and landfills

·        Adopting eating utensils made from renewal resources, like corn and potato starch, and 
         plates and bowls molded from the fiber that remains after the juice from sugar cane is 
       extracted

·        Using coffee cups made from paper and fully renewable sources

·        Using cups at concession stands during events that are biodegradable 

·        Reducing carbon footprint by sourcing organic and hormone-free produce locally (ie: buying 
         flour from King Mill in Lowell, MI)

·        Purchasing only sustainable and environmentally-sound seafood products outlined by 
         groups such as the Marine Stewardship Council

·        Developing waste disposal systems that separate kitchen-generated food waste for 
         composting

·        Implementing recycling programs for kitchen-generated recyclables and donating excess 
         products to outreach programs for the elderly and less fortunate