Join us for the launch of our Diversity in the Outdoors speaker series, in partnership with Natural Area Preservation. This month's speakers will be Victor Chen, leader of the Washtenaw Audubon BIPOC birding hikes and Brandan Freeman, founder of the Ann Arbor Shades of the Outdoors group.

This event is in partnership with the Natural Area Preservation.

Please join us for an evening of exploration and discussion around Ann Arbor’s Home Energy Rating Disclosure (HERD) ordinance, which will officially take effect on March 12th, 2024. HERD requires single-family homes in Ann Arbor receive a Home Energy Score (HES) prior to being listed for sale. In this second session of the 2024 Sustainability Series, hear from staff of Ann Arbor’s Office of Sustainability and Innovations about why the ordinance was passed, what a Home Energy Score is, how residents can sign up for a Home Energy Score assessment, and more. 

To achieve Ann Arbor's goal of carbon neutrality by 2030, we must rapidly electrify our homes, buildings, and transportation systems. Please join us for an evening of exploration and discussion around Ann Arbor’s strategy for widespread electrification in the first session of the 2024 Sustainability Series. Hear from staff of Ann Arbor’s Office of Sustainability, Elevate, and other partners about our collaborative work to make widespread electrification a reality in our community, as well as how we can support you taking the next steps in your own electrification journey.

Join author Will McLean Greeley for a presentation on his new biography of Senator George P. McLean, A Connecticut Yankee Goes to Washington: Senator George P. McLean, Birdman of the Senate.

Ever wanted to learn how to save seed from your vegetable garden? Stacy Mates, seed company manager at Green Things Farm Collective, will discuss good crops for seed saving and how to clean, test and store your seed. She'll also demonstrate the "wet process" technique for saving tomato seed and share seed saving resources to help you take the next step in gardening!

Want to take your own pictures of the night sky? Astrophotographer Brian Ottum will show you how in this interactive workshop. Topics will include: cameras (from mobile phone to DSLR), equipment, settings and what to expect when you get out into the field.

Join Michigan-based astrophotographer Jason Guenzel as he shares his passion for exploring the cosmos through his camera. This presentation is a general overview of the expansive topic of astrophotography. Learn about Jason's journey, the equipment, what goes into an image, and even how to get started yourself. He will present his fascinating photos of outer space and highlight the specialized techniques used within the many niches of astronomy imaging (deep sky, solar, lunar, planetary, nightscape, and more).

How do the People of Ann Arbor envision our City’s sustainability plan moving forward? How can the city best use funds from the climate millage and Inflation Reduction Act to support both the populations and ecosystems of Ann Arbor? What resources do you, and your community, need to continue reducing your carbon footprint? Providing the space for Ann Arbor residents to communicate any suggestions and concerns they might have about the future of sustainability in Ann Arbor. This event is in partnership with the City of Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovation.

Join Kelsey Dietz from the Michigan DNR’s Stewardship Unit for a talk on the volunteer stewardship program. Learn how you can help eradicate invasive species from high quality ecosystems at local state park land such as Pinckney and Waterloo Recreation Area.

To see the full slate of events and vendors, see aadl.org/diyfest.

Ann Asplund will tell how to use, find, harvest and grow plant dyes and how to minimize the impact on the environment. Besides teaching the basic of dyeing how the dyes work, and chemical safety, more sustainable practices and alternative mordants will be presented. Color samples will be available.

To see the full slate of events and vendors, see aadl.org/diyfest.