Archived News Release: January 10, 2020 - In November 2019, Ann Arbor City Council passed a climate emergency declaration and tasked the city with creating a plan for how the entire Ann Arbor community could be carbon neutral by 2030. In response, the city, along with 60 partner organizations, launched A2Zero, a new initiative to support a just transition to community-wide carbon neutrality.
So far, the A2Zero initiative has hosted over 20 events; launched technical advisory committees on issues related to energy, mobility, resource reduction and adaptation; conducted a public survey (with over 700 respondents); and launched a website that includes numerous opportunities for public engagement and input. Today, the A2Zero initiative moves into its second phase: action prioritization.
“Today, we transition from ideation into action prioritization," says Dr. Missy Stults, sustainability and innovations manager for the city. “This phase of planning for A2Zero is focused on taking the hundreds of ideas generated during ideation, and condensing them into a list of actions that could demonstrably help the Ann Arbor community achieve a just transition to carbon neutrality."
To make this second phase of A2Zero successful, the city and partner organizations are seeking public feedback in two primary ways:
Through completion of a new public survey, open now through Monday, Feb. 3, which explores the types of activities respondents are interested in seeing included in the final carbon neutrality strategy.
- Attendance at public events, including a community-wide town hall to be hosted on Saturday, Feb. 22 at Pioneer High School noon-5 p.m.
More details about the survey, the town hall and dozens of other events happening over the coming weeks can be found at
www.a2zero.org. In addition, the site includes fact sheets, a “meeting in a box" package that allows individuals to host their own carbon neutrality events, and tips for staying involved in the city's carbon neutrality work.
To learn more, to share feedback or to get involved, please see www.a2zero.org.
Partnering organizations include: National Wildlife Federation; Neutral Zone; Community Action Network; Citizens Climate Lobby - Ann Arbor; Ecology Center; Ann Arbor 2030 District; Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice; Michigan Environmental Council; Washtenaw 350; Ann Arbor Area Elders Climate Action Chapter; American Institute of Architects Huron Valley Chapter; University of Michigan; Washtenaw Climate Reality; Building Matters Ann Arbor; Michigan League of Conservation Voters; Sierra Club Huron Valley Group; A2 Climate Mobilization; Leslie Science and Nature Center; The Hands on Museum; Michigan Climate Action Network; Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber; Ann Arbor Housing Commission; THRIVE Collaborative; Michigan Interfaith Power and Light; Washtenaw County Democrats; American Society of Adaptation Professionals; Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition; Colonial Square Cooperative; Walker Miller Energy Services; United Way of Washtenaw County; Lean and Green Michigan; Washtenaw Housing Alliance; Citizens Climate Lobby - UM Chapter; Forest Hills Cooperative; Ann Arbor Meals on Wheels; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 252; Ann Arbor Center for Independent Living; UM College Democrats; Students for Clean Energy; Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association; UM Climate Action Movement; Washtenaw Area Apartment Association; Washtenaw County; The Ride; Ann Arbor SPARK; National Association for the Advancement of Colored People-Ann Arbor Chapter; Ann Arbor Public Schools; Ann Arbor Indivisible; University of Michigan President's Commission on Carbon Neutrality; Washtenaw County Food Policy Council; Huron Valley Democratic Socialists of America; Pesticide-Free Ann Arbor ; City of Ypsilanti; Ann Arbor Summerfest; Ann Arbor District Library; Slow Food Huron Valley; Common Cycle; Earth Sciences; Natural Resources Defense Council
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