Business View Civil and Municipal | Volume 2, Issue 6

142 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 2, ISSUE 6 Since 1937, MSUFCU has been an integral part of the East Lansing community. We are dedicated to making a positive impact through financial education, philanthropic efforts, volunteerism, and superior service. To learn more about the ways we give back to our community, visit msufcu.org/community. Be a part of our commitment to the community and open your account today. msufcu.org • 800-678-4968 Building Dreams Building Community infrastructure projects to coordinate with them and create a minimal impact to residents. To operate the city on limited environmental impact, the city continues to implement several green initiatives. They installed a solar field at a capped landfill, established a Green Fleet Policy with the first hydraulic hybrid recycling truck in the state and an environment commission, and opened recycling and waste diversion/reduction facilities, including a Styrofoam recycling drop-off site , and a regional Material Recovery Facility, which opened on April 20. “Every week, we prevent the equivalent of an elephant of Styrofoam, volumetrically, from being disposed of in the landfill,” says House. Further initiatives include banning coal tar used in driveway and road sealant that can be toxic to aquatic animals and the local watershed. The city’s street team also calibrates their snowplows to limit the salt amount usage, thereby preventing contamination of the wetlands. Finally, the city updated East Lansing’s WRRF that services the city, Meridian Township, and MSU. The upgraded wastewater treatment technology reduces energy usage, and generates methane to power the plant through digestion, using a combined heat and power unit. It also reduces byproducts sent to landfill to comply with the Clean Water Act. While East Lansing diligently works to protect the environment, it has shifted its focus to COVID-19 pandemic support. The Ingham County Health Department and two major hospital systems, Sparrow Healthcare and McLaren Health Care, are the area’s primary healthcare providers managing the services for fighting to control the coronavirus, including vaccine distribution. McLaren, in particular, recently expanded by developing a new hospital in Lansing following a $50-60 million investment. MSU’s College of Human Medicine not only has a strong partnership with both systems, but MSU, as a higher learning institution, has also