Sustainability

Follow Along on the Journey to Carbon Neutrality

Stewardship in Action At the Kalamazoo Nature Center, we believe that it is our responsibility to inspire people to discover, enjoy, value, and care for nature through fostering strong interconnections with the natural world. That’s why we embarked on the Trail to Sustainability to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035. Through grant funding and donor dollars from folks like you, we can honor our deep commitment to being good stewards of the land. Come hike along with us on our journey to a greener future.

Here Comes the Sun: New Solar Arrays at KNC

The new solar arrays and Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers in KNC’s upper parking lot are busy converting sunlight into energy and offer charging stations for electric vehicles and bicycles.

The 2026 installation features four E-bike chargers and 10 EV chargers. While there’s no cost to use the E-bike chargers, the EV chargers will require a fee that’s yet to be determined. The Tesla-brand chargers, considered the most durable on the market, are like those found at rest stops on the Indiana Toll Road. To charge an EV, users will download a Tesla smart phone app that applies charging fees to their account.

The solar arrays will not directly provide electricity to power the chargers. Instead, they will export electricity to the Consumers Power grid, which helps defray KNC’s annual energy costs. Currently, KNC’s solar arrays offset about 30 percent of the organization’s annual electricity costs. The elevated solar arrays will also offer overhead protection from sun, rain, and snow to the parking spaces below. Anyone can use the covered spaces, whether or not they drive an electric vehicle. Funding for the Mobility Hub came from a $1.2 million grant from the Michigan Public Service Commission.

Improving our Facilities

It is important to invest in new technology focused on sustainability to update our facilities and reduce our carbon footprint.

Committing to Change

Our survival depends on the action we take now. As an organization that centers nature, we feel a deep responsibility of being good stewards of the planet.

Educating the Community

As we embark on this journey, we hope to inspire more sustainable practices throughout our community.

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Sustainability

Follow Along on the Journey to Carbon Neutrality

Here Comes the Sun: New Solar Arrays at KNC

Improving our Facilities

Committing to Change

Educating the Community

Follow us!

Explore More at the Kalamazoo Nature Center