APRIL 17, 2026 EARTH DAY community EVENTS 2026 INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL YPSILANTI April 16-18. Riverside Arts Center, 76 N Huron St. Ypsilanti. Offbeat screenings showcasing local creators and filmmakers from around the world. Times subject to change; for up-to-date schedule and details, see iffypsi.com. Tickets $13 (students and seniors, $10); purchase online in advance or at the door. SWAP & DROP Saturday, April 18, 9-11:30 a.m, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1385 Green Road, Ann Arbor. Come bring your things that need a new home and take what you'd like! Everything is free. Clean up will begin at 11 a.m. with all leftover items donated to Kiwanis at 11:30. Families, students and neighbors welcome! "WHO'S THERE?!" ARB DANCE PERFORMANCE Saturday, April 18, 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Nichols Arboretum, 1610 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor. The Department of Dance at the U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance and Ladina Schaller present “Who’s There?!”This site-specific senior dance project consists of a walk through the Arb, along which the audience encounters a variety of characters, sights, sounds and scenes. The concert is around one hour long. Audience members are required to walk along Arboretum paths for the duration of the performance and are encouraged to dress for the weather and wear good shoes. This event is family-friendly and appropriate for all ages. Attendance is free, but RSVP is encouraged at this link: tinyurl.com/yhr62hj8 EARTH WEEK: COMMUNITY COMMONS INITIATING COMMITTEE April 19-25, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Center of the City Commons, Fifth Ave at Library Lane, Ann Arbor. Weeklong celebration of the Earth. April 19, opening assembly (10 a.m.-noon), followed by a bike ride to the Leslie Nature Center (11:30 a.m.) where there will be an Earth Day Celebration. Concert (5-9 p.m.) with 70s funk sextet the Steve Somers Band, folk ensemble Mary and the Huz Band and others. April 20-24, “Conscious Cafe” (10 a.m.-noon), open discussion and various activities until 9 p.m. April 25, “Conscious Cafe” conclusions (10 a.m.), live music and closing panel (2 p.m.) and talks (6 p.m.). See page 8. REVOLUTIONARY FOOD GATHERING Tuesday, April 21, 5-7 p.m. Solidarity Hall, 169 N Washington St., Ypsilanti. Potluck and discussion to discover who we are in relationship to our food, the earth and each other. Hosted by Groundcover News and Purslane Commons. FLIP THE SCRIPT POETRY WORKSHOP Friday, April 24, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Ann Arbor District Library downtown, 4th floor. All invited to create a poem based on a personal narrative. ELECTRONICS COLLECTION REGISTRATION OPEN Saturday, April 25, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Ann Arbor Community Reformed Church, 1717 Broadway Street. Have electronics that you want to dispose of with confidence that they are being sent to sustainable and ethical facilities for refurbishing or recycling? Reserve your spot now at osi. a2gov.org/april25electronics. For more information and additional events, visit a2gov.org/electronics INDIGENOUS PEOPLE WHO WERE IN PITTSFIELD Sunday, April 26, 2 p.m., StoryPoint Saline, 6230 S. State, Saline. Talk by Henry Ford Museum curator and historian Heather Bruegl, a citizen of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. A2ZERO COMMUNITY COOKBOOK: SUSTAINABILITY FORUM Tuesday, April 28, 6-7:30 p.m, AADL downtown. City staff and contributors to this newly released cookbook discuss sustainable food practices. a2gov.org/sustainabilty CLASSICAL CREATIONS: WASHTENAW COMMUNITY CONCERT BAND Thursday, April 30, 7:30 p.m, WCC Towsley Auditorium, 4800 Huron River Drive. Conductor and Music Director J. Nick Smith and the WCCB present a classical musicthemed concert that celebrates both the history and future of this thing we call BAND. Submit an event to be featured in the next edition: submissions@groundcovernews. com GROUNDCOVER NEWS 7 Does the Michigan 10-cent Bottle Deposit Law need changing? ARAV BHATIA U-M student contributor The state of Michigan is unique due to its implementation of the 10-cent bottle deposit law in 1976. Several states have a bottle deposit law where a bottle can be returned for five cents. Michigan is one of three states that gives 10 cents in exchange for each can. This does mean that each can cost 10 extra cents, however, that money is refundable when returned, in order to reduce waste and litter. In theory, this law helps the environment and also provides a source of income for those in need of extra cash without formal employment. According to the official government of Michigan website, no government ID or paperwork is needed to return the cans, making it an accessible option for unhoused individuals. While the money earned is far from enough to make a living, the law provides some sort of economic relief by performing an action that directly benefits the community and the environment. The law dictates that cans must be clear, unbroken, and marked as eligible for can returns (which most are). The cans are then scanned by a reverse vending machine, and the returner gets paid for what can they deposit. The acceptors of the cans must refund up to $25 worth, but do not have to exceed that amount. Additionally, it is important to note that only bottles or cans sold in a state with bottle deposits will be marked for eligibility and can be returned in Michigan. Data from the official Treasury website of the state of Michigan shows the trends of the bottle deposit law. In 2010-2014, the law showed high efficiency. Efficiency in this context is defined by the redemption rates of the deposits. During the early 2010s, redemption rates were 94-96%. This era was proof that the system could work and that consumers are willing to do the extra work to get money back and reduce recycling. In the following years leading up to 2020, the rate slowly began to decline, dropping to around 85%. This first drop in efficiency can be attributed to several factors, one being the challenges of finding a machine. The time spent collecting the bottles and returning them may not be worth the value of the returns. As economic inflation continues, finding 250 returnable cans and transporting them to a return center for a maximum of $25 seems unfair for the energy required. Greater access to curbside recycling and the declining value of a dime due to inflation also decreased people’s motivation to return their own cans. The COVID pandemic in 2020 marked the largest falloff of efficiency rates. As stores and return machines were shut down, the rate dropped to around 70%. The decrease in return accessibility correlated to a direct drop in the redemption rates. Up until 2024, the redemption rate has hovered around the 70-75% range. What can be learned from the pandemic years is that the system works best when it is convenient to return. To bring the redemption rates to the early 2010 era rates, accessibility needs to be improved. Especially when trying to benefit the unhoused population, making return centers and machines limited and far apart makes participating in the law very challenging without a car. More machines are the first step to reversing the decline in redemption rates caused by COVID. Another argument being made is to increase the price of the deposit from 10 cents. This would have downsides as the price of each can of the beverages sold would increase, yet it would also increase the incentive to return cans. People do not have to transport as many cans to earn enough money for basic necessities. The law has been proven to work in the 21st century, yet changes have to be made to ensure the law remains relevant in the quickly changing society.
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