Our roundup of the latest news from metro Detroit and Michigan businesses as well as announcements from government agencies, including updates about the COVID-19 pandemic. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.
Survey: Michigan’s Leaders Express Importance of Recycling
The majority of Michigan leaders report recycling is somewhat or very important to their community members, with 65 percent of officials from the state’s largest jurisdictions saying recycling issues are very important in their communities, according to a survey from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
The findings from a new Michigan Public Policy Survey conducted by the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) come as the state, once a national leader in recycling, has fallen behind the national average over time.
The first report from the survey, “Recycling Issues, Policies, and Practices among Michigan Local Governments,” shows while state lawmakers are considering bipartisan legislation proposing broad reforms and updates to the Michigan Solid Waste Law, just 24 percent of local leaders in communities with no recycling today are satisfied with their situation, indicating broad local support for change.
Michigan has established a goal of tripling the state’s current statewide recycling rate to 45 percent, surpassing the current national average of around 32 percent.
The survey was funded in part by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.
Michigan’s local governments are key to the state’s materials management and recycling policies and practices. Counties are required to have solid waste management plans, and these are increasingly shifting away from a primary focus simply on waste disposal to an increased emphasis on recycling, organics management, and waste reduction opportunities.
Local leaders report the majority (79 percent) of communities in Michigan currently have access to at least some recycling services. Nearly half of cities, villages, and townships indicate that their residents have access to drop-off facilities for recycling (49 percent), curbside recycling (43 percent) and/or household hazardous waste collection (42 percent).
Some leaders said they were proud of their community efforts. Many highlight recent changes that make recycling easier, such as curbside recycling or rolling carts or bins, as well as annual clean-up days marketed as community events, and successful collaboration efforts with other local governments.
Yet the debate continues over how to expand services — through public action or using private contractors, or whether residents or businesses would support higher taxes in order to increase local recycling services—as an unusually high number of local leaders expressed uncertainty.
And local leaders cite a range of challenges they’ve faced. One respondent said people have dumped large, nonrecyclable items, such as mattresses or fertilizer bags. Another said people want to do the right thing when it comes to recycling but there’s no unified process.
“The findings show an enthusiasm for current recycling efforts, but that confusion over what to do next represents an opportunity for additional outreach and dialogue by the state, jurisdictions and other stakeholders,” says Debra Horner, senior program manager at CLOSUP.
These findings are based on statewide surveys of local government leaders in the fall 2021 wave of the MPPS, as part of the Michigan Local Recycling Policy Project.
TAG MultiMedia in Clawson Introduces New Dynamic Interface System
The TAG MultiMedia has introduced an avatar system is called MynDi, which stands for My Name Dynamic Interface, that allows small business owners to be in two places at once.
MynDi can live on a website, connect to the internet, and travel the metaverse; yet it strictly addresses a proprietor’s business offerings and brand. MynDi is not just an avatar. It can interact with visitors and share the features and benefits of services and products with a branded, digital personality all online.
“The proprietary software and TAG platform enables users to collect, organize, analyze, edit and automate data,” explains Michelle Armstrong, president of TAG. “The data collected by a trained avatar helps to improve customer service, inventory control, sales prospecting, content effectiveness and marketing initiatives.”
Siri, Hey Google, Alexa, and Cortana are in-home versions of this technology. A trained and branded avatar can unburden business owners who struggle to balance their digital screen time with their in-person activity. A branded engagement is delivered with simulated human behaviors and tailored vocabulary so small business owners can interact with more people in a consistent way. It is not a chatbot or answering service; rather, it is next level customer service.
“It can solve current issues of personnel and growth by saving money on training, improving online conversions and expanding the audience base,” notes Geoff Armstrong, COO of TAG. “Top-tier companies spend a lot of money on training new hires to make sure of brand consistency. With MynDi, refining that interaction can become a professional investment without the fear of hurt feelings or job abandonment.”
For more information, visit here.
Matrix Human Services to Host Drive-through Job Fair March 24
Matrix Human Services in Detroit is hosting a drive-through job fair from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at 1400 Woodbridge. The entrance is located behind the building.
Matrix says it has a large variety of positions available throughout its family of programs, including early childhood education, adult and senior social services, health care professionals, accounting, human resources, and much more!
All positions come with a full range of benefits including competitive salaries, medical, dental, vision, and a $2,500 sign-on bonus for select positions.
For more information, visit here.
American Advantage Home Care Named a ‘Michigan Company to Watch’
American Advantage Home Care, a full-service home health care agency based in Dearborn, has been selected one of the 2022 Michigan 50 Companies to Watch by Michigan Celebrates Small Business.
Judges from economic and entrepreneurship development organizations annually select winners from more than 550 nominations based on the nominee’s intent and capacity to grow. This includes factors that contribute to the company’s success such as employee or sales growth, exceptional entrepreneurial leadership and sustainable competitive advantage.
“It’s been an incredible journey since purchasing American Advantage Home Care in 2019,” says Cleamon Moorer Jr., co-owner and president of American Advantage. “This recognition validates the positive energy we feel internally among staff and in our relationships with clients, their loved ones and their doctors.”
Since Moorer and his wife, Nicole Willis-Moorer purchased the agency, daily patient census has increased 1,000 percent. Moorer credits the increase to the agency’s patient-centric focus, its multi-cultural staff, and patients’ desire to receive health care services in the safety of their home during the pandemic.
The American Advantage team will be honored at the 18th annual Michigan Celebrates Small Business Gala, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing on May 3.
For more information, visit here.
