ANN ARBOR, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – The city of Ann Arbor’s goal to fight climate change is to do it one neighborhood at a time with taxpayers picking up the tab.

Now, Ann Arbor is getting serious about its plan to get every neighborhood using renewable energy.

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The city of Ann Arbor will review a $300,000 contract with a nonprofit to do “community engagement, outreach and general support” of the city’s effort to decarbonize a private neighborhood.

The Bryant neighborhood in the southeastern part of the city claims to be the first residential neighborhood in the country to attempt to be carbon-neutral within the next few years. According to a University of Michigan report, the neighborhood will likely use geo-thermal energy to reach that goal although solar energy also remains an option.

At its Oct. 20 meeting, the city council will review the $300,000 contract with the Community Action Network. Part of the nonprofit’s efforts will include finding the next residential neighborhood for an expansion of the city’s decarbonization efforts as well as “storytelling.” The city defines storytelling as “finding ways to tell the stories of the work and the individuals undertaking the work locally, regionally, and nationally. This may include working together on press releases, social media posts, neighborhood conversations, speaking at conferences, writing articles, and other vehicles.”

The Bryant project so far involves securing taxpayer funding to cover the costs of installing energy efficiency improvements in an estimated 85 residential homes.

The city has a goal of the entire city being carbon neutral by 2030. The city says the largest source of Greenhouse Gases comes from the electricity uses in residences and businesses.