In the photos above flowers are blooming and insects are active at a time when they should be dormant.

We have the tools to act on behalf of our children and more-than-human siblings and protect the Earth for the next seven generations to come.

Sustainability Timeline

2008  Tribal Council approved the KBIC Strategic Energy Plan. This is a long-term blueprint that focuses efforts and actions toward a defined energy vision.

2008  The Committee for Alternative and Renewable Energy (CARE) was established to lead the work defined in the Strategic Energy Plan. Members of CARE are department heads and decision makers from around the KBIC government.

2009-2012  The Tribe completed many studies assessing the feasibility of renewable energy development on our land.

2013  Deployment of solar powered energy solutions on Tribal land began with a solar array at the KBIC Commodity Food Program.

2017  Solar arrays were built to meet the electricity needs of the New Day Treatment Center and the LaPointe Health Clinic. KBIC earned the Indian Health Services 2018 Green Champions Award for Sustainable Design and Facilities for this accomplishment.

2020  KBIC began a forest-based carbon sequestration project that covers more than 12,500 acres of forest. The money generated from this project was dedicated to purchasing more forested land for the Tribe and hiring a sustainability specialist.

2021  KBIC partnered with the Michigan Community & Anishinaabe Renewable Energy Sovereignty (MICARES) project to conduct a survey at the summer Powwow. The results of this survey showed a great desire for energy efficiency and renewable energy options from KBIC members.

2022  KBIC joined the Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association (MTERA). With MTERA, KBIC can leverage the collective strength of the 32 Midwest member tribes to pursue innovative Tribal energy projects that increase Tribal energy sovereignty and sustainability.

2023  CARE completed a survey asking respondents to rank measures provided by the EPA to reduce pollution. The combination of these surveys is being used to inform KBIC’s climate pollution reduction priorities. Some of the top-ranked results are listed below:

Electric Power Sector

• Development of community scale renewables
• Electric vehicle-to-grid infrastructure
• Renewable energy on Tribal-owned facilities
• A Tribal Energy Utility