How Detroiters can take action on air quality

September 2, 2026

The City of Detroit, in collaboration with the Green Door Initiative, is conducting a quarterly series of free two-hour air quality training workshops across all seven council districts throughout September. These educational sessions teach residents about the Clean Air Act, how to monitor local air pollution sources, participate in public hearings, and advocate for cleaner air using provided comment templates and EPA tools. The training program comes at a critical time, as Detroit was recently ranked the second-worst U.S. city for asthma sufferers and experienced its worst air quality on record in July due to wildfire smoke.

Who is affected

Detroit residents across all seven council districts
People with asthma living in Detroit (city ranked second worst for asthma sufferers)
Communities near steel, asphalt, energy, and manufacturing plants in Detroit
Green Door Initiative staff (Jolani Perez and team conducting training)
City of Detroit air quality division officials (Benjamin Kunstman and Julie Rose)
City of Detroit's Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department

What action is being taken

The City of Detroit and Green Door Initiative are conducting free two-hour air quality training workshops in each council district
Green Door staff are presenting the training sessions
City officials are attending workshops to answer resident questions
Residents are being educated on using the EPA's toxics release inventory, air quality dashboards, and the Improve Detroit app
The program is providing templates for residents to submit public comments on air quality issues

Why it matters

This training is significant because Detroit faces severe air quality challenges that directly impact public health, particularly for asthma sufferers in a city ranked second-worst nationally for the condition. The workshops empower residents with practical tools and knowledge to monitor local pollution sources, participate meaningfully in regulatory processes, and advocate for policy changes that could improve air quality. Given that Detroit experienced its worst air quality on record in July 2023 and regularly ranks among cities worldwide with the poorest air quality due to wildfire smoke and industrial pollution, educating residents on how to engage with environmental protection systems is crucial for community health and environmental justice.

What's next

Training sessions scheduled throughout September across all seven districts (specific dates: Sept. 2, 9, 10, 16, 17, 21, and 23)
Next quarter's training theme will focus on "targeted information to engage local officials and support policies for clean air"
The quarterly training series will continue in subsequent quarters

Read full article from source: bridgedetroit.com