The December issue of Grand Rapids Magazine published brief profiles on the 25 people their staff considered the city’s most important. The first person listed was Peter M. Wege. In Peter Wege’s biography titled “Looking Beyond Horizons,” reporter Curt Wozniak gave him credit for making Grand Rapids, Michigan, the greenest city in the country for its size.
The article explains: Years ago, The Wege Foundation decided to stop capital grants for any building that is not environmentally friendly. As a result, Grand Rapids boasts the most square-footage per capita of buildings certified by the U.S. Green Building LEED program, including the new Grand Rapids Art Museum which exists thanks to Wege’s support.
The writer goes on to recognize Wege for his environmental outreach that extends beyond his home city of Grand Rapids. In particular, the article cites Wege’s leadership on protecting the Great Lakes. Wozniak concludes by writing about Wege’s successful efforts, “His Healing Our Waters Coalition is backed by several U.S. legislators working to establish a united strategy for Great Lakes restoration.”