Turning Sustainability into Action in Oakland County Register

Date and Time:
Thu, Nov 5, 2026; 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM  (Eastern)

Organized By: Southeast Michigan Group

Location: Oakland Schools, 2111 Pontiac Lake Rd, Waterford Township, MI 48328, USA

Map | Directions

The Office of Sustainability is making great strides in advancing sustainability both within Oakland County operations, and for the residents and businesses that call Oakland County home. They have committed to make Oakland County’s government operations net-zero by
2050, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2035.

Join us when Julie Lyons Bricker, Chief Sustainability Officer, shares the Sustainability Plan, what has been accomplished so far, and what is coming up, including:

• performing its first greenhouse gas inventory to assess the current status of emissions generated by county operations. working collaboratively across departments to embed sustainability into their processes and to achieve meaningful greenhouse gas reduction.
• providing programs, resources, and education to empower our communities such as the Oakland SAVES program which served over 1,100 households seeking grants to bring money into our community to serve our residents through Resident Resources.

Join us in person at the Oakland Schools, 2111 Pontiac Lake Rd, Waterford, MI 48328, or online via Zoom (link will be sent to registrants prior to the event.

Our Speaker:
Julie Lyons Bricker became Oakland County’s Chief Sustainability Officer in 2025, bringing the energy and passion to the job that has marked her 15 years of leadership in the field. Before coming to Oakland County, Lyons Bricker spent five years with the City of Royal Oak, where she spearheaded the energy and sustainability programming that positioned the city as a regional and state leader. She also spent five years as the executive director for the non-profit Michigan Interfaith Power and Light.

As Oakland County’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Lyons Bricker is advancing the sustainability plan for the county in big and small ways, including through energy efficiency and recycling improvements, installation of solar panels and EV chargers on the government campus,
planting hundreds of trees that help with stormwater management, pursuing grant funding and facilitating sustainability practices throughout county operations. Under her leadership, Oakland County received the LEED for Cities Gold certification and Michigan Green Communities Gold certification for countywide sustainability leadership.

Lyons Bricker received a bachelor’s degree from Michigan Technological University. A resident of Oakland County since 2001, Lyons Bricker resides in Royal Oak.
 

Questions:
Please email sierra.club.semg@gmail.com.

Evening Agendas
Most of our meetings offer the option to attend either in person or online via Zoom. Please see the event details for the meeting location and virtual participation information. If you're attending in person, we encourage you to arrive about 15 minutes early to meet fellow members, supporters, guests, and local Sierra Club leaders before the presentation begins.

Typical Agenda

• 30 minutes before the presentation – Doors open for informal conversation and networking.
• Presentation start time – Welcome, introductions, and the featured presentation (online participants should join at this time).
• Approximately one hour after the presentation begins – Question-and-answer session and closing remarks.

About SEMG Monthly Meetings & Presentations:
The Sierra Club Southeast Michigan Group (SEMG) offers free presentations during its monthly first-Thursday meetings at 7 pm. Meetings are held via Zoom or in person, begin with brief announcements, and feature an hour-long presentation with Q&A. All are welcome. If you have any questions or issues, please email sierra.club.semg@gmail.com.

All Sierra Club Southeast Michigan members and supporters with email addresses receive notice of the time, place and speaker beforehand. To sign up for and manage email updates from The Sierra Club visit: https://myaccount.sierraclub.org/MyAccountLogin