By Clara Lincolnhol
You may notice new bright and colorful murals surrounding a number of Mid-Michigan storm drains in your community by the end of this summer.
The post These eye-catching murals are popping up around storm drains— here’s why first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
https://greatlakesecho.org/2025/09/10/these-eye-catching-murals-are-popping-up-around-storm-drains-heres-why/
By Emilio Perez Ibarguen
The popularity of groups like Wednesday Night Ride, Black Girls Do Bike and Soul Roll is an indicator that Detroit, long known for its ties to the auto industry, is making strides in becoming a cycling destination. However, Detroit streets remain unsafe for cyclists and pedestrians compared to other cities.
The post Biking booms in the Motor City: More lanes, fun rides — and high fatalities first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
https://greatlakesecho.org/2025/09/08/biking-booms-in-the-motor-city-more-lanes-fun-rides-and-high-fatalities/
By Emilio Perez Ibarguen
For students hoping to become conservation officers for the state Department of Natural Resources -- tasked with enforcing fish, game and natural resource protection laws -- one Northern Michigan University class gives a glimpse into their day-to-day work.
The post Dead deer and small fish: Michigan students learn to investigate poaching first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
https://greatlakesecho.org/2025/09/06/dead-deer-and-small-fish-michigan-students-learn-to-investigate-poaching/
By Rachel Lewis
The Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians' Natural Resources Department has been working to conserve the threatened wood turtle. Their top team member is Mooz, a 9-year-old labradoodle who has been helping his owner, Bill Parsons, find wood turtles for the past five years.
The post Mooz the dog helps scientists study threatened turtles first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
https://greatlakesecho.org/2025/09/04/mooz-the-dog-helps-scientists-study-threatened-turtles/
By Emilio Perez Ibarguen
In 2023, community organizers from the outdoor Discovery Center, an outdoor education and conservation-focused nonprofit in Holland, Michigan looked for ways to further sustainability efforts in the west Michigan community. This led to a partnership with another local nonprofit to create the Carbon Community Fund, which accepts donations from residents to fund local conservation efforts.
The post Small city’s ‘community carbon fund’ promises hyper-local carbon reduction first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
https://greatlakesecho.org/2025/09/02/small-citys-community-carbon-fund-promises-hyper-local-carbon-reduction/
By Maya Moore
If Congress approves President Donald Trump’s proposal to cut hundreds of millions of dollars from the operations and science budget of the U.S. Geological Survey, the scale and intensity of Great Lakes environmental restoration will be significantly diminished, experts say. Among the programs that could be dismantled entirely is the 70-year-old program to control sea lampreys, an exotic parasitic fish that attacks game fish and has caused billions of dollars in damage to Great Lakes fisheries.
Great Lakes Echo
https://greatlakesecho.org/2025/08/26/trumps-budget-would-devastate-sea-lamprey-control-in-great-lakes/
By Emilio Perez Ibarguen
Michigan's attempt to adopt new home energy efficiency standards is facing more delays because of stiff resistance from homebuilders. The new standards were supposed to go into effect in August but are on hold while a lawsuit filed in June by representatives of the construction industry plays out in court.
Great Lakes Echo
https://greatlakesecho.org/2025/08/24/michigan-home-energy-efficiency-standards-stalled-amid-homebuilders-lawsuit/
By Donté Smith
Butterfly populations are in decline across the continental U.S., dropping by 22% between 2000 and 2020 according to a study in the journal Science. Almost a third of the 342 species studied have seen their numbers fall by more than half. To help combat that trend, the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids, Michigan, launched its Great Lakes Rare Butterfly Program in 2021 to protect the region’s most threatened species.
Great Lakes Echo
https://greatlakesecho.org/2025/08/23/john-ball-zoo-fights-for-great-lakes-rarest-butterflies/
By Clara Lincolnhol
On a cool and cloudy summer day, Michigan high school students recently drove the car they’d been engineering for months around the block and parked it in front of the state Capitol. The three wheeled, sharply angled, gray, white and black camo-print car seats two people and is powered by solar-charged batteries.
Great Lakes Echo
https://greatlakesecho.org/2025/08/21/michigan-high-schoolers-take-statewide-road-trip-in-solar-powered-car/
By Emilio Perez Ibarguen
Lakefront property in Wexford County, 40-plus acres of forested land in the Upper Peninsula and a tiny island sitting in the middle of Lake Ponemah are up for grabs this year. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is auctioning off those and over 100 other “surplus properties” that officials say are better off in private hands, with the proceeds helping the state acquire more useful land.
Great Lakes Echo
https://greatlakesecho.org/2025/08/19/michigan-is-selling-over-120-plots-of-land-why/
By Rachel Lewis
With summer in full swing, you-pick farms have been seeing customers picking their own fruits and vegetables across the state. From blueberries and strawberries to tomatoes and asparagus, many people have opted for gathering their produce themselves. For some, this food gathering goes beyond the farm. In recent years, many people have been turning to wild berry foraging. Instead of grocery stores, these foragers seek out fresh fruits, nuts and herbs from local hiking trails or even off the side of the road.
Great Lakes Echo
https://greatlakesecho.org/2025/08/17/wild-berry-foraging-gains-popularity/
By Rachel Lewis
Michigan environmental officials found 1,4-dioxane, a toxic chemical, in six residential water wells in Scio Township during annual state testing. The dioxane, coming from the Gelman Plume, ranged between 0.33 to 0.86 parts per billion (ppb), well under the state Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy’s (EGLE) drinking water limit of 7.2 ppb. Although the state says the water is safe, some advocates for a more aggressive plume cleanup say the new detection suggests the plume is moving north. They say it could be dangerous if it reaches Barton Pond, Ann Arbor’s main water source.
Great Lakes Echo
https://greatlakesecho.org/2025/08/16/toxic-chemical-from-gelman-plume-found-in-water-wells-in-scio-township-michigan/
By Rachel Lewis
With the goal of cutting food waste by 50% from 2005 levels by 2030, The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) has been helping to fund NextCycle Michigan. This program gives grants and advice to small companies in the state looking to reduce food waste. One of these start-ups is Penny Pickup. With robot food delivery vehicles becoming more popular, the company Orange Sparkle Ball decided to launch Penny Pickup as a pickup service, instead of delivery. Its focus is to remove trash and unwanted items, primarily food waste.
Great Lakes Echo
https://greatlakesecho.org/2025/08/14/nonprofits-and-robots-help-reduce-food-waste/
By Rachel Lewis
The Great Lakes Fishery Commission will receive a $2.1 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to address the invasive sea lamprey in the Grand River in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Great Lakes Echo
https://greatlakesecho.org/2025/08/12/epa-grant-will-fund-barrier-to-stop-spread-of-sea-lamprey-in-grand-river/
By Donté Smith
The Great Lakes, a vital freshwater expanse for millions, face an ongoing environmental crisis. Beneath the vast waters lies a significant threat: pollution stemming largely from agricultural runoff. This flow of excess nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen contributes to harmful algal blooms and expanding “dead zones,” jeopardizing ecosystems, water quality and public health across the region. Amidst these challenges, Barn Sanctuary in Chelsea, Michigan, works to make a positive impact on the region. Tom McKernan, sanctuary co-founder and operations director, wants the farm to stand as a living model where animal welfare and ecological stewardship aren’t just compatible, but linked.
Great Lakes Echo
https://greatlakesecho.org/2025/08/10/empowering-environmental-stewardship-barn-sanctuary-champions-compassion-and-conservation/
By Grace Jenkins Indiana Dunes National Park is among the country’s five “lesser known national parks to add to your bucket list,” according to National Geographic. With 2.7 million visitors in 2023, the park ranks 36th in attendance among 393 national parks, monuments and historic sites. Credited for its striking plant and bird diversity, the […]
The post National Geographic spotlights ‘lesser known’ Indiana Dunes National Park first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2024/09/24/national-geographic-spotlights-lesser-known-indiana-dunes-national-park/
By Eric Freedman A Detroit-built sailing ship that sank in Lake Michigan during an 1864 storm has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The three-masted Mojave, only 1 year old at the time, went down in heavy weather while northbound on the route from Chicago to Buffalo with a load of grain. […]
The post Ship doomed on Lake Michigan now moored on National Register of Historic Places first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2024/07/16/ship-doomed-on-lake-michigan-now-moored-on-national-register-of-historic-places/
Ten Great Lakes Echo reporters recently scored honors in the 2023 Michigan Press Association’s College Better Newspaper Contest.
They were recognized in nine categories. The environmental publication swept two categories - feature story and column-review - and won the open categories for best writer and best multi-media story.
The post Michigan Press Association honors Echo reporters first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2024/03/15/great-lakes-echo-reporters-honored-with-michigan-press-association-awards/
Reporting on environmental problems and controversies remains a perilous endeavor, as demonstrated by a series of incidents around the globe.
Journalists are physically assaulted, jailed, interrogated by police, kidnapped, fired, sued for libel, harassed and even murdered for seeking to expose environmental crimes
The post Environmental journalism danger commentary first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2024/01/31/environmental-journalism-danger-commentary/
Michigan’s population is less healthy than the national average, ranking below most other states, including its Midwestern neighbors, in premature death rates, infant mortality rates and access to health care.
The post State’s public health ranks low, study finds first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/10/16/states-public-health-ranks-low-study-finds/
Lianne Leddy grew up with stories of the uranium mining that poisoned her Anishinaabek community in Ontario.
Now, she’s retelling these stories through Serpent River Resurgence, her new book based on documents and interviews from family and friends who lived through the environmental crisis.
The post Serpent River Resurgence documents uranium pollution of First Nation community first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/10/03/serpent-river-resurgence-documents-uranium-pollution-of-first-nation-community/
It’s a success story for the country’s national bird, which was nearly wiped off the map by the 1960s after generations of human interference.
The post Michigan bald eagles soar back from near-extinction first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/08/03/michigan-bald-eagles-soar-back-from-near-extinction/
Rice is in its renaissance now.
The post Michigan tribes fight long odds to restore wild rice, their history first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/08/02/michigan-tribes-fight-long-odds-to-restore-wild-rice-their-history/
Peanut currently holds the Guinness World Records title for the oldest living chicken.
The post The life of Peanut: Inside the story of the world’s oldest living chicken first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/07/25/the-life-of-peanut-inside-the-story-of-the-worlds-oldest-living-chicken/
The project is meant to help prevent catastrophic damage to the Great Lakes fishery.
The post Des Plaines River is a site of new impediments to voracious species first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/07/17/des-plaines-river-is-a-site-of-new-impediments-to-voracious-species/
The boat launch will now be called the Paint Lake DNR Boat Launch.
The post Michigan removes derogatory Native slur from Oxford Township boat launch first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/07/10/michigan-removes-derogatory-native-slur-from-oxford-township-boat-launch/
Michigan’s return rate on bottles and cans, which stood at nearly 89 percent before the pandemic, has plummeted below 76 percent.
The post Michigan bottle return rate fell after pandemic ban. Would price hike help? first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/07/05/michigan-bottle-return-rate-fell-after-pandemic-ban-would-price-hike-help/
A staggering 70 percent of children in Detroit have little to no swimming experience.
The post Free swim lessons part of larger Michigan effort to reduce drownings first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/06/19/free-swim-lessons-part-of-larger-michigan-effort-to-reduce-drownings/
By Eric Freedman A Frankfort, Michigan, man has been arrested on federal charges of vandalism and tampering at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore by diverting water from the Platte River within the park. Andrew Howard faces up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine if convicted. He also could be ordered to pay […]
The post Arrest made in Sleeping Bear Dunes vandalism case first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/06/15/arrest-made-in-sleeping-bear-dunes-vandalism-case/
Visiting the Horticulture Gardens means stepping into a different world.
The post Nature can nurture: MSU gardens help heal students first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/06/14/nature-can-nurture-msu-gardens-help-heal-students/
Because of the major impact of the Flint water crisis on Michigan, safe drinking water has become a public health, environmental and political priority.
The post Schools replace old-fashioned drinking fountains first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/04/28/schools-replace-old-fashioned-drinking-fountains/
Kudzo is on the list of plants and animals that pose an immediate or potential threat to Michigan’s economy, environment or human health.
The post Watch out! Creepy kudzu coming? first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/04/26/watch-out-creepy-kudzu-coming/
The event brings people together to see a vision of how we can better our environment
The post Great Lakes Environmental Film Festival showcases climate change first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/04/20/great-lakes-environmental-film-festival-showcases-climate-change/
Agritourism business operators may have different strategies for addressing the labor shortage like offering hiring bonuses and higher wages.
The post More farm tourism brings more workplace hazards first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/04/19/more-farm-tourism-brings-more-workplace-hazards/
Other proposals that the state Department of Transportation and legislators are looking into include converting some highways into toll roads.
The post Mileage-based road tax ideas could stall out over privacy concerns first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/04/13/mileage-based-road-tax-ideas-could-stall-out-over-privacy-concerns/
They encourage contributors to address practical issues with real environmental or social implications, rather than tackling big general or theoretical questions about our relationship to nature.
The post New book gets in the weeds with environmental ethics first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/04/11/new-book-gets-in-the-weeds-with-environmental-ethics/
The review found that the impact occurs at the local, regional and larger scales.
The post Light pollution is a migratory deathtrap first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/04/05/light-pollution-is-a-migratory-deathtrap/
Habitat restoration can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, years of time and the collaborative effort of engineers, scientists and designers. It may be better to just start from scratch.
The post Creating habitat to help fish reproduce is costlier, but more effective than restoring it first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/04/04/creating-habitat-to-help-fish-reproduce-is-costlier-but-more-effective-than-restoring-it/
It will spark new thinking about what can be done when a bridge or a freeway needs to be rebuilt.
The post Highway reconstruction tries to repair historic mistakes first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/03/29/highway-reconstruction-tries-to-repair-historic-mistakes/
The idea for the book came from a little notebook into which Dunphy writes what occupies her mind.
The post New book for tree lovers is rooted in memory first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/03/28/new-book-for-tree-lovers-is-rooted-in-memory/
Strengthening the laws would be instrumental to us as we think about the future of this state and what is going to attract and retain people here.
The post Polluter-pay laws could return under Democratic majority first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/03/22/polluter-pay-laws-could-return-under-democratic-majority/
Founded in 1986, Friends of the Rouge is a grassroots organization dedicated to improving the Rouge watershed through hands-on restoration, stewardship and education.
The post Toxic hotspot builds nontoxic community engagement first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/03/16/toxic-hotspot-builds-nontoxic-community-engagement-2/
Measures have reduced the overall number of Areas of Concern in Canada by three, bringing the total to nine
The post Measures taken to reduce Ontario toxic hotspots first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/03/15/measures-taken-to-reduce-ontario-toxic-hotspots/
Activists from Stop EtO established the nonprofit Lake County Environmental Works and got $270,000 to test the air for EtO.
The post Waukegan activists get federal grant to test for EtO that causes cancer first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/03/14/waukegan-activists-get-federal-grant-to-test-for-eto-that-causes-cancer/
Paper Valley started as a simple exercise in chronicling the past, but turned into something more.
The post Turning a chronicle of the Fox River clean-up into a story first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/03/06/turning-a-chronicle-of-the-fox-river-clean-up-into-a-story/
They're drawn to it because of some personal connection to whether it be the neighborhood they grew up in, the forest they've walked in, the lakes [where] they've smoked salmon. So it's a natural thing to tie environmental matters to personal experiences.
The post New book connects the environment with a love of dogs first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/02/09/new-book-connects-the-environment-with-a-love-of-dogs/
These dogs continue to work on other invasive species detection prevention projects like sticky sage and oak wilt, a type of fungus.
The post Woof, there it is: A spotted lanternfly! first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/02/08/woof-there-it-is-a-spotted-lanternfly/
The lifecycle of microbes and plants creates a system that can filter and hold more water and nutrients, which provides a buffer against drought and unpredictable rain.
The post Oilseeds could help farmers and soil alike first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/02/07/oilseeds-could-help-farmers-and-soil-alike/
On Twitter recreation was the most popular topic of discussion, and that users cared more about pollution’s impact on public health than its impact on property values.
The post Can social media responsibly guide environmental decisions? first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/02/06/can-social-media-responsibly-guide-environmental-decisions/
Cleaning up and greening the lots helps to reduce violence. That effect improves when the local community is engaged in those activities instead of having the lots professionally mowed
The post Gardening with a whole community could reduce violent crimes in neighborhoods, study says first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/02/03/gardening-with-a-whole-community-could-reduce-violent-crimes-in-neighborhoods-study-says/
