Fashion and the environment are linked in more ways than consumers may expect. Fashion designers are taking steps to reduce the clothing industry's impact on the environment.
The post A road to sustainable fashion: up-cycling t-shirts first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/10/11/a-road-to-sustainable-fashion-up-cycling-t-shirts/
A new book details the decades-long cleanup of Detroit's River Rogue, which was once one of the most polluted watersheds in America. However, there is still more work to be done.
The post Book details how a watershed community rescued one of the nation’s most polluted rivers first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/10/10/book-details-how-a-watershed-community-rescued-one-of-the-nations-most-polluted-rivers/
A University of Windsor graduate student is creating erosion sensors, called transducers, for less than 5% of the commercial cost. The devices help researchers understand how boat wakes erode the shoreline.
The post UWindsor undergrad cuts research costs with DIY erosion sensors first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/10/06/uwindsor-undergrad-cuts-research-costs-with-diy-erosion-sensors/
In her debut novel, “King of Hope,” Michigan native Kim Conklin writes about a small community in southern Ontario facing the looming threat of environmental disaster. That threat comes in the form of nuclear waste and willfully ignorant officials.
The post Novel set in Ontario examines Great Lakes nuclear waste first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/10/05/novel-set-in-ontario-examines-great-lakes-nuclear-waste/
Located on a strip of land that separates two of Michigan’s largest lakes, Elk and Torch, Maplehurst Natural Area is an unexpected delight to anybody who stumbles across it. The former summer camp is now a protected area of land thanks to a collaboration between Milton Township and the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy.
The post Camp Maplehurst’s enduring legacy first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/09/30/camp-maplehursts-enduring-legacy/
The installation of a state-of-the-art street lighting system on Belle Isle – located on the Michigan side of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario – was a major step forward in saving energy and electricity while improving safety for visitors. Now five years later, a new study says computer optimization modeling could lead to even further savings and other benefits, such as fewer crashes, for communities that upgrade their street light systems.
The post Belle Isle study lights way for savings first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/09/27/belle-isle-study-lights-way-for-savings/
Native Americans once bent saplings to grow into directional markers. They signaled such things as where to cross a river and where to enter and exit trails. There are likely only a few hundred original trail trees left in the Great Lakes area. Some are over 200 years old.
The post Tracking trail trees: Looking for horizontal shapes in a vertical world first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/09/26/tracking-trail-trees-looking-for-horizontal-shapes-in-a-vertical-world/
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in June approved a plan to make the state age-friendly. It focuses on communication and information, respect and social inclusion, health services and community support, social participation and transportation.
The post More Michigan communities strive to become age-friendly first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/09/23/more-michigan-communities-strive-to-become-age-friendly/
A new University of Michigan study aims to understand how environmental exposures contribute to cancer. The Michigan Cancer and Environmental Research Study, or MI-CARES, is largely motivated by Michigan’s history of toxic environmental exposures and environmental injustice.
The post Michigan study linking environment to cancer provides ammo for health policy first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/09/22/michigan-study-linking-environment-to-cancer-provides-ammo-for-health-policy/
As Michigan enters peak color season, local officials across the state have nominated the best roads for motorists to enjoy the changing foliage.
The post And the winners are…best Michigan roads for color first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/09/21/and-the-winners-arebest-michigan-roads-for-color/
An Ottawa County, Michigan, electroplating company and two of its top officers have pleaded guilty to violating the federal Clean Water Act by discharging wastewater with excessive amounts of zinc.
The post Guilty pleas in Clean Water Act prosecution first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/09/07/guilty-pleas-in-clean-water-act-prosecution/
How we name things affects how we think about them. We name fields, and forests, and marshes, and streams as separate things, so we tend to think of them as separate things. But separating these habitats in our vocabulary and in our minds obscures the innumerable connections that bind these habitats into a single working landscape.
The post September: Connections first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/09/02/september-connections/
A federal grand jury has indicted a Minnesota farmer for allegedly cheating buyers of more than $46 million by falsely labeling non-GMO soybeans and corn as organic.
The post Minnesota farmer accused of multimillion dollar organic grain scan first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/08/29/minnesota-farmer-accused-of-multimillion-dollar-organic-grain-scan/
Bison are on the upswing again as ranchers and government officials aim to increase their populations across the United States. And that could have implications for other livestock operations.
The post In Northern Michigan, bison are teaching a lesson in sustainability first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/08/26/in-northern-michigan-bison-are-teaching-a-lesson-in-sustainability/
Michigan State archaeologist studies artifacts to learn about life for lighthouse keepers in remote locations around the Great Lakes.
The post Artifacts reveal human side of Great Lakes lighthouses first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/08/03/artifacts-reveal-human-side-of-great-lakes-lighthouses/
Humans, like all other animals, have an innate desire to find the right spot, an ideal place. Tim Mulherin, the author of Sand, Stars, Wind & Water found his sense of place in Northwest Lower Michigan during his first visit to the area 35 years ago.
The post Protecting your place: one man’s tribute to Northern Michigan first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/08/02/protecting-your-place-one-mans-tribute-to-northern-michigan/
July is our warmest month, its steamy days and sticky nights giving us a little taste of the tropics. When we look for ways to beat July’s heat, we often end up in the water – sprinklers, backyard pools, or one of Michigan’s many lakes. So let’s take a few minutes on this hot July day to think about how cool water is.
The post July: Stay cool first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/07/01/july-stay-cool/
The study in the journal “Science of the Total Environment” found that five million people exceeded the recommended fish intake of two meals or 12 ounces per week, as suggested by the Environmental Protection Agency. Notably, women, nonwhites, younger residents and those with lower education levels were less aware of fish advisories, and thus more prone to eat more than the recommended amount.
The post Only half of Great Lakes residents are aware of advisories for safely eating fish first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/06/30/only-half-of-great-lakes-residents-are-aware-of-advisories-for-safely-eating-fish/
For decades, people have largely ignored the Earth’s decay, treating climate change as a problem that can be postponed. Ranae Lenor Hanson, a retired professor and activist, rejects that fallacy and defends the Earth, its waters and all its creatures in her book Watershed: Attending to a Body and Earth in Distress.
The post Finding home in our own bodies can rekindle connection to nature first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/06/28/finding-home-in-our-own-bodies-can-rekindle-connection-to-nature/
A new study by Michigan State University shows an increase in doctor visits for shortness of breath among long-term sand and gravel mine workers in Michigan, compared to the rate for production workers in other industries. The state has more than 3,500 surface miners, 1,207 of whom voluntarily participated in the study.
The post Study raises health concerns for sand and gravel workers first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/06/14/study-raises-health-concerns-for-sand-and-gravel-workers/
The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) was reinstated earlier this year and reimburses farmers for following proper conservation practices. To be eligible for the program, land must have a cropping history, or planting history, of four out of six years between 2012-17 and have been owned at least one year prior to applying.
The post Conservation program partnership targets farms in three Michigan watersheds first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/06/09/conservation-program-partnership-targets-farms-in-three-michigan-watersheds/
Since 2019, just over a dozen inner-city families in the heart of Minneapolis have cared for small prairies full of native plants in the boulevard strips adjacent to their homes. The project is aimed at increasing urban biodiversity. It is called City Backyard Science and is funded by the University of Minnesota Institute on the Environment.
The post Urban ecology is in the hands of Minnesota citizens first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/06/01/urban-ecology-is-in-the-hands-of-minnesota-citizens/
Geo Rutherford is a self-described Great Lakes enthusiast that built a large following—the same number that the Washington Post has—by making educational TikTok videos about the Great Lakes and other lakes around the world.
The post Spooky lakes and beach trash: How a Wisconsin teacher and artist gained 1.3 million TikTok followers first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/05/20/spooky-lakes-and-beach-trash-how-a-wisconsin-teacher-and-artist-gained-1-3-million-tiktok-followers/
The same supply chain disruptions that slow Michigan manufacturing could help the recycling industry bring in new business.
The post Supply chain slowdown could boost demand for recycled materials first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/05/18/supply-chain-slowdown-could-boost-demand-for-recycle-materials/
In our newest TikTok, Echo reporter Brooklyn Peppo explores the potential negative health effects of breathing in lake breeze.
The post Lake breeze can be harmful to health: TikTok edition first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/05/17/lake-breeze-can-be-harmful-to-health-tiktok-edition/
In our newest TikTok, Echo reporter Brooklyn Peppo explores the potential negative health effects of breathing in lake breeze.
The post Lake breeze can be harmful to health: TikTok edition first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/05/17/lake-breeze-can-be-harmful-to-health-tiktok-edition/
Regions 30 miles off the Lake Michigan coast are subject to a polluted lake breeze that contaminates air quality. Their toxic reach varies depending on the weather.
The post Lake breeze can be harmful to health first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/05/16/lake-breeze-can-be-harmful-to-health/
For the first time, Asian jumping worms were found in Ontario in March. The discovery of the invasive worms follows sightings in all Great Lakes states except for Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York. Removal of invasive species once they are established is extremely difficult, making prevention essential.
The post Ontario jumping worm invasion threatens to leap borders first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/05/13/ontario-jumping-worm-invasion-threatens-to-leap-borders/
In our newest TikTok, Echo reporter Rayna Skiver interviews Natalie Cypher, naturalist and educator for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Adventure Center.
The post Backyard habitats: TikTok edition first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/05/10/backyard-habitats-tiktok-edition/
Backyard habitats benefit both wildlife and the people making them. For wildlife, they provide food and a safe place to nest. People benefit because of the positive feelings associated with added greenery and the presence of wildlife.
The post Backyard habitats first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/05/09/backyard-habitats/
Michigan’s Lower Peninsula has seen a dramatic increase in ticks in the past 10-15 years due to climate change. Blacklegged ticks, also called deer ticks, can spread Lyme disease to people.
The post Commentary: Climate change is buggin’ me. And you first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/05/04/commentary-climate-change-is-buggin-me-and-you/
Man-made rock armoring installed to prevent beach erosion may actually make the problem worse, according to research conducted by the Michigan Geological Survey.
The post Commentary: Rocky beaches are not fun first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/04/29/commentary-rocky-beaches-are-not-fun/
There are debates on social media about the harm of disclosing favorite hiking locations: Does sharing favorite locations on social media cause more harm than good? Turns out, there's a lot to consider.
The post Commentary: Does social media threaten our special places? first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/04/28/commentary-does-social-media-threaten-our-special-places/
In the last few decades, fluctuating temperatures in the late winter or early spring have harmed blueberry production across the state. More of that kind of trouble – and more often – may be in store for the state’s fruit-growers.
The post Commentary: Blueberries, climate and loss of community first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/04/27/commentary-blueberries-climate-and-loss-of-community/
Suburban ponds are experiencing ecosystem changes due to fertilizers, lawn treatments, and human waste and population. Climate change could also play a role.
The post Commentary: Suburban ponds threaten dog walkers and water quality first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/04/26/commentary-suburban-ponds-threaten-dog-walkers-and-water-quality/
Dangerous metals such as arsenic and mercury have been found in wild rice beds located on the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community reservation and surrounding areas, according to research from Michigan Technological University scientists and their associates.
The post Tribes work to restore wild rice in areas contaminated by mining first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/04/25/tribes-work-to-restore-wild-rice-in-areas-contaminated-by-mining/
The invasive emerald ash borer has the potential to destroy over 3 million acres of black ash wetlands across the region, according to a recent study published in the journal Ecological Applications.
The post Emerald ash borer turns forest into wetlands first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/04/22/emerald-ash-borer-turns-forest-into-wetlands/
Algal blooms cause lower housing prices in Lake Erie communities, according to a recent study published in the American Journal of Agricultural Economics.
The post Algae contamination effects Lake Erie housing prices first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/04/21/algae-contamination-effects-lake-erie-housing-prices/
Great Lakes Echo reporters are utilizing TikTok as a new platform for storytelling. Our first video discusses the impacts of climate change on wine grape production in Michigan.
The post Great Lakes Echo is now on TikTok first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/04/20/great-lakes-echo-is-now-on-tiktok/
The lifeguard shortage is expected to continue this summer, leading many local recreation leaders to combat inadequate staffing with increased wages or other incentives.
The post Lifeguard staffing struggles to stay afloat in 2022 first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/04/14/lifeguard-staffing-struggles-to-stay-afloat-in-2022/
At the northwest corner of Lake Huron, in Michigan’s eastern Upper Peninsula, is an 80 square-mile town of 240 people, one phone booth - and one boat building school. That school is growing explosively, bringing the entire community along with it. Experts estimate that a planned expansion of the Great Lakes Boat Building School could bring an additional $2.5 million to residents of Cedarville.
The post Cedarville: The little town that upholds Michigan’s marine industry first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/04/12/cedarville-the-little-town-that-upholds-michigans-marine-industry/
As supply chain problems continue rippling from the COVID-19 pandemic, industries are learning ways to adapt. The meat market is no exception.
The post Pandemic shows need for more local meat processors first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/04/08/pandemic-shows-need-for-more-local-meat-processors/
Michigan farmers can’t plant more wheat this year to make up for Ukrainian and Russian production that’s been lost to the ongoing war. A fixed supply and consistent demand for wheat leaves one thing open to change: price.
The post Michigan wheat farmers can’t make up for crops lost in Ukraine first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/04/06/michigan-wheat-farmers-cant-make-up-for-crops-lost-in-ukraine/
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there wasn’t much for many people to do other than sit at home. But as restrictions slowly lifted toward the end of spring 2020, many people turned, or returned, to a popular sport – golf – to fill their time. Since then, its popularity has increased.
The post Golf management jobs on upswing first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/04/04/golf-management-jobs-on-upswing/
With a worldwide increase in need for food and oil, the soybean industry shows no signs of slowing down. Expanding consumer interest in plant-based foods as popular substitutes for meat could create more opportunities.
The post Meat substitutes, greener fuel drive soybean demand first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/03/30/meat-substitutes-greener-fuel-drive-soybean-demand/
A Harvard historian’s book about slavery in Detroit- - the last stop on the Underground Railroad – examines how that history was influenced by the region’s geography.
The post Harvard historian examines Detroit slavery link to Great Lakes geography first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/03/29/harvard-historian-examines-detroit-slavery-link-to-great-lakes-geography/
Agriculture and farming officials are helping growers manage soybean cyst nematodes to prevent a major loss in yield as the crop’s production season approaches.
The post Threat grows from soybean pest first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/03/28/threat-grows-from-soybean-pest/
In the Great Lakes region, there may be no older and more intriguing historical mystery than the 1679 disappearance of the Griffon, one of French explorer Robert La Salle’s ships. Now after more than 40 years of searching, a Charlevoix diver says he’s 99.99% sure he found the answer, and he tells how in a new book.
The post Charlevoix couple offers theory on mysterious 1679 shipwreck first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/03/25/charlevoix-couple-offers-theory-on-mysterious-1679-shipwreck/
While invasive species are always threatening crops, a native pest is the biggest threat to the state’s blueberries –– the stem gall wasp. The Michigan Blueberry Commission has funded research to combat the stem gall wasp and help growers stay competitive.
The post Growers fund research to aid blueberries first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/03/24/growers-fund-research-to-aid-blueberries/
Michigan maple syrup farmers sound optimistic that the industry will see a successful 2022 season after production declined in recent years.
The post Maple syrup farmers grow hopeful with ideal weather first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/03/23/maple-syrup-farmers-grow-hopeful-with-ideal-weather/
