Great Lakes Echo

Federal officials study Great Lakes basin to help prevent future floods

Jennifer Kalish — Mon, 21 May 2012 05:54:06 +0000

Federal officials are studying how to help Great Lakes communities better prepare for hazardous floods. “It will be the most comprehensive study ever conducted of shoreline flooding,” said Ken Hinterlong, a senior engineer with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. So far, only “…the first phase of the project is done, which is a basin-wide data collection for Lake Michigan and Lake St. Clair.” The study began in 2009. The agency is holding technical workshops for scientists and informational meetings for the public throughout 2012, to share data collected for Lake Michigan, Lake ...

WhadayaKnow? What percent of the world’s water is drinkable?

Great Lakes Echo — Mon, 21 May 2012 05:30:33 +0000

This week Echo reporters asked the public and an expert what percent of the world's water is drinkable. Make your own guess before you launch this brief video.

Reminder to Great Lakes environmentalists: The President is your best friend

Gary Wilson — Fri, 18 May 2012 05:55:33 +0000

Great Lakes environmentalists welcomed the White House's recent acceleration of a plan to permanently protect the Great Lakes from Asian carp. But many are less than impressed because it doesn't come with a commitment to physically separate the Great Lakes and Mississippi River watersheds.

Photo Friday: Glen Lake overlook

Carol Thompson — Fri, 18 May 2012 05:07:17 +0000

Upending the basin: Would you explore Toronto’s sewers with a $10,000 expedition?

David Poulson — Thu, 17 May 2012 05:15:01 +0000

Many years ago I wrote a news story about a group of divers hired to vacuum a chemical spill from the bottom of the St. Clair River. It was dangerous work. The current was fast and they had to remove insoluble contaminants skittering around in depressions and mapped out with a rope grid. The divers were an interesting bunch. Their next job was on a deep sea oil rig. But it was the job they just came from that caught my attention: Repair and maintenance of the sewers serving Toronto. How cool of ...

Video: Tackling environmental education creatively

Great Lakes Echo — Thu, 17 May 2012 05:11:48 +0000

What's the best way to deliver environmental education? Try getting students out of the classroom.

Great Lakes cities listed as bicycle friendly communities

Saodat Asanova-Taylor — Wed, 16 May 2012 05:15:32 +0000

The League of the American Bicyclists announced this week the largest number of cities it has ever added to its list of Bicycle Friendly Communities. Several Great Lakes cities were upgraded or added to the list for the first time. The annual evaluation recognizes investment in bicycling promotion, education, infrastructure and. Regional cities on this year’s list: Minnesota Minneapolis (gold) Greater Mankato (bronze)- First time Wisconsin Madison (gold) La Cross (silver) Milwaukee (bronze Michigan, Ann Arbor (silver) Grand Rapids (bronze) Lansing (bronze) Traverse City (bronze) Indiana, Bloomington (silver) Indianapolis and Monroe County (silver) Columbus (bronze)- First time Fort Wayne (bronze) – First time Illinois, Chicago (silver) Schaumburg (bronze) Naperville (bronze) Ohio, Cincinnati (bronze) – ...

Farmers markets expand with demand for local produce

Capital News Service — Wed, 16 May 2012 05:09:11 +0000

The demand for fresh, local produce has boosted a statewide uptick in the number of Michigan farmers markets. And a state grant program aims at ensuring low-income communities don’t miss out.

What is the best beer brewed with Great Lakes water?

Great Lakes Echo — Tue, 15 May 2012 05:57:48 +0000

Outside Magazine recently released a list of the top 10 canned beers of 2012. The magazine claims these as the best of 100 brands sampled. Apparently they were sampled at once and by very few judges. How else to explain the impaired judgment resulting in a selection containing only two beers brewed in Great Lakes states: Sly Fox Pikeland Pils from Pottstown, Pa., and Sixpoint Resin Ale in Brooklyn, N.Y. And those two aren’t even in the Great Lakes watershed. Sorry Outside. Every beer lover – at least those who read Echo – ...

Continued ice loss on the Great Lakes may cause widespread change in ecosystems

Jennifer Kalish — Tue, 15 May 2012 05:48:47 +0000

Can lack of ice affect both the economy and ecology of the Great Lakes? Getting a handle on that is difficult when studying one of the most dangerous times to be on them.