Great Lakes Echo

Educators employ creative methods to teach about the environment

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

Educators are meeting the challenge of environmental education outside 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 services as demand for local produce grows

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 on such opportunities.

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.

Timetable for mercury standards disputed by utility companies

Saodat Asanova-Taylor — Mon, 14 May 2012 05:45:07 +0000

Environmental advocates urge legislators to support the federal mercury and air toxic standards, but the electric utility industry say that would create a huge burden.

Another college bans bottled water sales

Great Lakes Echo — Mon, 14 May 2012 05:43:05 +0000

Chicago’s Loyola University became the latest university in the region to ban campus bottled water sales, the Chicago Sun Times recently reported. The paper said that a student group notes: “We consider the sale of bottled water on campus in conflict with the Jesuit tradition and Loyola’s mission ‘to be in service of humanity through learning, justice and faith.” Great Lakes Echo recently wrote how campus bottled water bans – and the establishment of water bottle filling stations – appear to be increasing regionally and nationally. At the same time, bottled water manufacturers ...

Photo Friday: Super mooning the Great Lakes

Great Lakes Echo — Fri, 11 May 2012 05:39:44 +0000

Miss the super moon last Saturday? You know, that’s when the moon appeared 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than other full moons this year. That’s when it’s orbit brought it closest to Earth at about the same time it appeared its fullest. Super moons appear about once a year, according to NASA. This one got a lot of play on YouTube. And the Great Lakes served as a popular backdrop for photographers – and anglers – who wanted to capture it. Some examples: This time lapse image with musical accompaniment is by ...

Pull down lake breakwalls to stop erosion, Michigan officials say

Capital News Service — Fri, 11 May 2012 05:12:51 +0000

Environmental experts are urging property owners to get rid of lakefront lawns and stone breakwalls in favor of a new approach to landscaping.

Push on to pump up physical education in Michigan schools

Capital News Service — Thu, 10 May 2012 05:12:27 +0000

A recent federal study echoes concerns by Michigan health professionals that link the lack of time set aside for physical and health education classes in K-8 schools to increasing childhood obesity. The Government Accountability Office study of public schools indicates that while sports opportunities for students have generally increased, the frequency of physical education classes has decreased.