Great Lakes Echo » Echo

Canadians consider nuclear waste storage near Lake Huron

Andrew Atwal — Wed, 30 May 2012 05:44:27 +0000

Ontario Power Generation is seeking federal approval to build nuclear waste disposal facilities below the Canadian shore of northwest Lake Huron. Opponents argue that this threatens the the lake and people. Supporters say it is a needed and safe project.

Vote for best named Great Lakes brew

Great Lakes Echo — Wed, 30 May 2012 05:06:39 +0000

We culled through your nominations for the best name of a beer brewed in the Great Lakes watershed and put some of them on this poll. Our selection is arbitrary and of course misses many beers and breweries that were not nominated. And yeah, we get it about those of you who disdain creative names as something that fails to impress true beer aficionados. But sheesh…lighten up. Our bias is toward names that are particularly relevant to the Great Lakes environment or places. But we also include nominations that just kind of ...

Water-monitoring robofish almost ready to patrol Great Lakes

Jennifer Kalish — Tue, 29 May 2012 05:33:11 +0000

After three prototypes and multiple tweaks to his robotic fish, Xiaobo Tan is planning to deploy the water-monitoring device this August. “Things have been going slower then what we expected, but we are making good progress overall,” said Tan, associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Michigan State University. Great Lakes Echo covered the early development stages of Tan’s robofish in 2009. His latest prototype can submerge, something the initial robofish couldn’t do. It is almost capable of transferring sensor signals in real time, another new development. The robofish ...

WhadayaKnow? What’s the difference between climate and weather?

Great Lakes Echo — Tue, 29 May 2012 05:30:52 +0000

This week Echo reporters asked the public and an expert what the difference is between climate and weather. Make your own guess before launching this brief video.

Photo Friday: Monarch butterfly rests after taking a dip in Lake Michigan

Great Lakes Echo — Fri, 25 May 2012 05:30:44 +0000

Can unsightly algae spark environmental action?

Tom Henry — Fri, 25 May 2012 05:16:53 +0000

While another algae-filled summer appears to face Lake Erie, an international panel has made curbing the region's nutrient runoff a binational priority. The problem threatens public health and the economy. Can it prompt action?

Comment on Lake Huron shipwreck sanctuary ends Friday

Carolyn Sundquist — Wed, 23 May 2012 05:45:10 +0000

The only federally-protected underwater sanctuary on the Great Lakes could increase 10-fold to more than 4,000 square miles. The expansion includes waters adjacent to Alcona and Presque Isle counties in the northeast of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.

Green Gavels examines environmental impact of Michigan Supreme Court decisions

Jennifer Kalish — Wed, 23 May 2012 05:12:58 +0000

A non-profit conservation group recently launched a first-of-its-kind tool for measuring the environmental impact of Michigan Supreme Court decisions. Green Gavels uses red, yellow and green gavels to illustrate the negative, neutral or positive conservation impact of each environmental case that reaches the Michigan Supreme Court. The group heading the project, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, also rates each justice’s decision in each case. People can see if a specific justice’s voting patterns has a negative or positive environmental impact overall. “Our mission is to provide the information necessary for citizens to hold ...

Chicago River comes off endangered river list, but Ohio’s Grand River replaces it

Saodat Asanova-Taylor — Tue, 22 May 2012 05:55:43 +0000

Here’s a milestone for the Chicago River: It’s no longer on a list of the most endangered rivers in the nation. American Rivers each year reports on what the river advocacy group believes are the most endangered. It’s a call for action to save rivers facing critical tipping point. The Chicago River was on the list for almost two decades, mostly because the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District spewed bacteria-filled sewage without disinfecting it. For years the EPA and local environmental groups pushed city authorities to apply clean up technology since the water is ...

Beer makers research new uses for brewery waste

Erica Hamling — Tue, 22 May 2012 05:13:35 +0000

Success means reducing waste and dumping fees while creating a new revenue stream. The research is also spurred by consumers who value alternatives to petroleum-based building blocks of other products.