A January 2021 story by the Capital News Service headlined “Microplastics threaten Great Lakes, and not just the water” was one of the first I have seen recently about the threat of microplastics to our precious fresh waters. However, microplastics have been reported in the Great Lakes for more than 15 years. Researchers started to get interested in microplastics around 2012, but outside the scientific community, microplastic pollution in the Great Lakes hasn’t gained much interest. How much has been done to reduce microplastics? How much has been done to make the general public aware of this serious and growing threat?
The Great Lakes face many challenges. Some are well-known, such as Asian carp, but some are almost invisible, such as microplastics. Small plastic detritus, termed “microplastics” or “microfibers,” are a widespread contaminant in aquatic ecosystems including the Great Lakes. Research reported in Environmental Science and Technology suggests that marine microplastic debris can have a negative impact upon zooplankton function and health.
Taking a Look at Bottled Water Bottled water costs up to 2,000 times more per volume than tap water. About 64% of commercial bottled water is just tap water that’s been filtered or purified. Approximately 70% of plastic water bottles are not recycled — and still people drink from them. Getting Off the Bottle is… Read more »
ART MEETS WATER: A Conversation with author & FLOW Founder Jim Olson and his new book ‘People of the Dune’ Tuesday, July 16 at 12:00pm EDT FLOW’s founder, legendary environmental attorney Jim Olson, writes more than winning legal briefs. He writes books, too, including the first book on Michigan environmental law and several novels. One… Read more »
Great Lakes beaches and parks need your help this summer It might be more than the right thing to do for the environment. It might be the right thing to do for your health. Consider the number one pollutant that people leave on the shore – plastic. Some 86% of the litter collected for the… Read more »
by FLOW policy director Carolan Sonderegger, Giziibii Ogitcheda-ikwe’ Aaniin (Anishinaabemowin for: Hello everyone), eco-warriors, and recycling enthusiasts! Today, we’re diving into the wild world of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) – the unsung superhero of waste management and a powerful tool for environmental protection, including protecting our precious waters (niibii)! In simple terms, EPR is an… Read more »
During the week of April 15, a group of students from the Little Red School House & Elisabeth Irwin High School (LREI) in Greenwich Village, Manhattan visited Traverse City and spent time with FLOW executive director, Liz Kirkwood. The students were studying water pollution and plastics, and their research led them to travel to the… Read more »
Earth Day has always been about action as much as education. But in a complex world with complex environmental problems, where do we begin? Here are eight specific actions you can take protect the world’s greatest lakes: Pare down plastics Plastic pollution is growing exponentially, with some of the highest concentrations of microplastics in the… Read more »
By Daniel Macfarlane Daniel Macfarlane is an Associate Professor in the School of the Environment, Geography, and Sustainability at Western Michigan University. He is also a senior fellow at the Bill Graham Center for Contemporary International History, University of Toronto, and President of the International Water History Association. His research and teaching focus on the… Read more »
The U.S. Geological Survey estimates there are 112,000 particles of plastic per square mile of Great Lakes water. While the specific, causal effects plastics may have on human health are yet unknown and currently being researched, animal studies suggest that plastics and plastic byproducts affect digestive, respiratory, endocrine, reproductive, and immune systems.
