Blog Posts

Blog posts by FLOW team and guest writers

FLOW’s Jim Olson Honored with Large Lake Champion Award

May 26, 2022

Jim Olson, the founder and senior legal advisor of FLOW, has received one of the first Large Lake Champion Awards presented by the International Association for Great Lakes Research (IAGLR), the organization announced Monday. IAGLR is a scientific organization made up of researchers studying the Laurentian Great Lakes, other large lakes of the world, and their watersheds, as well as those with an interest in that research. The new award recognizes and honors individuals whose work has made significant contributions to sharing the social, economic, and ecological understanding of the large lakes of the world.

FLOW Welcomes Drew Broadway as Operations Manager

May 23, 2022

FLOW is excited to announce that Drew Broadway has joined our staff as Director of Operations.“We are thrilled to have Drew join the FLOW team,” said FLOW Executive Director Liz Kirkwood. “He brings a wealth of environmental and conservation nonprofit sector experience. Drew also brings heart and soul to our work, sharing a deep love for the rivers, lakes, and wetlands of Michigan and the Great Lakes. Please join us in welcoming Drew.” We asked Drew about his connection to the Great Lakes, his favorite place in Michigan, and his favorite Great Lakes fact.

Delivering Water In Flint: An Outsider Documents a Community in Crisis and Recovery

May 23, 2022

In his 2021 book Standpipe, Delivering Water In Flint, author David Hardin paints a portrait of a community reeling from the lead poisoning of its public water supply. Volunteering to deliver clean water to Flint households, Hardin finds both profound hardship and the will of the Flint community. The Library of Michigan named Standpipe one of 20 Michigan Notable Books for 2022. FLOW interviewed him about what the plight of Flint revealed to him.

Shrinking Our ‘Water Footprint’ to Protect the Great Lakes

May 18, 2022

Why should residents of the Great Lakes region and its abundant freshwater be concerned about their water footprint and take steps to conserve water? Living among water riches does not exempt us from responsible environmental stewardship.

Earth Day Reflection: Beach Cleanup at North Bar Lake Nets 89 Pounds of Single-Use Plastics and Other Trash

May 4, 2022

FLOW teamed up with Sleeping Bear Surf, Friends of Sleeping Bear, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Surfrider NoMi, and S’well for an April 22 Earth Day Beach Cleanup at North Bar Lake. The event drew a team of 68 passionate people of all ages from as far north as Petoskey and as far south as Ann Arbor, and included the Traverse City Central girls tennis team, which chose to participate as their team bonding activity. The trash collected, and retrieved from participants, weighed a whopping 89 pounds!

Know the Source of Your Water—During Drinking Water Week, and Every Week

May 1, 2022

During Drinking Water Week, recognized May 1-7 by the State of Michigan and nationally, filling knowledge gaps is a critical priority. Knowing the source of your drinking water is crucial, and so is knowing about threats to its safety and legal and environmental defenses to prevent its contamination.

An Earth Day Review: The Michigan Environmental Protection Act in 2022

April 18, 2022

One of the leading champions and practitioners of the Michigan Environmental Protection Act (MEPA) has been FLOW’s founder, Jim Olson. For 50 years, he has put MEPA to work in the courts and administrative processes, defending wetlands, streams, flora and fauna, and human health.  Jim has adeptly used MEPA to protect the Great Lakes and its tributary rivers and streams, vindicate indigenous treaty fishing rights, and limit Nestlé’s withdrawal of Michigan groundwater.

The Geography of Hope Is Anchored in Our Precious Great Lakes

April 18, 2022

In his 1960 Wilderness Letter, conservationist and author Wallace Stegner famously coined the phrase “geography of hope,” referring to the impulse that led Americans to the wilderness idea. Now, in 2022, comes another prophet of hope, Maude Barlow. A lifelong and world-renowned champion of water, Maude has authored a book built on her career of activism. Its title, appropriately, is “Still Hopeful: Lessons from a Lifetime of Activism.” FLOW will host a livestream book event featuring Maude Barlow on Wednesday, June 15.

Liz Kirkwood Reflects on the Importance of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement After 50 Years

April 14, 2022

Friday, April 15, marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Canada-U.S. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement–a deep and lasting commitment between the two nations to restore and protect the greatest collection of fresh surface water on the planet. A key institution in the execution of the Agreement is the Great Lakes Water Quality Board, which advises the International Joint Commission. Liz Kirkwood, FLOW’s executive director, is a U.S. appointee to the 28-member binational board. Here are her thoughts on the Board’s role under the Agreement in protecting the lakes.