Blog posts by FLOW team and guest writers
If you can’t find me at my desk at FLOW headquarters, you will usually find me somewhere on the water. I am a fan of pretty much any water activity you can think of. However, kayaking has become one of my favorite ways to get out on the water. I started seriously paddling a few… Read more »
Permits that Harm Water and Natural Resources Michigan officials have been busy this spring — busy handing out permits to take or destroy Michigan’s water and natural resources in violation of clear constitutional and legal mandates: A mandatory duty to protect the public’s paramount interest in our air, water, and natural resources; a duty to… Read more »
Nelson Mandela said that education is the most powerful weapon to change the world. In honor of Earth Day, I gave a presentation on Reducing, Reusing and Recycling to approximately 700 students at three different schools in Traverse City. We talked about issues including natural ecosystems, sustainability, population growth, and urban planning. Most students were shocked… Read more »
Over Memorial Day Weekend, the Great Lakes get their first official burst of summer. Stores and restaurants of coastal towns extend their hours and see the first long lines of the season. The beaches and bays fill with laughter and people and boats. Not much compares to summertime on the Great Lakes. I headed up… Read more »
Every year, a million visitors reach the shores of Mackinac Island, also known as Turtle Island to the Anishinaabe peoples who first settled here in the Great Lakes. Unlike most visitors, every May I make an annual pilgrimage to the island to argue the case to decommission Line 5 to our top state and federal leaders… Read more »
Photo: Nancy May – work available at numerous shops on Mackinac Island FLOW reminds state leaders they have the power to defend the Great Lakes from Enbridge. Governor Snyder and Attorney General Schuette have the legal authority to protect the Great Lakes from the major risk posed by the antiquated and poorly maintained Line 5… Read more »
A Special Celebration to Benefit FLOW Come join us on July 5th for an evening of farm-to-table fare from Epicure Catering, beverages from Baia Estate Leelanau, Arbor Brewing, and Iron Fish Distillery, and delight in the music of 4-time GRAMMY winning mandolin virtuoso Chris Thile. An Evening for the Great Lakes will be hosted by Cherry… Read more »
5:32 AM Fishing! Bleary eyed, I rolled out of bed and slowly pulled on a tshirt, long-sleeved shirt, flannel, sweatshirt, and jacket. Tossing a bigger jacket, raincoat, and extra socks into my bag, I dragged myself to the kitchen and immediately flipped the switch on the instant kettle. Give me coffee. “Ready Kate?” My dad… Read more »
Saving the Straits of Mackinac Yesterday, May 22, 2018, marks the day that our state’s citizens, threatened with the terrible harm of an oil spill from a failed Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac, took matters into their own hands. The Straits of Mackinac Alliance (SMA) filed a contested-case petition with the Administrative Law… Read more »
Submerged Michigan 38,000 square miles. That’s a lot of real estate. In fact, it’s bigger than the square mileage of 12 states — including Indiana, West Virginia and Massachusetts. It’s part of Michigan. It’s a part you and all other citizens of Michigan own. And it’s all underwater, under Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron… Read more »
