Blog posts by FLOW team and guest writers
Our enjoyment of beach outings, picnics, or time outside often rises or falls depending on environmental conditions from pollution to excessive heat. Before you head out, you can check on relevant conditions at these websites. Stay safe and have fun out there this summer! Public beach closures: Beachguard Great Lakes Surface Water Temperatures: NOAA… Read more »
FLOW welcomes Megan Kelto to the team as our new Director of Public Engagement. Megan brings over fifteen years of experience in nonprofit marketing, communications, and leadership, and has a strong background in digital content strategy. As Director of Public Engagement, her mission is to tell the story of FLOW’s important, innovative work, and inspire… 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 »
You probably don’t know it, but through next Sunday, Michigan is observing Great Lakes and Freshwater Awareness Week. It’s certainly appropriate. Michigan has an astounding array of waters. As Governor Whitmer said in her proclamation, “during this week, we encourage Michiganders to learn more about the unique wonders of our Great Lakes and freshwater resources… Read more »
There’s good news and even better news about Michigan’s 1,237 public swimming beaches. The good news is that water at most monitored beaches is clean most of the time. The better news is that a modern testing tool allows for quicker turnaround on public beach monitoring samples. The faster turnaround help protect swimmers. The tool… Read more »
Picnics with Less (or Zero) Plastic You may be surprised at how much trash we generate from what might seem a low-impact picnic. Reducing picnic waste—especially plastics—is particularly important at a time when scientists are sounding the alarm about the buildup of small particles, or microplastics, in the Great Lakes Zero-Waste Picnic vs Typical Picnic… Read more »
By Brett Fessell Brett is River Restoration Ecologist for the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians and a member of FLOW’s Board of Directors. Challenges Tribes Face In Fire and Nearly Everywhere Else Overall, the use of fire by Indigenous peoples in the Great Lakes region was a highly effective method of managing… Read more »
By Brett Fessell Brett is River Restoration Ecologist for the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians and a member of FLOW’s Board of Directors. Modern forest management practices and policies, such as wildfire control, have had significant impacts on the diversity, resiliency, and productivity of forest communities in the Great Lakes region when… Read more »
On their way out of office in late 2018, former Governor Rick Snyder and the lame-duck Legislature delivered a body blow to Michigan’s environment by enacting a law intended to thwart state rules that go beyond weak federal minimums. This seemingly abstract law in fact repudiated 50 years of efforts by state officials to act… Read more »
During Michigan’s 2023 Drinking Water Week, May 7-13, filling knowledge gaps is a critical priority. Knowing the source of your drinking water is crucial, and so are threats to its safety and legal and environmental defenses to its contamination. One surprising fact to many is that 45% of Michigan’s population drinks water from underground sources…. Read more »
