Blog posts by FLOW team and guest writers
In this space two weeks ago I demonstrated that plans by President Trump and Governor Snyder to rebuild our deteriorating public Infrastructure will force shrinking or financially strapped cities and towns to turn to private water companies and investors. The Trump plan would cut the historical federal 75 percent share of grants or low interest… Read more »
FLOW’s organizing principle is the public trust doctrine. What sounds like an exotic concept is quite simple. This centuries-old principle of common law holds that there are some resources, like water and submerged lands, that by their nature cannot be privately owned. Rather, this commons – including the Great Lakes — belongs to the public. … Read more »
March 2 is the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel and, in 1997, was officially proclaimed Read Across America Day in his honor. To be completely honest, my favorite of his books growing up was Fox in Socks, but coming in at a close second was The Lorax. (If you have not read it, I highly… Read more »
FLOW is pleased to announce poets Anne-Marie Oomen and Linda Nemec Foster will read from their new book, The Lake Michigan Mermaid, at a fundraiser for FLOW on Thursday, April 19. The reading and reception take place from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Centerpointe conference center, top floor, in Traverse City. Published by Wayne State University… Read more »
LOVE LETTER TO THE GREAT LAKES: I HAVE ALWAYS LIVED CLOSE TO YOU, I PADDLED IN YOUR SHALLOWS AS A CHILD, DRINKING IN YOUR TASTE. WAVES CARESSED MY BACK AS I WATCHED SAND ON THE LAKE BED, PILED INTO TINY RIPPLES & DUNES…IT WAS MAGICAL! I DREW MAPS & GAMES WITH MY BIG TOE IN WET SAND ON YOUR… Read more »
Should Michigan law make it easier for special interests to grab large amounts of water without public oversight? Most citizens would say no, but the Michigan Legislature is considering a “yes.” The State House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday, February 28 at 9 a.m. on a bill, HB 5638, giving… Read more »
FLOW’s organizing principle is the public trust doctrine. What sounds like an exotic concept is quite simple. This centuries-old principle of common law holds that there are some resources, like water and submerged lands, that by their nature cannot be privately owned. Rather, this commons – including the Great Lakes — belongs to the public. … Read more »
Great Lakes Proud (GLP) isn’t just a local brand, it’s national, even dabbling internationally (with stickers spotted in South Korea, Japan, Austria, and Croatia – to name a few) – and the work it is doing locally is adding value fit for the scale. Since 2009, the Michigan-based business has donated over $100K to Great… Read more »
The production of plastic was first viewed as a miracle, the birth of a surprisingly durable material. But used as a disposable material, that durability is part of its downfall. Plastic degrades very slowly, and it often ends up in the environment and in the food chain. In 1950, the global market generated 1.7 million… Read more »
Our public water systems are in crisis. Every person and business in every city and town in the U.S. will face increasing competition for water, more and more repairs, improvements, and replacement of crumbling infrastructure or preventing illness or pollution. They will also face the wild card of increased frequency and intensity of rainfall and… Read more »
