News

Exploring Sally Cole-Misch’s book “The Best Part of Us”

The reviews are in—and they’re very, very good. The first novel by Sally Cole-Misch, The Best Part of Us, is attracting favorable reactions from the critics. The Michigan Daily calls it a “captivating celebration of nature that pushes us to consider our connections to the Earth.” Reader’s Favorite calls the novel “a lush and lovely… Read more »

The Marriage of the Rights of Nature and the Public Trust Doctrine

By Jim Olson The citizens of Toledo, Ohio, desperate to end the continuing plague of toxic algal blooms covering the western one-third of Lake Erie, in February 2019 passed by referendum a municipal ordinance that enacted the “Lake Erie Bill of Rights.” The Bill of Rights holds that “Lake Erie, and the Lake Erie watershed,… Read more »

State of the Great Lakes?

This month, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) issued the 2019 State of the Great Lakes Report. While legitimately showcasing much good news about policies and programs benefiting the Lakes, the report joined the ranks of many that don’t say enough about the conditions of the Great Lakes themselves. Even if accurate, the report’s “fair and unchanging” verdict translates at best to a C+. That is far from great effort on behalf of the Great Lakes. We can and must do better.

When Water Was Trash

Helene Kouzoujian Rimer read her compelling and arresting poem, “When Water Was Trash” at the Glen Arbor Arts Center’s “Words for Water” poetry throw-down on July 31. The outdoor event was a collaboration between the Arts Center and FLOW. Poets and performers were invited to read works that sought to answer the question: “Who owns the water? People? Communities? Corporations? Nobody?” Click here to watch a livestream recording of the poetry throw-down.

A Stronger FLOW

FLOW Welcomes Development Specialist Calli Crow FLOW, the Great Lakes law and policy center based in Traverse City, is excited to announce the growth of our staff.  Calli Crow has joined FLOW’s team as our new Development Specialist. She started July 20 and is working to connect FLOW with supporters and resources that propel our… Read more »

The Milliken Legacy: More than Nostalgia

In the flurry of news coverage about last week’s memorial service for the late Governor William Milliken, there was plenty of talk of days gone by. The Governor left office 37 years ago, and it sometimes seems as though moderation, civility and environmental ethics left office with him. But focusing on that would be the wrong takeaway. The Milliken example is a model for today, not a relic of yesterday.