Q-90.1's The Environment Report

A Detroit nonprofit called Make Food Not Waste has an initiative to cut Michigan's food waste in half by 2030. There's a Give a Scrap Food Scrap Pickup Service available in Bay City, Saginaw and Birch Run. May 31 is the date for a Scrap Tire Drive put on by Bay County Mosquito Control. For more, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Artificial intelligence is putting pressure on the Great Lakes. Bay City's sister city has committed to protecting Lake Huron. A new program will award millions of dollars in grants to projects that help meet goals of a state Healthy Climate Plan. For more, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Helped Wanted: 12,000 volunteers. That's the message from the Alliance for the Great Lakes, the environmental group that organizers Adopt-a-Beach cleanups. Earth Day is this week, celebrated on Tuesday, April 22. Executive orders from President Trump aim to halt state climate laws and revive the coal industry. For more, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Climate change is supercharging the water cycle, bringing heavier rain extremes and related flood risks across the U.S. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's largest research vessel, the Lake Guardian, has begun its annual spring water quality survey across the Great Lakes. Part of the “Free-Flowing Success” of environmental efforts last year in the Saginaw Bay region included the Three Ponds Nature Preserve. For more, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/

The federal government is giving people more time to comment on a proposal to list the iconic monarch butterfly as threatened. You can learn how to contribute to community science by monitoring for endangered piping plovers and changes along the Lake Huron shoreline. The Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association notes that utilities in Michigan can't stand in the way of residents using a Ford electric vehicle to keep their lights on during power outages. For more, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are expected to change how scientists monitor and model the Great Lakes. You can help monitor water quality in Michigan through the Clean Water Corps. An online Michigan Boating Facility Finder includes an interactive map to find out about launch points, watercraft rules and closures. For more, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Saginaw Bay is among the best ice fishing destinations in the United States. The University of Michigan is using $5 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to help make wave and offshore wind energy more reliable, quieter and easier to test. The Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation in Birmingham is making a major commitment to the future of the Great Lakes and other key causes, pledging to spend its remaining $350 million over the next decade. Mr. Great Lakes: https://mrgreatlakes.com/ Support this podcast: https://www.deltabroadcasting.org/donate/

Recent state grants focus on coastal management. If you want to take an active role in protecting and preserving the Great Lakes, you might want to check out a webinar from the Alliance for the Great Lakes. Fish-eating birds nesting in polluted shoreline areas of Michigan suffer from lower reproductive success and higher rates of deformities. Mr. Great Lakes: https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Filter First laws have been in place for a year in Michigan. Michigan saw the most benefits in the nation from federal clean energy funding. Mr. Great Lakes https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Worried about how electric vehicles handle cold winters? The latest tech might ease your mind. Algal blooms are often associated with summer but they're a concern in the winter, too. And there's a Wildlife Weekend planned for early February at the Department of Natural Resources center in Roscommon. Mr. Great Lakes https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Analysts are talking about “lost winter” days around the world. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has an updated action plan for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Michigan saw some “clean water wins” in 2024. For more, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Rep. Dan Kildee says he's leading a bipartisan effort to stop Canada from storing nuclear waste near the Great Lakes. Geographic Information Systems empower environmental stewardship and decision-making. Consumers Energy has submitted an amended renewable energy plan to the Michigan Public Service Commission. For more, visit: https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Michigan's Upper Peninsula has become a hotspot for rare owl sightings this fall. Fishery businesses are taking a pledge to make sure no part of a fish goes to waste. And Michigan's recycling rate is at an all-time high for the third consecutive year. For more, visit: https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Central Michigan University researchers are working with communities to prepare for flooding driven by climate change. Michigan's environmental agency has a new air monitoring dashboard. Trump's agenda is expected to emphasize fossil fuel production, ease environmental regulations, and potentially halt climate-related initiatives. For more, visit: https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Great Lakes groups are already reaching out to President-elect Donald Trump. A Michigan Climate Investment Accelerator aims to attract billions of dollars to develop clean energy projects. This year, the state plans to monitor surface water quality in the Saginaw Bay area. For more, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Fall colors peak in the Saginaw Bay region next week. Learn how composting yard waste can fight climate change while enriching your garden. And find out what it means to be climate literate. For more, visit: https://mrgreatlakes.com/

In this episode, we celebrate 15 years of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and explore how utility-scale solar energy projects are boosting property values in the Midwest. Plus, we break down the U.S. EPA's new lead and copper rule improvements, which mandate the replacement of lead service lines within the next decade. For more information: https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Be on the lookout for Michigan Department of Natural Resources personnel conducting nighttime walleye surveys. Federal agencies are expanding the number of moored heat sensors in lakes Huron, Superior, and Michigan. For more visit: https://mrgreatlakes.com/

A crowdfunding campaign is on to gather the last bit of money for a waterfront park on Saginaw Bay in Linwood. A conceptual vision is out for the site of the old Consumers Energy Karn power plant. For more, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/

More baby sturgeon will soon be swimming in the Saginaw Bay watershed. Michigan's 19 million acres of forests are transitioning to fall colors. Great Lakes advocates will gather in Chicago next week (Sept. 26-27) for the annual conference by the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. For more, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/

If you visit a national park beach, there's a good chance that the sand beneath your toes contains tiny plastic particles. The State of the Bay Conference is coming back, followed by a One Water Gathering. For more, visit: https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge's Wildlife Drive has reopened, Michigan is in the top ten states with the most clean energy jobs, and wipes sold in Michigan can no longer be marketed as "flushable." For more, visit: https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Homeowners associations will be prohibited from banning certain energy improvements and solar energy systems under a state House bill approved by the Senate. The Tittabawassee River Trail provides unique views and opportunities for wildlife observation.

Be prepared for wildfire smoke this summer, an Aquatic Invasive Species Landing Blitz is on at boat launches in Michigan, and the Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab in Ann Arbor is posting weekly field sampling data for Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron.

Excessive heat can be a drag, including on air quality. A paper in the Journal of Great Lakes Research identifies Michigan's Top Ten most unwanted. For more, visit: https://mrgreatlakes.com/

A way to check beach monitoring information online, June 29 is Tawas Lake Day, and Michigan officials are seeking proposals for a green maritime strategy. For more, visit: https://mrgreatlakes.com/

A statewide walleye fishing challenge runs through June 30. The Environmental Law & Policy Center has a project that aims to reimagine retired coal plant sites as green spaces. For more, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/

A failing septic system can bring wastewater into your home and discharge untreated wastewater into the environment. Twenty eight school districts across Michigan will benefit from a federal Clean School Bus Program rebate competition. For more, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/

A public meeting is planned for May 22 for a three-year Tobico Marsh restoration project. The state has a Pure Michigan program to recognize land and water locations that represent some of the best trail experiences. And in Oscoda County, didymo cells have been found in the Au Sable River. For more, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Michigan Sea Grant has an update on walleye populations in Saginaw Bay. The Sierra Club of Michigan is pushing for environmental justice legislation. For more information: https://mrgreatlakes.com/

A majority of Americans support large scale solar farms, Michigan is receiving $156 million to lower solar costs, and lake sturgeon are no longer endangered. For more, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/

The state has a draft plan for recreational fishing in Saginaw Bay and is asking for the public's help in finalizing it. The vast majority of Great Lakes litter is plastic. For more: https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Where to see the partial eclipse in Michigan and an upcoming Earth Day Action Expo. For more, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Through April 24, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy is hosting listening sessions to prepare for federal home energy rebate funding. Michigan is receiving $2 million to help local governments and communities plan for large-scale renewable energy and energy storage projects. For more, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Environmental groups are pushing for efforts to protect the Great Lakes and drinking water from microplastics. A nonprofit is looking for Coast Watchers and Piping Plover Monitors. Great Lakes water levels are expected to be lower than last year for the upcoming boating and beach season. For more: https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Invasive carp would be turned into food for people and farmed animals under a new partnership between the World Wildlife Fund and Freshwater Select. Federal funding aims to improve water level forecasts for the Great Lakes, with the ability to predict levels up to a year in advance. For more, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Saginaw Valley State University is moving ahead with plans for a Lake Huron Environmental Research Station. A conservation group is looking for input on plans for a park in Rose City. Where is most new electricity coming from? Solar and battery storage. For more, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/

What's in store for Michigan under the clean energy package signed into law late last year? Almost $66 million in Clean Water grants will go to Michigan communities to upgrade water infrastructure. Have you heard about Great Lakes ReNEW? For more, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/

February 2 is World Wetlands Day, Midland County's newest nature preserve just got a boost. For more, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/

The U.S. Department of Defense will install two more groundwater treatment systems in Oscoda to address PFAS contamination. The federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently summarized data about low ice coverage on the Great Lakes. For more, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/

More solar is on the way; in Michigan, increases in solar power generation will be driven in part by new state laws as recommended in a MI Healthy Climate Plan; and a recently released Michigan State of the Great Lakes 2023 Report says the latest management plan for Lake Huron identifies more than 50 actions to help protect and restore the lake. For more information, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/

Saginaw Valley State University will construct an environmental research station near Lake Huron, more than $20 million will be granted for renewable energy and electrification projects in Michigan, and it's not too soon for college students to make summer plans. For more, visit https://mrgreatlakes.com/