Photo Friday: Ice and snow cover Green Bay

By Evan KreagerGreat Lakes Echo 
This photograph taken recently from the International Space Station shows the city of Green Bay, Wis. Just north of the city is the ice-covered Green Bay off the west coast of Lake Michigan. The landscape is covered in snow. Because the sun poorly illuminates the area, the entire scene is set in gray. Fields can be seen purely covered in white snow, and forests look dark.

Photo Friday: Crystal clear Lake Superior

Tired of all those ice-choke pictures of Lake Superior. Here’s a view from warmer times. This picture of Lake Superior was taken by Tim Trombley in the summer of 2013. The remarkably clear water might be nearly invisible if it weren’t for the ripples of the waves. We’re always open to viewer submissions for our Photo Friday series, so feel free to message us on Facebook or Twitter, or send an email to greatlakesecho@gmail.com.

New book highlights eco-friendly Michigan travel destinations

By Greg Monahan
Great Lakes Echo
A new book from longtime journalist Sally Barber takes an environmentally conscious look at exploring outdoor attractions around the Great Lakes state. A new book from longtime journalist Sally Barber takes an environmentally conscious look at exploring outdoor attractions around the Great Lakes state. The Michigan Eco-Traveler is for a “new and growing breed of travelers” who travel with the intention of minimizing the ecological footprint they leave behind. The book has nine chapters, with sections that include features on sustainable kayaking, ski slopes and the most eco-friendly lodging options in the state. “I wanted to show travelers that they can make a positive impact while they’re enjoying the outdoors,” said Barber, a lifelong Michigan resident.

Connecting environmental justice and biodiversity

When the U.S. Supreme Court held last year that farmers can be liable for damages if they use patented seeds for more than one planting, the decision highlighted a debate over growers’ rights, intellectual property and agricultural sustainability.

Kittens, Great Lakes ice and paying for journalism

Commentary
The local historical society recently hosted a panel discussion of the history of the Lansing (Michigan) State Journal. That’s my local newspaper and I was particularly interested in the event as I had once worked there as an editor. What really caught my interest in a video of the discussion was a longtime State Journal staffer’s explanation of the publication’s increasing use of metrics to measure how news is consumed. She described how a video screen in the newsroom reports and ranks in real time the top 10 stories that people are reading online. Every week reporters get a report of how many people read their stories each day.