Great Lakes Echo (http://greatlakesecho.org/author/m-cimitile/)
Wetlands have been drained for farming and development and blamed for obstructing lake views.
Researchers are studying how they combat climate change, countering the impact of fossil fuel emissions by storing all that extra carbon.
Climate Denial Crock of the Week video debunking skeptics’ notion that natural temperature increases causes carbon dioxide to rise
By Matthew Cimitile, cimitile@msu.edu
Great Lakes Echo May 5, 2009
What can a prehistoric family, a scarecrow and Stephen Colbert tell us about climate change? For Peter Sinclair, clips from The Flintstones, The Wizard of Oz and The Colbert Report are one way to grab your attention while delivering the science behind climate change. Sinclair is one of thousands of volunteers personally trained by former Vice President Al Gore to educate the public about climate change. These presentations raise awareness about the climate crisis and potential solutions. The 55-year-old nurse and graphic designer from Midland, Mich.
By Tim Weatherhead
Capital News Service
May 4, 2009
Great Lakes gray wolves will come off the federal endangered species list today, which will allow Michigan livestock and pet owners to use lethal force against wolves that attack their animals. “These producers wanted to be empowered with the ability to take care of their own issues,” said Dean Beyer, research biologist for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in Marquette. “More important than just dealing with the wolf depredation, more important than having agency personnel come out to take care of the problem, they wanted it in their own hands.”
Rebecca Park, associate legislative counsel for the Michigan Farm Bureau, agreed that livestock owners want the power to defend their property. “A lot of producer members, where there’s wolf populations, have urged for some ability when there’s a depredation situation,” she said. “It’s no different than if someone attacked a pet dog.
By Matthew Cimitile, cimitile@msu.edu
Great Lakes Echo
April 30, 2009
More than $41 million in stimulus funding is going towards dredging channels and repairing outdated structures at 15 Great Lakes harbors in Michigan and Wisconsin, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District. In all, the eight Great Lakes states scored $94 million for such work. But shipping organizations are angry that only 2 percent of the funds distributed nationwide went to the Great Lakes states. “We do not think the Corps did a good job of divvying out these stimulus dollars,” Glen Nekvasil, a spokesman for the Lakes Carriers Association, said today. “The Great Lakes are a commercial shipping power, there are lots of people here, lots of jobs needed and a dredging backload.”
Shippers are also dismayed that nothing was earmarked for the new Soo Lock in Sault Ste., Marie, Mich.