Echo

Adopt-a-Beach collects 31,295 pounds of litter

By |

It’s like adopting a highway — Great Lakes style. Instead of cleaning up the turnpike, 10,000 residents in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin adopted beaches and collected 31,295 pounds of litter in 2010 as part of the Alliance for the Great Lakes’ Adopt-a-Beach program. Beach adopters collect litter on the shoreline, conduct  water quality tests and keep records that tell the alliance about beach health, possible pollution sources and other features. The alliance program was launched in 2003, though alliance volunteers have participated in the International Coastal Cleanup since 1991, said Jamie Cross, Adopt-a-Beach program manager. Results are entered into an online database.

Echo

Dangerous fragrances

By |

Nancy Michelli keeps a surgical mask in her car.
But she isn’t afraid of other people’s germs making her sick; it’s how they smell.
It isn’t body odor she is talking about. Instead, the California woman is protecting herself from the fragrances people carry in their clothing, skin and hair from hair products, laundry detergent and perfumes.

Echo

Quizzes

By |

With help from readers, the Great Lakes Echo staff has developed several fun, yet informative environmental Facebook quizzes. Click on the Show All tab in the lower right hand corner of the quiz to display all of the questions or click the next question link. Which Great Lake are you? If you’re quick to judge are you shallow like Lake Erie? Is someone given to stormy outbursts more like Lake Superior?

Echo

The secret to de-icing roads: Beets and brine

By |

 

 

Salt is the usual go-to agent for melting ice off of slippery roadways. But not at Michigan State University — They use veggies instead. For the first time last year, the school used GEOMELT a product made up of agricultural waste –  specifically sugar beet leftovers. It’s considered by the university to be more environmentally friendly, longer lasting and less corrosive to equipment. The beet stuff is used with brine — a salt water solution that’s sometimes used for pickling.

Echo

Animal rabies worries state officials

By |

Rabies remains a problem in Michigan, with 70 animals testing positive in 2010. Most cases of animal rabies are reported in the Lower Peninsula, especially in the southeast. There were 68 positive animal tests last year, 79 in 2007 and 47 in 2001.