Great Lakes Echo (https://greatlakesecho.org/author/great-lakes-echo/page/29/)
Water flooding has been around for decades, but now it is becoming more economically viable as energy prices rise.
A new report says energy extraction is pressuring the nation’s water supply.
But there is little information on how much water is being traded to produce oil.
By Ellen Mitchell
For Michigan State University junior Kaitlyn Strehl, nothing feels better than getting out of the house and feeding the ducks along the Red Cedar River in East Lansing, Mich. But the activity she shares with others in the Great Lakes region causes problems for wildlife. Ducks don’t naturally stay for a frigid Great Lakes winter, but these stubborn waterfowl will stay put year-round if they have a steady food supply. As many of their relatives fly south, some ducks brave the cold and stay in northern states due to the promise of food from residents. “It’s pretty much good practice not to feed wild animals,” said Ben Purdy, land management specialist for the Grand Traverse Conservation District, a natural resource management company in Traverse City, Mich. Purdy said ducks in the Great Lakes region naturally feed off the greenery on the bottom of rivers and ponds in the spring and summer.
Great Lakes Echo may be a young news service — it celebrated its second birthday this past March — but the twos aren’t always terrible. And second in the nation ain’t bad either. Echo reporters Alice Rossignol and Rachael Gleason were dubbed runner ups for their work on the Great Lakes SmackDown! this past fall. The series earned second place in the country for the Online Commentary and Opinion category of the Society of Professional Journalists National Mark of Excellence Awards.
By Nicole LaChance
Between gas and fast food, a relaxing retreat can be hard on the planet. You can help by bringing a refillable water bottle and buying snacks in bulk before leaving. Other tips for eco-vacations are at the Michigan Green Lodging page or The International Ecotourism Society. Some Great Lakes getaways try to ease the planet’s burden and provide fun for travelers. A few eco-friendly vacation ideas in the region:
Candlelite Inn Bed & Breakfast
Location: Ludington, Mich.
In many Great Lakes states, countless soda bottles are tossed aside, never to see a recycling bin. The same goes for used medicine containers, juice bottles and food containers that are otherwise doomed for a landfill.
When stormwater and municipal wastewater overwhelm treatment plants, cities get overwhelmed with overflows that can close Great Lakes beaches, threaten drinking water supplies and prove too expensive and time-consuming to fix.
Jan. 21, 2013
Urban flooding a regional dilemma
Getting a handle on the problem is difficult as property owners often don’t want to talk about sewage spilling into their homes.
April 5, 2011
Milwaukee pioneers innovative stormwater controls
Milwaukee built some of the region’s first sewers to carry untreated wastewater into rivers and the lake. But today the city is a national leader in reducing stormwater runoff.
Preserving historic barns does more than maintain the beauty of the state’s rural landscape – it has economic benefits as well, preservation experts say.
It often creates new businesses, agritourism destinations and jobs.
Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association maintains three lighthouses: Big Sable Point and the Ludington North Breakwater Light in Ludington, Mich.; and Little Sable Point, in Shelby, Mich.
To submit an image to Great Lakes Echo Photo Friday, send your photo, a caption and your name to greatlakesecho@gmail.com.