By Eric Freedman
Flashing light on warning signs near curves can slow drivers and reduce the odds of a crash during winter weather conditions, says a new study by Michigan State University engineers.
Solutions
Nonprofits and robots help reduce food waste
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By Rachel Lewis
With the goal of cutting food waste by 50% from 2005 levels by 2030, The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) has been helping to fund NextCycle Michigan. This program gives grants and advice to small companies in the state looking to reduce food waste. One of these start-ups is Penny Pickup. With robot food delivery vehicles becoming more popular, the company Orange Sparkle Ball decided to launch Penny Pickup as a pickup service, instead of delivery. Its focus is to remove trash and unwanted items, primarily food waste.
Solutions
EPA grant will fund barrier to stop spread of sea lamprey in Grand River
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By Rachel Lewis
The Great Lakes Fishery Commission will receive a $2.1 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to address the invasive sea lamprey in the Grand River in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Solutions
Empowering environmental stewardship: Barn sanctuary champions compassion and Conservation
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By Donté Smith
The Great Lakes, a vital freshwater expanse for millions, face an ongoing environmental crisis. Beneath the vast waters lies a significant threat: pollution stemming largely from agricultural runoff. This flow of excess nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen contributes to harmful algal blooms and expanding “dead zones,” jeopardizing ecosystems, water quality and public health across the region. Amidst these challenges, Barn Sanctuary in Chelsea, Michigan, works to make a positive impact on the region. Tom McKernan, sanctuary co-founder and operations director, wants the farm to stand as a living model where animal welfare and ecological stewardship aren’t just compatible, but linked.
Solutions
How Michigan is trying to stop the box tree moth
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By Rachel Lewis
Boxwood shrubs are popular in Michigan because they add greenery in winter months and deer don’t eat them. They had no predators until 2021, when the box tree moth was discovered in New York. Quarantine areas have grown from 11 to 13 counties in Michigan over the last two years.
Solutions
Aquaculture can help local communities, economies and food security, study shows
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By Isabella Figueroa
There are many reasons for aquaculture, like food, stocking, ornamental and bait. Historically, commercial fishing provided local, sustainable seafood. Due to environmental regulations, species decline and economic shifts, however, this industry has shrunk in the Great Lakes Region, according to a recent study.
Solutions
Michigan’s bottle return rates keep falling. Is it time for change?
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By Emilio Perez Ibarguen
Michigan beer and pop buyers increasingly aren’t bothering to return their bottles and cans to get their deposit back, and in the process left more than $116 million on the table last year. Some beverage industry representatives are pointing to the decrease as a sign that the law has become irrelevant. Meanwhile, retailers and environmentalists alike are looking at what could be done to make returning empties more convenient — although they butt heads on how exactly to do so.
Solutions
Gun safety bill would add firearm education for middle and high school students
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By Katie Finkbeiner
A group of Democratic and Republican senators want to bring gun safety instruction into middle and high schools with DNR-certified instructors. The lead sponsor, from North Muskegon, said the program would improve gun safety among youth and perhaps increase the ranks of young hunters. Cosponsors include senators from Detroit, Harbor Springs, Manton and Mount Pleasant and Six Lakes. A U-M expert discusses.
Climate
Michigan updates data sharing tool on environmental justice
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By Elinor Epperson
Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy has updated an online tool that maps which communities may be most susceptible to adverse effects from pollution. The department first released MiEJScreen as a draft in 2022, but released an updated version in early August after seeking public comment. It says it hopes the tool will make it easier for advocates, residents and government officials to understand how environmental contamination affects different populations in their community. The tool combines data about health, socioeconomic and environmental factors to determine which communities are at higher risk of adverse effects from pollution. The data reflect what residents have known for a while, Regina Strong said.
Solutions
Limited access to health care contributes to higher rural death rates
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Rural Michigan residents who suffer from a chronic illness that requires specialized treatment may have to drive hours to receive care.
That barrier to access to health care is one reason rural county death rates tend to be higher than their urban counterparts, according to Robert Howe, the medical director of the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department.
Solutions
Nature has clues to solve environmental problems
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Human engineering solves age-old problems each day.
But the natural environment has been engineering solutions to solve problems for thousands of years. People are catching on.