Great Lakes Echo (https://greatlakesecho.org/category/test/page/75/)
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Waukesha’s water diversion continues to get lots of attention.
But do we care about diversions and Great Lakes water consumption as much as we profess?
Chicago takes two billion gallons of Lake Michigan each day.
This photo was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer on NASA’s Aqua satellite from the International Space Station. It highlights a late-summer “whiting event” visible across Lake Ontario. Whiting events are caused by changes in the water’s temperature, which leads to increased photosynthesis by phytoplankton and other microscopic marine life. That photosynthesis reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the water, which changes the water’s acidity. Change in acidity and temperature then allows fine particles of calcium carbonate to form in the water column, and it’s these particles that cause the characteristic lightening, or “whiting,” of the water’s color.
ParkScore measures how well the 50 largest U.S. cities meet their residents’ need for parks. The rating system evaluated the parks of several cities from Great Lakes states on size, ease of access and city investment. The ratings are designed to help local communities identify where parks are needed and improve services for existing parks. On the Parkscore website, cities are rated on a scale of zero to five park benches. For example, one bench means the city’s park system needs major improvement, while five benches indicate an excellent park system.
The number of licensed drivers in Michigan and how much they travel are trending downward.
Working from home, social media, the economy and urban lifestyle are among the reasons, according to a new report.
Still, the state lags in mass transportation options.
Nationwide, there are 1,320 final sites on the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Priority List. of waste sites that have released or can release hazardous contaminants. They are either awaiting or currently undergoing cleanup. Sites can be deleted from the list when “no further response is required to protect human health or the environment,” according to the EPA. Each site is scored through the Hazard Ranking System on a scale from 0-100.
Detroit’s Rouge River is one of the Great Lakes’ most polluted waterways. Generations of air and water pollution from heavy industry near the mouth of the river contaminated its sediments and made the fish unsafe to eat.
This summer a coalition of Detroit based organization released the Detroit Environmental Agenda. The two-year project addresses improving quality of life through improving the environment. Guy Williams, President of Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice joins Current State to discuss the report his organization helped compile. Tackling environmental issues crucial for Detroit’s success by Great Lakes Echo
The Great Storm of 1913, os one of the defining moments in Michigan’s weather history.
People can examine that storm in the Michigan Historical Museum’s exhibit, “Lake Effects,” on Oct. 5.
This week Jeff Kart discusses a teacher workshop about Great Lakes literacy and plastic particles in the Great Lakes.
Michigan State University Media Sandbox Instructor Troy Hale, with the help of his students, launched a weather balloon containing five HD cameras and a GPS unit into “space” this summer. The balloon launch recorded video at approximately 100,000 ft., or the “edge of space.” It was the second launch. An earlier attempt ended in Lake Erie and the equipment could not be recovered. Hale said he is planning more experiments, including a launch from Spartan stadium.