Echo

Play games and learn about Great Lakes shipping

By Carol Thompson | January 26, 2012

Have you ever wondered what products are made from the raw materials shipped across the Great Lakes? Or how grain moves from South Dakota to your kitchen? Well wonder no more. The Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute and Michigan Technological University have games to teach you. With Commodities to Products, match finished products like perfume, pet foods and rubber bands to the raw materials they’re made of: iron ore, coal, grain or bentonite clay.

Echo

Great Lakes scientists educate communities; put research to work

By Brian Bienkowski | January 26, 2012

Scientific research is often poorly understood by citizens and policymakers alike. Two federally funded Great Lakes reserves are bucking that trend by connecting research to the community and its leaders.

Echo

Everything a birder wants to know about Lake Erie’s shoreline

By Brian Bienkowski | January 25, 2012

Hold onto your safari hats and binoculars, Great Lakes birders. Lake Erie Ohio Birding is a new website detailing about 84 birding sites along the Lake Erie shoreline. It has driving directions, species information and local attractions. It also has more than 1,600 photos of Lake Erie birds to get you amped up before you go get your bird on. The website covers approximately 312 miles of Lake Erie shoreline, one of the region’s best birding coasts.

Echo

Michigan tax ruling could power wind energy projects

By Capital News Service | January 25, 2012

A recent personal property tax ruling that will cost Michigan counties millions of dollars in revenue could prove vital for utility companies and energy manufacturers around the state.

Echo

Algae growing under Lake Erie ice spur dead zones

By Alethia Kasben | January 24, 2012

Ice, cold and the seemingly dormant nature of winter have historically prevented a lot of research on the Great Lakes this time of year. But scientists have discovered a lot of algae hiding out under Lake Erie ice.

Echo

If you’re an in-shape, wanna-be scientist, Isle Royale wants you

By Brian Bienkowski | January 24, 2012

Much like the skinny kid who memorizes sports stats because he doesn’t get picked for the team, I write about science because I love it but can’t do it. Along with science, you can also add the Great Lakes and wildlife to my “things I geek-out about” list, which is why the Moosewatch Expeditions project on Isle Royale really speaks to my inner nerd. Moosewatch expeditions are week-long, guided hikes through Isle Royale where regular old lay people are part of an ongoing wolf-moose research project. The purpose is to find moose bones and record data. Most of the bones come from wolf kills or starved animals.

Echo

City lakes attract more airborne mercury than those further away

By Brian Bienkowski | January 23, 2012

Little is know about where mercury ends up after it is put into the air.

But new research shows that it is more likely to end up in lakes near cities than those farther away.

Echo

Photo Friday: The sunrise-siders chime in

By Great Lakes Echo | January 20, 2012

Echo

Love of outdoors prompts Wisconsin artist to paint every state park

By | January 19, 2012

Julie Jilek loves Wisconsin. She loves it so much in fact, that she’s going to every state park to paint a scene. We caught up with Julie to talk about her art and what prompted the project.

Echo

One man’s effort to teach alternative energy harnesses farts on Twitter

By Carol Thompson | January 19, 2012

In the Twitter-verse, a lot of thought goes into choosing a name. A catchy handle attracts followers – something the man behind @HarnessFarts knows all too well. @HarnessFarts tweets often about alternative fuels and helps followers cut their water and energy use. We caught up with Greg, the man behind the tweets, in an email and got answers to our burning fart and Twitter questions. Why farts?