Water

Giant aquarium coming to metro Detroit mall

By |

By Greg Monahan
Great Lakes Echo

Starfish, seahorses and sharks are coming to a southeast Michigan shopping center. Crain’s Detroit reports Great Lakes Crossing Outlets in Auburn Hills announced plans for the construction of a 35,000-square-foot aquarium that could be completed by this time next year. Sea Life Michigan will feature an array of tropical marine life, including sharks, rays and shrimp. It will also have a section to showcase aquatic animals from around the Great Lakes basin. The plans are a result of an agreement between Taubman Centers Inc., which owns Great Lakes Crossing, and UK-based Merlin Entertainment, which has helped construct six other Sea Life Centers in the United States, including the aquariums at the Mall of America in Minnesota and Legoland in California.

Water

Photo Friday: Ice and snow cover Green Bay

By |

By Evan KreagerGreat Lakes Echo 
This photograph taken recently from the International Space Station shows the city of Green Bay, Wis. Just north of the city is the ice-covered Green Bay off the west coast of Lake Michigan. The landscape is covered in snow. Because the sun poorly illuminates the area, the entire scene is set in gray. Fields can be seen purely covered in white snow, and forests look dark.

Nearshore

Photo Friday: Crystal clear Lake Superior

By |

Tired of all those ice-choke pictures of Lake Superior. Here’s a view from warmer times. This picture of Lake Superior was taken by Tim Trombley in the summer of 2013. The remarkably clear water might be nearly invisible if it weren’t for the ripples of the waves. We’re always open to viewer submissions for our Photo Friday series, so feel free to message us on Facebook or Twitter, or send an email to greatlakesecho@gmail.com.

Recreation

New book highlights eco-friendly Michigan travel destinations

By |

By Greg Monahan
Great Lakes Echo
A new book from longtime journalist Sally Barber takes an environmentally conscious look at exploring outdoor attractions around the Great Lakes state. A new book from longtime journalist Sally Barber takes an environmentally conscious look at exploring outdoor attractions around the Great Lakes state. The Michigan Eco-Traveler is for a “new and growing breed of travelers” who travel with the intention of minimizing the ecological footprint they leave behind. The book has nine chapters, with sections that include features on sustainable kayaking, ski slopes and the most eco-friendly lodging options in the state. “I wanted to show travelers that they can make a positive impact while they’re enjoying the outdoors,” said Barber, a lifelong Michigan resident.

Land

Connecting environmental justice and biodiversity

By |

When the U.S. Supreme Court held last year that farmers can be liable for damages if they use patented seeds for more than one planting, the decision highlighted a debate over growers’ rights, intellectual property and agricultural sustainability.

Wildlife

Maps show spread of aquatic invasive species over time

By |

The Nature Conservancy has animated how six invasive species have spread across the Great Lakes over time. The group has created six maps that show population increase and spread since the appearance of each species in the Great Lakes basin and beyond. Sea lamprey, the first of the six invasive species to appear in the area, initially showed up in Lake Erie in 1921. The map shows the population of the fish expanding into the rest of the Great Lakes up until present day. Also included in the maps are Asian carp, zebra and quagga mussels, round goby, Eurasian Ruffe and black carp.

Energy

Ontario shuns coal; will other provinces follow?

By |

At the beginning of this year, Ontario – Canada’s most populous province – became the first jurisdiction in North America to ban coal-fired energy production, shutting down all such plants in the province.