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Shifting winds for Great Lakes energy; Minnesota leads way
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The first U.S. offshore wind project was approved last week off of the Massachusetts coast.
Could it encourage offshore wind production in the Great Lakes?
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VIDEO: Vampire fish torment Great Lakes creatures
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See video of the sea lamprey, an eel-like Great Lakes invader that sucks out bodily fluids of fish and have caused the extinction of three types of whitefish.
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New study raises questions for wind energy debate
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A study in Colorado and Texas may influence the Great Lakes wind energy debate.
It says that coal plants ramping up to accommodate the intermittent nature of wind could be more polluting than if they ran at a set rate.
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Grants spotlight lighthouse projects
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Supporters of 10 Michigan lighthouses requested renovation grants from the Michigan Historic Preservation Office this year.
Funding for the Michigan Lighthouse Assistance program comes from the sale of specialty license plates. Michigan has 128 lighthouses, the most of any state.
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Obsolete? Phone books pose recycling challenge
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Even if they’re used as nothing more than glorified coasters, phone books continue to pile up at doorsteps and recycing centers. Manufacturers insist they are valuable advertising vehicles needed to bridge the digital divide.
Land
Michigan renews brownfield redevelopment efforts
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A legacy of Michigan’s manufacturing might is seen in abandoned, contaminated and deteriorating buildings.
State officials are gearing up efforts to turn such sites into restaurants, condominiums, golf courses, new manufacturers.
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How to opt out of getting the phone book
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If you’re sick and tired of coming home to a fresh phone book lying on your doorstep, you can avoid driving it to the recycling center or just chucking it in the trash bin.
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State land bank supports urban garden plots
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Abandoned urban land no longer generating tax revenue could produce food. The State Land Bank is brokering leases for urban gardens on vacant lots.
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Friday Five: The grandma who stood up
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You know the big names credited with major policy decisions that affect the basin.
But who are the people behind the scenes who shape Great Lakes policy?
Our series ends this week with Sandy Bihn, western Lake Erie’s well-armed activist.
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What Chicagoans can do to conserve water
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What can you do? Advocates recommend Chicagoans take these actions to help ensure the future of regional water:
Disconnect downspouts and install a rain barrel to use to capture water for watering your lawn or washing your car. Buy a $40 rain barrel at mwrd.org or to the Department of Environment Web site at cityofchicago.org for more information. Go to Metersave.org and to set up a time for them to install a water meter in your home. Don’t use automatic sprinklers.