This was a favorite local legend as a kid.

Climate experts say spring is coming earlier. How will that affect agriculture and ecosystems? - Great Lakes Now An earlier spring affects when migratory birds arrive, leaves emerge and fruit ripens — among plants and animals that determine ecosystem health.

An earlier spring affects when migratory birds arrive, leaves emerge and fruit ripens — among plants and animals that determine ecosystem health.

Story by @grist.org: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/04/16/c...

MSU study: PFAS can affect immune response - Great Lakes Now Compounds from the family of chemicals known as PFAS can suppress the body’s ability to mount a defense against new pathogens — and the effects can last well into adulthood.

Compounds from the family of chemicals known as PFAS can suppress the body’s ability to mount a defense against new pathogens — and the effects can last well into adulthood.

Story by @michiganpublic.bsky.social: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/04/13/m...

"I entered this project in good faith, working with the mining company to help determine whether or not deep-sea mining at Solwara I could be conducted with minimal harm to the marine environment. I exited convinced that there is no viable path forward for hydrothermal vent mining, anywhere...."

Are the Great Lakes America's climate refuge? | Freshwater People YouTube video by Great Lakes Now

Are the Great Lakes truly a climate haven? Is climate migration to the region actually happening?

We spoke with Great Lakes Now contributor @stephenstarr.bsky.social about his investigation into climate migration to the Great Lakes: youtu.be/RnYEUrz0LOs

In a First for the U.S., Renewables Generate More Power Than Natural Gas In March, for the first time, renewables supplied more power to the U.S. than natural gas, a milestone in the transition to clean power. However, rising power demand is complicating the shift away from fossil fuels by extending the lives of many aging coal power plants.

In a first last month, renewables supplied more power to the U.S. than natural gas, a milestone in the shift to clean energy.

Tlaib, Dingell reintroduce bill to create federal water affordability program • Michigan Advance U.S. Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) and Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor) have renewed efforts to establish a federal program to help low income Americans access drinking water, reintroducing the Water Ac...

U.S. Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) and Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor) have renewed efforts to establish a federal program to help low income Americans access drinking water, reintroducing the Water Access and Affordability Act on Monday.

Story by @kdavidsonjrn.bsky.social

Opinion | The Affordable Car Is Dead. What Happened? (Gift Article) This is how cars got so ridiculously, forbiddingly expensive.

"While politicians and economists scratch their heads at voters upset about affordability in a decent economy, they seem to somehow miss the fact that for most Americans the purchase of a car has become a debt sentence.”

U.S. EPA announces action on microplastics, but Michigan critics say it's not enough - Great Lakes Now The federal government announced a new $144 million program to study microplastics and the risks they pose to human health. But some environmental groups say the action isn't aggressive enough.

The federal government announced a new $144 million program to study microplastics and the risks they pose to human health. But some environmental groups say the action isn’t aggressive enough.

Story by @michiganpublic.bsky.social: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/04/07/u...

The Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi is working with conservation partners to restore wild rice in Detroit River wetlands, bringing back a sacred grain that disappeared over a century ago.

planetdetroit.org/2026/04/wild-rice-detroi...

Introducing the @heatmap.news and @mit.edu Electricity Hub, our new zip code-level look at what exactly you’re paying for on your electricity bill and how it stacks up against … anyone or everyone else: electricity.heatmap.news

Scajaquada Creek, a Cautionary Tale - Great Lakes Now After 150 years of pollution, including persistent combined sewer overflows, a small but mighty watershed persists on its way to the Great Lakes.

"A shopping mall was built in 1989 which destroyed 65%of the watershed’s wetlands. In addition, raw sewage dumped into the creek from municipalities meant the waterway was loaded with human waste and bacteria."

www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/03/18/s...

Iowa’s Cancer Crisis Linked to Pesticides, PFAS, Fertilizer and Radon, Report Says - Inside Climate News The state is one of a handful where cancer diagnoses are on the rise.

Pollution is making Iowans sick, a new report from the Harkin Institute and the Iowa Environmental Council finds.

The Great Lakes Are Wasting a Massive Source of Clean Energy - Great Lakes Now Huge potential gains from using waste heat from sewers, data centers, and power plants.

For data centers, nearly all the electricity that enters a facility turns into heat. A movement is underway to mine power plants, data centers and sewers for heat and use it to develop cleaner energy that helps reduce carbon emissions from heating and cooling.

www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/03/24/t...

US has caused $10tn worth of climate damage since 1990, research finds US, top carbon emitter in history, has ‘a lot of responsibility’ for causing ‘substantial’ harm globally, scientist says

US has caused $10tn worth of climate damage since 1990, research finds #Climate

Chemical pollutants are rife across the world’s oceans Compounds that are used to make plastics and personal-care products were found in all types of marine environment, a meta-analysis shows.

Chemical pollutants are rife across the world’s oceans idp.nature.com/authorize?re... 🧪🦑🌍

What does it mean to love a forest? YouTube video by Great Lakes Now

Forester and author @howtoloveaforest.bsky.social explains why loving a forest means more than planting trees or criticizing the lumber industry.

@lisajohn.bsky.social spoke with Tapper about how forests can thrive when we rethink old ideas about forest management: youtu.be/wiytUmC71yE

Electric grid faces political roadblocks as it struggles with data center demand The war in Iran has cast a spotlight again on the dependence on fossil fuels. The electric grid is under growing demand, but the Trump administration has worked to roll back subsidies and incentives f...

The electric grid is under growing demand, but the Trump administration has worked to roll back subsidies and incentives for some renewable energies. A new industry report finds that solar panel installations dropped by 14% this past year.

Story by @pbsnews.org:
www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...

Enbridge paid police to protect one pipeline. Now it wants to do it again in Wisconsin. - Great Lakes Now The Bad River Band is fighting to stop Line 5 and protect its watershed. Meanwhile, local sheriffs are already tallying the cost of riot gear.

The Bad River Band is fighting to stop Line 5 and protect its watershed. Meanwhile, local sheriffs are already tallying the cost of riot gear.

Story by @grist.org: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/03/09/e...

Since bike lanes were installed in the "motor city," it's so interesting to see how many more people are biking every day.
There's also the crushing car insurance rates (as of 2024, we're paying about $5,300 a year) + lack of reliable public transit. People don't just want options, they need them.

Climate change is worsening water crisis for Canada's largest First Nations population - Great Lakes Now As the Six Nations of the Grand River face water scarcity due to corporate extraction and limited land ownership, a new study shows how climate change will compound the issue.

According to a recent study, Ontario’s McKenzie Creek watershed is likely to face increasing levels of water scarcity throughout the rest of the century.

www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/03/04/c...

US plans to clear-cut in Michigan forest. Some fear for endangered species - Bridge Michigan The US Forest Service is proposing a project in the Ottawa National Forest in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula that would involve logging, gravel mining expansion and forest restoration efforts.

A massive logging project in the Ottawa National Forest could impact endangered species and remove mature forests that help stabilize our climate. We are urging a closer environmental review before this moves forward.

https://act.elpc.org/4snEWUT

Supreme Court’s Michigan pipeline case is about Native rights and fossil fuels, not just technical legal procedure - Great Lakes Now The issue in front of the US Supreme Court is seemingly mundane, about federal or state jurisdiction. But it is actually much bigger, encompassing some key questions of the 21st century.

The issue in front of the US Supreme Court is seemingly mundane, about federal or state jurisdiction. But it is actually much bigger, encompassing some key questions of the 21st century.

Story by @theconversation.com: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/03/02/s...

Wisconsin finally unlocks $125 million funding for PFAS cleanup - Great Lakes Now More PFAS news with a study on Minnesota combustion facilities, and proposed rate hikes for water utilities in Illinois.

The Wisconsin Assembly unanimously passed two bills to help residents with PFAS mitigation after 30 months of debate.

Catch the latest PFAS news in the Great Lakes region: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/02/25/w...

Wisconsin finally unlocks $125 million funding for PFAS cleanup - Great Lakes Now More PFAS news with a study on Minnesota combustion facilities, and proposed rate hikes for water utilities in Illinois.

After more than 2 years of debate, Wisconsin will unfreeze $125 million originally set aside for PFAS testing and remediation in the state.

For more news check out the latest PFAS Roundup involving combustion, water rate hikes, and PFAS declining in GL fish.

www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/02/25/w...

‘They pushed so many lies about recycling’: the fight to stop big oil pumping billions more into plastics Plastic production has doubled over the last 20 years – and will likely double again. For author Beth Gardiner, metal water bottles and canvas tote bags are not the solution. So what is?

“[People in the plastics industry] are very happy for us to look at ourselves and at each other, and not look at them,” says @bethgardiner.bsky.social, author of "Plastic Inc: Big Oil, Big Money and the Plan to Trash our Future."

Bringing back some of the #GLANSIS team's greatest for #NationalInvasiveSpeciesAwarenessWeek: here's some great coverage of last year's landmark paper on the top 10 most impactful #GreatLakes #AIS!
#NISAW

Restoring Grayling and Salting Roads | Great Lakes Now | Full Episode YouTube video by Great Lakes Now

Our latest episode of Great Lakes Now is about:
-Restoring arctic grayling
-Understanding the environmental impact of road salt

+ my interview with Ethan Tapper on how foresters, environmentalists, & the lumber industry are not diametrically opposed.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge2Q...

A frozen Lake Erie, in photos | The Narwhal Lake Erie froze over almost completely in February. Here’s what that looks like

When Lake Erie froze over almost completely this month, photographer Carlos Osorio set out to capture its solid state —and the people who came to visit it — just before the surface fractured. thenarwhal.ca/frozen-lake-...