Here are a few of the top headlines this week for environmental news effecting Michigan.  We’ve looked high and low for the latest and greatest news stories concerning Michigan and the environment.

In 1797, Article III of the Jay Treaty granted tribal nations the right to free passage between Canada and America.  Next Friday, Helen Wolfe intends to accept that two-century old offer.

According to Wolfe­, the acting co-chair of the Michigan Chapter of the American Indian Movement, when you don’t use your rights, you lose your rights.

She, her husband Brian Halfday, and many others of American Indian heritage will participate in crossing the Detroit River by canoe to symbolize their right to free passage on Friday, August 27^th at 10AM. Read the rest of this entry »

Walmart said in a press release on July 26th that they will begin to “carry a variety of cleaning products from Seventh Generation’s portfolio, including the brand’s best-sellers, such as laundry detergent, dish soap, disinfecting wipes and all purpose sprays.”  1500 stores began selling Seventh Generation products last week with a wider array of products available at Walmart.com.

Seventh Generation produces non-toxic household disinfectants, laundry detergents, household paper and supplies, feminine care products, hand soaps, dishwashing cleaners and more.  On their corporate website, Seventh Generation details their mission, corporate responsibility strategy, public outreach and offers an easy to use product guide with ingredient listings and explanations.

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Talk about geo and solarthermal is heating up around the state.

This morning more than 100 businesses, county and city leaders from across Michigan convened at the Crofoot Ballroom in Pontiac for an informational presentation about geo-utility systems.  Read the rest of this entry »

Detroit City Councilwoman JoAnn Watson happens to think that by going green, we’re sitting on gold.

“We’re sitting on a gold mine, it’s called the Great Lakes. Jobs can be created with the Great Lakes, right?” she said during a press conference held by the Sierra Club this morning at the William G. Millken State Park in Detroit.

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“You shouldn’t have to go far to enjoy the environment,” said James D’Amour of Ann Arbor at last week’s Conservation Team Meeting. The Conservation Team is a subset of the Huron Valley Group of the Michigan Chapter of the Sierra Club.

D’Amour, the political chairman of Huron Valley Group, said he likes living in an area where urban meets nature, and where you don’t have to drive hours away to experience both.

He and other members sat down with Washtenaw County Commissioner Conan Smith to discuss support for the Natural Areas Preservation Program. The proposal is facing renewal in November.

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The Great Lakes Wind Council, also known as GLOW, held a meeting at the University of Michigan-Dearborn last week to explain its history, practices, policies and efforts toward constructing offshore wind turbine systems in the Great Lakes.

GLOW invited the public to attend, hoping to bring transparency to their policies and hear a sampling of the public opinion.

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Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day.  But, teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime!

This old adage is one of our very favorites here at MIEarth.org.  Teaching Michigan youth repsonsible fishing habits is a great way to get the  family together and enjoy Michigan’s unmatched beauty.

That’s why the Department of Natural Resources is offering youth fishing licenses for only $2.00 each.  The cost is low, but the return for the state of Michigan is high.  For each license issued, the DNR receives over twice as much to reinvest in Michigan’s resources.

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If you’re a long time Michigan resident, you may be unsurprised at the dramatic changes in weather over the past few weeks. Large storms and stifling heat waves seem to rotate by the hour. If you’re new to the area-welcome to Michigan’s unpredictability!

Dramatic shifts in temperature can be stressful on your mind, body, spirit and of course, hair! But did you know that extreme weather patterns can cause stress to our forests as well?

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