Blog Posts

Blog posts by FLOW team and guest writers

FLOW to Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority: No Enbridge Oil Tunnel Without Authorization Under the Public Trust Doctrine

June 7, 2022

Editor’s Note: FLOW today resubmitted the following formal comments from February to the Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority in advance of the Authority’s 10 a.m. public meeting in St. Ignace regarding Enbridge’s oil tunnel proposed through public bottomlands in the Straits of Mackinac. See the Authority’s June 7, 2022, meeting agenda, and learn about the opportunity… Read more »

Celebrate Great Lakes and Freshwater Week

June 6, 2022

Michigan is a place of natural abundance, but one resource is paramount—water. Michigan Great Lakes and Freshwater Week (June 4-12) is an opportunity to learn more about our state’s water endowment, and how to protect it.

Faster Testing Results, Few Problem Beaches

May 31, 2022

As air and water warm for summer, so do thoughts of beach time. Is it safe to get in the water? A relatively new tool is adding to the confidence of local health officers that they are capturing in a timely way indicators of water quality problems at public beaches. Using the QPCR method, health departments can respond far more quickly in issuing advisories regarding potential threats at beaches in Michigan, often the same day samples are taken.

FLOW’s Jim Olson Honored with Large Lake Champion Award

May 26, 2022

Jim Olson, the founder and senior legal advisor of FLOW, has received one of the first Large Lake Champion Awards presented by the International Association for Great Lakes Research (IAGLR), the organization announced Monday. IAGLR is a scientific organization made up of researchers studying the Laurentian Great Lakes, other large lakes of the world, and their watersheds, as well as those with an interest in that research. The new award recognizes and honors individuals whose work has made significant contributions to sharing the social, economic, and ecological understanding of the large lakes of the world.

FLOW Welcomes Drew Broadway as Operations Manager

May 23, 2022

FLOW is excited to announce that Drew Broadway has joined our staff as Director of Operations.“We are thrilled to have Drew join the FLOW team,” said FLOW Executive Director Liz Kirkwood. “He brings a wealth of environmental and conservation nonprofit sector experience. Drew also brings heart and soul to our work, sharing a deep love for the rivers, lakes, and wetlands of Michigan and the Great Lakes. Please join us in welcoming Drew.” We asked Drew about his connection to the Great Lakes, his favorite place in Michigan, and his favorite Great Lakes fact.

Delivering Water In Flint: An Outsider Documents a Community in Crisis and Recovery

May 23, 2022

In his 2021 book Standpipe, Delivering Water In Flint, author David Hardin paints a portrait of a community reeling from the lead poisoning of its public water supply. Volunteering to deliver clean water to Flint households, Hardin finds both profound hardship and the will of the Flint community. The Library of Michigan named Standpipe one of 20 Michigan Notable Books for 2022. FLOW interviewed him about what the plight of Flint revealed to him.

Shrinking Our ‘Water Footprint’ to Protect the Great Lakes

May 18, 2022

Why should residents of the Great Lakes region and its abundant freshwater be concerned about their water footprint and take steps to conserve water? Living among water riches does not exempt us from responsible environmental stewardship.

Earth Day Reflection: Beach Cleanup at North Bar Lake Nets 89 Pounds of Single-Use Plastics and Other Trash

May 4, 2022

FLOW teamed up with Sleeping Bear Surf, Friends of Sleeping Bear, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Surfrider NoMi, and S’well for an April 22 Earth Day Beach Cleanup at North Bar Lake. The event drew a team of 68 passionate people of all ages from as far north as Petoskey and as far south as Ann Arbor, and included the Traverse City Central girls tennis team, which chose to participate as their team bonding activity. The trash collected, and retrieved from participants, weighed a whopping 89 pounds!

Know the Source of Your Water—During Drinking Water Week, and Every Week

May 1, 2022

During Drinking Water Week, recognized May 1-7 by the State of Michigan and nationally, filling knowledge gaps is a critical priority. Knowing the source of your drinking water is crucial, and so is knowing about threats to its safety and legal and environmental defenses to prevent its contamination.