89.1 WEMU: Issues of the Environment

The Michigan football season is underway, and excitement and expectations are on high for what the Wolverines can accomplish on the field of play. There are also big expectations for what happens in and around the rest of the "Big House". Work towards making Michigan gamedays a zero-waste event continue, and WEMU's David Fair discussed progress with U-M Senior Project Manager, Alison Richardson.

Canadian wildfires have played havoc with air quality in Washtenaw County and the state of Michigan for the past few summers. Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian is the chief medical executive for the state of Michigan. She joined WEMU's David Fair to look at the short and longer-term implications.

We’ve had plenty of hot days this summer, but what happens to the environment when concrete and asphalt surface temperatures heat well into the 100’s? Keenan Gibbons and his team at SmithGroup wanted to find out and used drones to study heat patterns along Huron Street in Ann Arbor. The research on heat islands has led to some determinations about how to mitigate impact and help move the city towards its carbon neutrality goals. Gibbons joined WEMU's David Fair to explain the research and its findings.

The federal administration has laid off hundreds of staff from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the impact is already being felt locally and in region. Moving forward, there is the potential NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab in Ann Arbor could be shut down. WEMU's David Fair spoke with Nicole Rice about where it stands now and where it may be headed. Rice is among those already fired from the lab in Ann Arbor.

Between 1995 and 2023, the City of Ann Arbor’s Natural Area Preservation (NAP) division coordinated a continuous butterfly monitoring program using trained community science volunteers. Ludovico Behrendt is an environmental data specialist with NAP and conducted a retrospective analysis of this nearly 30-year dataset. He joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss the findings on the health of butterflies in the area and what it says about the health of the local environment.

Just how pervasive are plastics in our lives? Try and live just a week without any. That’s the notion behind the Ypsi Plastic Free July Challenge. It is put forth by Zerowaste.org and runs through August 1st. WEMU's David Fair spoke with Zerowaste.org co-founder and deputy director, Lydia McMullen-Laird, about this year’s challenge and some tips on how best to reduce the use of plastics in our homes.

With an electric vehicle, a longer commute can be more affordable, but there can be challenges, too. Mackenzie Munro used to have a longer commute into Ann Arbor as an employee at the Ecology Center. Now, she makes a similar drive to Lansing for her work with EGLE. Is it worth it? Learn more about the real EV life in Mackenzie's conversation with WEMU's David Fair.

The City of Saline is considering whether to rehabilitate, replace, or remove the historic Saline River Dam. Dam removal offers long-term ecological benefits but raises concerns about aesthetics, recreation, and economic impact. A final decision on the matter is coming in October. In the meantime, the city has been taking public input and reaching out to neighboring communities for discussion. WEMU's David Fair talked with Saline Mayor Brian Marl about what has been learned so far and what comes next in the process.

A recent fire at Recycle Ann Arbor's Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) has raised concerns about what exactly is going into the bins we send to the MRF. Nationally, there are a growing number of fires at such facilities. WEMU's David Fair gets an update from Recycle Ann Arbor CEO Bryan Ukena.

The Michigan Attorney General has filed a civil lawsuit against a Wixom-based automotive supplier for allegedly continuing to release harmful chemicals into the Huron River after multiple violations. WEMU's David Fair checked in with Huron River Watershed Council Climate Resilience Strategist, Daniel Brown. They discuss the lawsuit and the ongoing impacts to the health of the Huron River.

Rental properties in Ann Arbor will soon have to meet new energy efficiency standards. Ann Arbor City Council approved the Green Rental Housing Ordinance on July 16th. Some landlords and housing advocates raised concerns that it will drive rental prices even higher. Missy Stults is director of the city’s Office of Sustainability and Innovations. She says that’s not the case and explains why in her conversation with WEMU's David Fair.

You may have noticed there have been some changes in the nature of our weather. Climate change is cited as the reason for some notable changes in precipitation patterns in our corner of the world. What does that tell us about the near- and longer-term future in Washtenaw County? WEMU's David Fair discussed this with Dr. Drew Gronewold, Associate Professor at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability.

If you live in Northeast Washtenaw County, you know about living with a with an unpleasant odor. Residents in Salem and Northville Townships have long complained about the smell emanating from the Arbor Hills Landfill. WEMU's David Fair checked in with the District Supervisor for Air Quality at the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) on the matter. Scott Miller discussed the ongoing efforts to address odors and air quality in the area.

It is growing season, and deciding on how to landscape and decorate your gardens is part of the fun of spring and summer. Sometimes, we end up picking things that can have adverse environmental and ecological impacts. WEMU's David Fair spoke with the president of the Ann Arbor Area chapter of The Wild Ones, Marta Manildi, about how to pick safely and beautifully.

There are a good number of private septic systems in Washtenaw County. Assessments show that nearly half of those systems have exceeded their expected lifespans and could fail in the near future. That would not only threaten the ecosystems of local waterways but also put public health in jeopardy. The Huron River Watershed Council is advocating that the private septic systems be replaced with centralized water treatment systems. WEMU's David Fair talked with the council’s Ric Lawson about what it would take to make that change.

Despite uncertainties at the state and federal level, the City of Ann Arbor continues the push toward a more sustainable energy future. Back in November, voters approved creation of a Sustainable Energy Utility. The municipally owned utility will supplement the existing services from DTE Energy and seeks to use 100% renewable power. There is a lot of work to be done, but the city is moving the project forward. Where does it stand now and what comes next? WEMU's David Fair found out in a conversation with Ann Arbor Sustainability and Innovations Director, Missy Stults.

Paper or plastic? We’ve all answered that question in the checkout line at the grocery store or supermarket. While reusable bags are growing in popularity, plastic bags remain ubiquitous in retail shopping. A movement to start banning plastic bags, or at least charge money for choosing them at the store, was thwarted in 2016 when the state Legislature banned local governments from passing such environmental measures. Now, Democratic State Representative Morgan Foreman of Ann Arbor is working to lift that ban. She joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss the legislation and what it aims to accomplish.

During the Biden administration, local food distributors were encouraged to apply for grants funding to help build infrastructure for local farms and food. Now, the USDA is making cuts that could undermine the local food system and its suppliers...like Argus Farm Stop in Ann Arbor. WEMU's David Fair talked with co-owner Bill Brinkerhoff about immediate and longer-term impacts.

In June of 2020, the City of Ann Arbor adopted its A2Zero Plan. Its goal was to move the city to full carbon neutrality by the year 2030. Under the best of circumstances, it presented a difficult task. With the new administration enacting funding cuts and some new local challenges, it may be nearly impossible to hit the target date. WEMU's David Fair talked with Ann Arbor Energy Commission member John Mirsky about what comes next.

We have all learned how dangerous and harmful mercury exposure can be. Mercury has long been targeted by the Ann Arbor-based Ecology Center. In fact, it is celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the National Vehicle Switch Recovery Program it helped launch in 2006. This program was designed to remove mercury switches from vehicles before they were recycled, significantly reducing environmental contamination. WEMU's David Fair talked to the Ecology Center’s Jeff Gearhart about the program’s success and where we go from here.