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More than a dozen allied environmental groups launched a new website and TV commercial outlining the environmental and economic threats posed by two aging oil pipelines crossing through the Great Lakes at the Mackinac Straits. The website, OilandWaterDontMix.org, features the new commercial and details the danger posed by the daily flow of nearly 23 million gallons of oil through pipelines lying on the bottom of the Straits just west of the Mackinac Bridge....
While some may not believe that solar could be successful in northern Michigan, there are already local moves toward solar that say otherwise. One example is the Bay Area Transportation Authority using solar panels on their 14 new bus shelters....
MLUI's latest report describes how rail travel could boost tourism and development in the area; the upgrades needed to run passenger trains along the tracks; and how comparable towns around the country restored old train lines....
When Ric Evans won a Board of Directors seat at Great Lakes Energy three years ago, it marked the first time a pro-renewables candidate joined the co-op’s board. Now he's seeking re-election. We asked him about his initial stint as a GLE board member, the lessons he’s learned, and what he would focus on in another term. ...
It’s a fresh Northern Michigan Wednesday morning. From many feet away, you can hear the noise of the Sara Hardy Farmers Market. You can hear the chattering floating through the air along with laughter of children and other bustling noises that add to the energy that surrounds the market....
The Michigan Land Use Institute is pleased to sign on to this letter to remind the governor and attorney general of the important legal authority they hold on behalf of Michigan's citizens to protect our public trust in the Great Lakes. The State of Michigan retains full legal authority over all activities that occur in the waters and bottomlands of the Great Lakes—and requires complete transparency, disclosure, and accountability from Enbridge regarding the pipelines in the Straits of Mackinac. ...
The Michigan Land Use Institute will release the report, “Getting Back on Track: Uncovering the Potential for Trains in Traverse City,” on July 19 at the historic train depot in Traverse City. The report will describe what it would take to have some type of train running on the 11-mile stretch of tracks between Traverse City and the Acme/Williamsburg area....
Tom’s is the proving ground for a new marketing strategy featuring brightly colored “shelf talker” labels, designed to help shoppers identify the local food throughout the stores. The shelf talkers also show how far each product was grown or made from that particular store, helping consumers determine for themselves what “local” means to them. ...
On June 24, Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council hosted the Northern Michigan Pipeline Symposium in Petoskey, bringing together state and national groups involved—or concerned—about the aging oil pipelines running through the Mackinac Straits. The event provided a forum for regulators and Enbridge, the company that owns the pipeline, to reassure the public about the threat of a spill. Unfortunately, most people left just as concerned about the risk as when they arrived. ...
Seeing how many people came out to the Smart Commute Week events made me wonder how this event came about and its place in the Traverse City community. I had the opportunity to sit down with Arianne Whittaker from TART Trails, which organizers the week, and ask her some questions....
Charlie Weaver, who was once a special education teacher and now guides anglers down the Manistee and Au Sable rivers in northwest Lower Michigan, is pursuing a new career. This resident of the Manistee River Valley in Kalkaska County’s Bear Lake Township is campaigning for a seat on the Great Lakes Energy Board of Directors....
They’ve arrived! You have 2-3 weeks to go to the farmer’s market and pick up your own quart of these sweet, beautiful berries. I bought mine from Bardenhagen Berries and I can guarantee they are absolutely delicious. (Editor’s note: She’s not lying. Holy cow!)...
Energy—how it’s made and how it’s used—affects everyone, particularly with rising fuel costs and growing environmental concerns. So understanding and doing something about it is appealing, particularly if it also involves fun. That’s why Michigan Energy Fair officials are confident that there will be a good turnout at the Ingham County Fair Grounds, near Mason, this Friday and Saturday for their 10th annual event....
Solar advocates and staff from Michigan’s two largest utilities are mulling over a draft report that suggests ways the state could start catching up with the nation’s accelerating, jobs-rich boom in roof-top solar energy without raising customers’ rates significantly, if at all. Michigan Public Service Commission officials released the draft, which summarizes the work of the agency’s Solar Working Group, to group members on June 10 for their technical comments....
Buying local is a personal choice. But what our research appears to be saying is: Don’t judge local products by their price alone. Take a minute to understand the impact the production of cheap food, made thousands of miles away, has on the community where you live. ...
So far this summer, one of my favorite things to do is leave the office on a Wednesday morning to run down to the farmers market. ...
If you’re a downtown Traverse City employee, you are eligible for one of 50 free Bay Area Transportation Authority passes that will allow you to take unlimited rides on all City Loops and Village Loop routes from July through December 2014....
Since I arrived in Traverse City, I have not stopped hearing about the asparagus. So I wasn’t too surprised when I went to the farmers market last week and asparagus was everywhere. ...
MLUI’s summer intern, Rebecca Fisher, has never been to Michigan, let alone Traverse City. As part of her time here with us, we thought it’d be interesting to get her fresh perspective on all things “Up North” ...
All the slide shows and presentations are handed in; advocates and opponents have made and rested their cases; and the state’s Solar Working Group has had its last meeting on the future of sun power in Michigan. Now it’s the Michigan Public Service Commission’s turn. MPSC staff have until June 10 to sort through piles of data and then draft a report suggesting ways the state’s top two utilities could help more customers install rooftop solar systems....
