Don't care much for year end awards but if I did.... @wbez.org @sashaannsimons.bsky.social for immigration coverage in Chicago. Reporters on the streets and in the court rooms. And @bridgemi.com for environmental reporting in Michigan and @planetdetroit.org for justice reporting.

These Great Lakes facts have been known to me for years but I'm still fascinated by the miles of coastline comparison. open.substack.com/pub/dempseyd...

Why aren't - home and some - pronounced the same way?

White Lake sunrise 3/3

White Lake sunrise 2/3

Signif interest in yesterday’s post on the White Lake, MI sunrise. So. Reposting. 1/3

Last one… reflecting White Lake’s veneer of ice.

White Lake sunrise part 2, as it breaks the horizon.

Sunrise approaches White Lake.

Michigan's State of the Great Lakes annual report, 2/2. Victory laps for clean up of Muskegon Lake and the shiny Detroit Riverfront. But conspicuous by its absence is any mention of the still toxic Detroit River with no viable plan for its remediation decades on. www.michigan.gov/egle/-/media...

Michigan's annual State of the Great Lakes report just released. Observations. 1) it's more celebratory highlight reel than a status update. 2) Groundwater section makes no mention of the threat from water guzzling data centers, which the state is recruiting. 1/2 www.michigan.gov/egle/-/media...

Postal workers: My post office is staffed by mostly Black women who are efficient, courteous and professional. But I regularly observe customers be impatient, rude and judging of the service. Implied is it's cuz they're women, Black or both. Don't do that. They deserve your respect, that's all.

It's 2025, not 1955, and the Detroit River is still toxic. In spite of the hype about habitat restoration and a shiny riverfront. Props @ninaignaczak.bsky.social and team for sticking with it. planetdetroit.org/2025/05/wyan...

Data centers and democracy in Michigan. Worth noting. planetdetroit.org/2025/12/opin...

Taking no stance on the author's positions, this is a good read for Line 5 watchers, or if you simply care about a pipeline or tunnel that transports oil in the Great Lakes. Regulated by the fed government v. the state of Michigan. thecurrentowdm.substack.com/p/its-the-en...

Judge rules fed authority preempts that of Michigan on Line 5. 'A spokesperson for Whitmer redirected questions about the case to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel,' Bridge reported. A comment from the gov. is conspicuous by its absence. I mean, it was her shut down order that was at stake.

ICYMI: Since 2010 $5B in fed money has been funneled to the region for Great Lakes restoration. Yet their official health status is "fare and unchanging." A noted policy expert who has tracked the lakes for decades says it's time for "fresh thinking." substack.com/home/post/p-...

Not game over but a signif setback for anti Line 5 activists as judge rules federal law preempts that of Michigan. www.detroitnews.com/story/news/p...

It’s been a minute.

Doing year end review searches and came upon this from the Alliance for the Great Lakes. 'Great Lakes Region Unprepared for Increasing Water Use Demands.' This issue has been under reported and merits attention. Props to Joel Brammeier, et al at the Alliance. greatlakes.org/2025/08/grea...

Policy expert calls for "fresh thinking" on the Great Lakes. My take, complacency is the current state. More here. garyglx5.substack.com/p/policy-exp...

On occasion I try to remember why people are reluctant to comment on issues. 'Money makes people cautious,' said Christopher McCandless, via Jon Krakauer's book, Into the Wild.

Bottled water producers get a "free ride" in the state formerly known as the Water Wonderland. Meanwhile, Michigan's recent past is riddled with drinking water failures. U.N. intervention, Flint, Benton Harbor and a fumbled opportunity on affordability legislation. substack.com/home/post/p-...

While many in Michigan struggle to pay water bills, do bottled water companies get a (nearly) "free ride?" My thoughts here. open.substack.com/pub/garyglx5...

ICYMI: Nine years after Michigan accepted responsibility for the Flint water crisis, those harmed will receive a $$ settlement. My thoughts on our perpetual slow walk on justice and protecting the environment. garyglx5.substack.com/p/slow-walki...

Slow walking on environmental justice and protection is endemic. "I don’t have a remedy for the slow walk on these critical justice and environmental issues. They are embedded in this country’s political system and bureaucracies." More here. garyglx5.substack.com/p/slow-walki...

Slow walking on justice and environmental issues in the Great Lake region. Flint is the poster-child but the slow walk extends to enviro issues too. Invasive carp, Line 5, the Detroit River and more. garyglx5.substack.com/p/slow-walki...

Winter, a good read. 2/2 <img src="https://citylights.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/cJEVV057DMFu319pPHRcNp1HuJUSJycs6zEsize640.jpg" alt="Winter Solstice: An Essay"/>

I'm a fan of Winter, I'll take January over a sweltering August. Two good reads on Winter. 1/2

Worth noting: 'More than 200 environmental groups demand halt to new US data centers.' But where are the Great Lakes groups? www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

The sport formerly known as college football embarrassing itself by trying to pick mythical national championship contenders.

Doubtful about the author's overall message, not sure Braiding Sweet Grass can save us. But worth noting -- 'Large environmental organizations “have, in many ways, come to resemble the very bureaucracies they were founded to confront,” making them cautious and slow to act.'

It’s been a while.

ICYMI: A common talking point is that we can grow the economy and protect the environment at the same time. My thoughts on that premise here: 'Serving two masters doesn't bode well for protecting the environment.' garyglx5.substack.com/p/serving-tw...

A close look at Canada, the U.S., tariffs and the political hypocrisy coming from the U.S. ambassador to Canada. @annaleighclark.bsky.social reports.

Serving two masters doesn't bode well for environmental protection. If your job is to protect the environment, stay in your lane. My thoughts here. open.substack.com/pub/garyglx5...

Coming Monday, can the Great Lakes region follow two masters, economic development and environmental protection?

T’giving Day at Morton Arboretum.

Seems like we should have a data center pause button to press until all the issues can be properly vetted. Right now it's ready, fire... aim.

Not a lot of detail in this proposed NW data center story. But siting likely cuz of proximity to Lake Michigan. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/24/a...

You can add the massive amounts of water that data centers require to the list of things, like bottled water, that the Great Lakes Compact doesn't govern. The threat to Great Lakes water is greater from within the basin than from arid western states.

If EPA admin Zeldin had any environmental cred when appointed, wasn’t it on PFAS? Now this. @annaleighclark.bsky.social reports. www.propublica.org/article/trum...

ICYMI: Nature via wetlands provides a cost free way of keeping pollutants out of waterways. So why do we neglect them? The push, pull of protecting wetlands versus economic development. More here. substack.com/home/post/p-...

An expert says wetlands are the "last line of defense" before pollutants reach the Great Lakes. So why do we treat them like a retained environmental hobby? My thoughts here. substack.com/home/post/p-...

Are wetlands a retained environmental hobby? We sing their praises but protection lags. Illinois and Michigan as examples. My thoughts here. open.substack.com/pub/garyglx5...

A good primer here from Traverse City's Dave Dempsey on the size of the world's lakes. Great Lakes followers, before you get all braggy, read on. It's complicated. open.substack.com/pub/dempseyd...

One former EPA exec told me it might take 10+ years to recover from this administration's actions.

Pope Francis, Judge "Odie" and People of the Dune from Traverse City enviro law attorney, Jim Olson. A good read here if you care about our common home. open.substack.com/pub/jim901/p...

Not a good look for the Army Corps. 'Feds eye new option for Michigan Line 5: No concrete tunnel, horizontal drilling.' The Corps did not issue a widely-distributed press release alerting the media to the new developments — an atypical move for the agency... bridgemi.com/michigan-env...

Red flags on data centers. Pressure on local municipal officials to make decisions, non-disclosure agreements and fast-tracking the approval process. @planetdetroit.org's ongoing reporting. planetdetroit.org/2025/11/howe...