A Watershed Moment: Starla McDermott of Mom’s Clean Air Force talks pollution

July 31, 2012 by

On this week’s episode we hear from Starla McDermott, Field Organizer at Mom’s Clean Air Force, as she discusses the dangers of pollution in regards to children and the importance of spreading education.

Mom’s Clean Air Force is a nonprofit organization that began roughly a year and a half ago, and is composed of parents interested in protecting their children’s health in regards to pollution. Mercury, soot, cadmium and nickel are some of the main topics being educated upon.

“About 40 years ago the Clean Air Act got signed into law and it’s cleaned up a bit since then, but they were just cleaning up things you could see and they didn’t realize then how dangerous mercury was and that’s something you cannot see. It’s more just educating them, letting them know the dangers that it does have, especially on children or if you’re pregnant it can actually have an effect on brain development,” said McDermott.

In the West Michigan area, McDermott is focusing on Holland, Kalamazoo, and Grand Rapids. In Holland and Kalamazoo, she has been teaching parents of the number one poison amongst children, mercury, and its source, coal plants. In the Grand Rapids area, McDermott educates about the dangers of coal, but is working to get parents aware of alternative sources of energy.

Not only does Mom’s Clean Air Force spread the education of important issues, they help show parents how to efficiently take action.

When a senator from Oklahoma was fighting the new mercury standards presented by the Environmental Protection Agency in February, McDermott took action by getting moms involved in writing letters and calling Senator Stabenow and Senator Levin, asking them not to support the opposing senator. Mom’s Clean Air Force helped to win the vote, ensuring the very strict mercury standards for coal plants.

Despite the name, Mom’s Clean Air Force is not exclusive for mothers. Anyone who would like to be educated on the topics of pollution and the dangers they can bring to our youth can be involved.

To listen to this week’s episode, click here.

“A Watershed Moment” is a weekly radio program focused on environmental news and happenings in West Michigan, plus solutions for living a greener life.  Broadcast on WYCE-FM 88.1 on Tuesdays at 8:30am and 5:30pm, this program is produced by Grand Rapids Community Media Center and West Michigan Environmental Action Council.

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A Watershed Moment: Summertime Fun at Blandford Nature Center

July 17, 2012 by

On this week’s episode we hear from Annoesjka Steinman, Executive Director of the Blandford Nature Center, as she discusses what makes Blandford unique and talks about the various education programs offered this summer.

The Blandford Nature Center is one of Grand Rapids hidden treasures. Located on the West Side of Grand Rapids, Blandford is a 143-acre natural area where visitors come to engage in any number of outdoor activities. There are hiking trails, a wetlands area, and even a community garden.

This summer, Blandford will host a variety of events and programs aimed at exposing children and families to the wonders of the natural world around them, including a marsh exploration, a story-time hike and a bird watching tour. For more independent-minded guests, Blandford also provides themed backpacks filled with books, tools and resources that families can use to explore the nature center on their own, free of charge.

Check out their website for a full list of programs.

“It’s pretty unheard of to have such a large park, essentially, that’s not just a park. It’s a place to go for learning as well as recreation,” said Steinman, “What we do is so critical in the long-term because we are trying to engage kids who generally have no exposure to nature and allow them to have the opportunity where they have such a great experience not only outdoors, but connecting with nature, that they become the next generation of stewards.”

Listen to the full episode here.

“A Watershed Moment” is a weekly radio program focused on environmental news and happenings in West Michigan, plus solutions for living a greener life.  Broadcast on WYCE-FM 88.1 on Tuesdays at 8:30am and 5:30pm, this program is produced by Grand Rapids Community Media Center and West Michigan Environmental Action Council.

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Local Cultural Historian is Thinking Grand

May 22, 2012 by

Grand Rapids native, cultural historian, and (as of last Friday) 2012 Baxter Award winner Kevin Finney is currently working on a grant-funded project, “Think Grand.” The project aims to educate and involve the community on the broad history of the Grand River.

Over the course of the three year project, students and teachers from the Goodwillie Environmental School and the Blandford School will be collaborating with local naturalists, historians, biologists, and cultural tradition bearers. Their goal is to provide an in depth understanding of the river’s ecological history, land use and development, and the diverse cultural groups that have occupied the river’s surrounding valley over time.

The project is being coordinated through the Great Lakes Lifeways Institute, which Kevin founded in 2009. From the beginning, Kevin had a vision to embrace and learn from the region’s cultural and biological diversity. The rationale behind this being that in order for our communities to protect and preserve our region, we must understand it’s uniqueness: historically, culturally, and ecologically.

Kevin is an expert in Native American history in the Great Lakes region, and has been educating the community for years. He helps kids build authentic birch-bark canoes and houses, teaches and writes books in the Pottawatomi language, and is a true outdoorsman.

Kevin’s immense knowledge has become widely known, as he is often hired by schools, museums, and historical sites from across the country. When he is not exploring in the woods, he may be giving local demonstrations to students on how Native Americans lived.

He also holds the title of research and education director of Ancient Pathways Cultural Resource Group. The group is dedicated to the preservation, promotion, and interpretation of Great Lakes Indian art, cultural heritage, and history.

To learn more about the Great Lakes Lifeways Institute, you can find them at www.lifewaysinstitute.org.

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Student videos highlight potential of renewable energy in West Michigan

March 30, 2012 by

Picture a group of high school students behind a video camera, capturing in a 30-second-to-5-minute clip their ideas and hopes regarding the future of their community. Sound like a good thing? It’s happening right now in Holland.

More than 120 students have participated in the Student Energy Video Challenge, which amounts to 40 different videos and the involvement of three different local high schools. The videos are themed loosely around the concept of energy efficiency and the proposed Holland Community Energy Plan. Winning videos will be screened at a student-organized Film Festival April 16, 2012 at the Park Theater in Holland.

Several groups of students produced videos showing the potential of renewable energy to revitalize West Michigan’s economy while protecting the environment and maintaining affordability for residents. The inclusion of renewables in our energy portfolio has been under discussion for some time, and is an especially timely issue now that Michigan Energy, Michigan Jobs has begun campaigning for the 25% by 2025 ballot initiative. This proposal would require that at least 25% of Michigan’s electricity be produced from renewable sources by the year 2025. Similar legislation has already passed in other states.

For many students, adding renewable energy sources to our energy portfolio is a no-brainer. Watch the videos to hear what they have to say, then head over to YourCityYourDecision.com to watch the other submissions.

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Allegan Green Film Festival Launched

January 13, 2012 by

Regent Theater in Allegan

The Allegan Historic Farm and Learning Center will present an environmental documentary every Sunday this February at 4pm at the Allegan Regent Theatre for part of its Allegan Green Film Fest.

The films highlight issues of sustainability, focusing specifically on water, soil, energy, and food.  There is no fee, but donations will be collected to help raise money for the Allegan Historic Farm and Learning Center’s Youth Garden. An informal discussion will follow each screening at the Every Daze Sundae & Soda Shoppe, located at 212 Hubbard Street in downtown Allegan.

The Allegan Historic Farm and Learning Center is a low-profit limited liability company whose mission is to create a “working farm that honors the traditions of small family farmers, showcases heritage plants, animals and farming practices, while recognizing new technologies, including the value of organic farming and clean energy to ultimately deepen our connection to the Earth and each other.”

List of films after the jump.

Read more of this post

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MASHUP: Mapping Michigan’s best pest and natural resources management

August 3, 2011 by

By Rachael Gleason, Great Lakes Echo

Michigan Christmas tree growers looking to chemically combat the gypsy moth are out of luck — the time period to spray insecticides has ended for all counties.

But a new tool makes it easier to know when it’s okay to spray.

Michigan State University’s interactive map Enviro-weather combines weather data and best pest and natural resources practices. It recently added gypsy moth spray windows and temperature maps to help tree farmers treat the invasive insect.

This mashup isn’t just for Christmas tree growers.

Enviro-weather features weather, temperature and precipitation information for dozens of Michigan locations. There are also site-specific pest management tools and other resources for field crops, fruit, trees, turf grass, vegetables and landscaping.

Its latest feature Frost Alarm alerts users of customizable weather conditions at specific locations for a yearly fee.

Enviro-weather was established in 2007 by the university’s climatological resources and integrated pest management programs. New tools are added as researchers develop and validate new scientific models.

© 2011, Great Lakes Echo, Michigan State University Knight Center for Environmental Journalism

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Discover! Palmer Park

April 27, 2011 by

Put on your walking shoes, round up your kids or grandkids, and come to Palmer Park on Saturday, May 21 from 10am-3pm for a fun day of nature discovery.  Kent County Parks and the Kent County MSU Extension Master Naturalist program are sponsoring this free event at 52nd St, Wyoming, MI.  Discover! Palmer Park is a family program for kids of ALL ages.  You can go on a scavenger hunt with a trail guide to be stamped and entered into a drawing for a “Discover! Palmer Park” t-shirt.  There will also be a “discovery” trail walk to learn about the park’s truly interesting ecosystem and things like:

  • The birds and mammals that make Palmer Park their home
  • The variety of native and non-native trees around the park
  • The unique OxBow Lake and Buck Creek
  • The wildflowers and native plants growing in the area
  • The history of the area
  • And even the local reptiles and amphibians!

More information about the upcoming event and the Master Naturalist program can be found at www.stuckongardening.com

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Grand Rapids Bicycle Summit

April 20, 2011 by 2 Comments

May is National Bike Month.  Help inspire personal, corporate and local government action to make the Grand Rapids area more bicycle friendly by attending the Greater Grand Rapid’s Bicycle Coalition’s 2011 Bicycle Summit.

The Summit is Friday, May 6 from 8 am to 4:30 pm at the GVSU Eberhard Center (301 West Fulton).  Registration costs $15 for a full day of seminars, speakers and lunch.  Seminar topics include public health and economic benefits of bicycle-friendly cities, Michigan’s Complete Streets movement, funding and planning for bicycle facilities in metro Grand Rapids, bicycle commuting, and more.

Keynote speakers are Darwin Hindman and Peter Lagerwey.

Darwin Hindman was mayor of Columbia, MO for 15 years and is a strong advocate for a bicycle- and pedestrian-based transportation system in Columbia.  During Hindman’s term as mayor, Columbia received $25 million in federal transportation funds for a pilot project to promote bicycling and walking as alternatives to driving.  Hindman is one of the recipients of the 2009 Leadership for Healthy Communities Award.

Peter Lagerway is the Senior Transportation Planner for Toole Design Group and director of their Seattle office.  Lagerway has served as a consultant and manager in high profile bicycle and pedestrian projects in the City of Seattle for over 25 years.  In 1991 he received a National Environmental Award from President George H.W. Bush.

To register or get involved with GGRBC, visit their website, http://www.bikegrandrapids.org. 

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Real to Reel Film Series: Gasland Screening

April 13, 2011 by

Did you miss WMEAC’s screening of Gasland?  You have a second chance to see the award-winning documentary at 7 p.m., Thursday, April 21 at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts.

Gasland documents the disturbing results of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, a way of drilling for natural gas.

Following the screening will be a short talk and Q & A on the dangers and possible benefits of fracking.  Leading the discussion are Chief of the Office of Geological Survey at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Hal Fitch, and WMEAC’s Director of Policy, Nick Occhipinti.

The cost for the screening is $5 for SCA and HAAC members and students and $7 for non-members.

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Peak Oil Author Discusses New Book

April 12, 2011 by

Energy and environment writer Kurt Cobb is speaking from 5:30-7:00 p.m. on April 19 at Michigan Energy Options, 405 Grove Street, East Lansing.

The topic for discussion is Cobb’s Prelude, of which he says “I wrote in hopes of reaching a much wider audience than is typically possible through blogs, articles and nonfiction books. I believe I’ve produced not only an engaging tale, but also a tool for activists to use to spread the word about the challenges of peak oil.”

Cobb is a novelist as well as a columnist for the Paris-based science news site Scitizen.  He is also a founding member of the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas.  Cobb lives in Kalamazoo and keeps a blog, Resource Insights.

Prelude is available locally at both Greater Lansing Schuler’s Books and Music Stores.

Sponsors for this event are Michigan Energy Options and the Michigan Environmental Council.  This is the first of
an upcoming Michigan Energy Option series called “On Energy: Authors, Artists, Pundits and Provocateurs.”

Space is limited, so RSVP if you wish to attend at info@michiganenergyoptions.org or 517.337.0422 ext. 1303.

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