Wind turbines are being built in ocean waters off the east and west coasts. But why don’t we see any in the Great Lakes? The gales of November are an example of how much potential the region has for wind energy – but public opposition is the biggest barrier.
For the past three and a half decades, zebra and quagga mussels have fundamentally altered the ecology and hijacked the food web of the Great Lakes.Now scientists are trying new ways to put the mollusks in check, including infecting them with parasites and even crushing them with huge rollers. But will it be enough?
According to an Anishinaabe prophecy, manoomin – wild rice – is what brought the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi peoples to the Great Lakes.But starting in the late 1800s, manoomin’s decline was fast and widespread. And just like the plant itself, a lot of knowledge around harvesting practices has been lost. Some Anishinaabek are changing that.
Michigan's juvenile justice system is overwhelmed. IPR News and the Traverse City Record-Eagle are co-reporting a special series called "Kids in Crisis," exploring the problems, and possible solutions.