Displaying posts categorized under

Local Economy

Michigan Energy Company Pushes for Coal Plant, Threatens Rate Hikes

Wolverine’s Challenge To State’s Decision On Proposed Rogers City Coal Plant Threatens Clean Energy Jobs, Revives Financial Risk For State (via Sierra Club, Michigan Chapter) LANSING, MI—A lawsuit filed this week challenging the state’s denial of a Clean Air Act permit for a proposed costly and unneeded coal-fired power plant for Rogers City seeks to [...]

Native Fish Returns to Great Lakes, Threatens Lake Trout

The burbot, bottom feeding fish nicknamed lawyers, are making a comback from the small number that have survived in its native waters of the Great Lakes. The species saw a huge decline in the 1950′s due to the invasive sea lamprey. Unfortunately there’s new research showing the return of the burbot may damage the multi-million [...]

Lower Lake Levels for Lake Michigan – Huron for 2010

According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, levels in Lake Michigan will continue to be more than a foot below average levels in 2010 and lower than levels experienced in 2009, perhaps even 2008. Lower levels put the spotlight on harbor dredging, which opens up ports to commercial and recreational traffic. View the June [...]

West Michigan Wind Manufacturers

A regional network of manufactures aims to connect capable companies to the wind turbine supply chain. The West Michigan Wind Manufacturers Network (WMWMN) is composed of sixteen regional companies already working in wind energy. The manufactures have come together to help promote the regions capabilities in the alternative energy industry. The WMWMN has the potential [...]

Flexible Plastic Recycling, A Job Too Big?

Picture from Earth911.com Last year a wonderful thing happened in our community,  a local waste management (garbage) company added a flexible plastic recycling bin to one of their recycling stations (a service our local curbside recycling does not support). A station which already contained the typical recycling bins: mixed paper and cardboard, metal and plastic [...]

Biokleen: Cross Country Albuquerque to Dallas, Part 2

Part 2 of 2: Texas is a land of cattle, horses and armadillos. The armadillo is a fascinating creature to visitors from the north. They first foraged into Texas across the Rio Grande from Mexico in the 1800’s. Armadillo is Spanish for “Little Armored One”. There are 20 species of armadillos which are distinguished by [...]

Retire on Next to Nothing

With the current state of the economy and stock market, retirement can be a scary and quite possibly an infeasible task. Doesn’t it make the most sense to keep your fixed costs as low as possible so more of your nest egg can be spent on enjoyable things? How low can you go on your monthly bills? One Southwest Michigan man [...]

Green Your Partner

Lead by Design The ‘ol saying, set a good example. Don’t just buy them reusable bags – make sure you remember yours when you two go shopping together. Most people want to do what looks both fun and right. If you aren’t doing, they’re not going to either. Knowing is Half the Battle Educate yourself [...]

Insects Cause Climate Change?

Can insects cause global climate change? That’s what one researcher from Wayne State University is trying to find out. It makes sense when you think about it. Are the insects out there burning fossil fuels? No. What scientists are trying to understand is the intricate connection between large scale insect outbreaks and global climate change. [...]

Snowmobile Org Out to Do Good

SledBrite snowmobile cleaners recently met up with members of the SnomadS Snofari Club at the Novi Snow Show in southeast Michigan. We donated a Starter Kit of snowmobile cleaners for their biggest fundraiser of the year, a raffle and auction Saturday November 8th in Keego Harbor. We like the various causes they support and are [...]