Michigan Environmental Report

Beware wolves in sheep's clothing. Or in this case the waste industry trying to cloak itself in green rhetoric.

The days are long and hot, amplifying our appreciation for our deep and (mostly) clear lakes. Let’s celebrate Michigan’s special place on the planet—in the cradle of the greatest freshwater system on Earth—by testing your knowledge of the Great Lakes and Michigan’s water resources.

Gotta make the boss happy so let's start with this replay of MEC President Chris Kolb on last week's Focus on the Environment show on Eastern Michigan University's WEMU radio. Kolb, with co-host Lisa Wozniak of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, talked about Gov. Rick Snyder's budget, the Kalamazoo River oil spill cleanup and other issues.

Why is Michigan girl Allie Muchmore building a career here rather than in Chicago, Portland or Washington, D.C.? Our state's tremendous natural resources, vibrant cities and sense of place have a lot to do with it. (photo courtesy Rod Sanford/Lansing State Journal)  I'm a Michigan girl and I'm planning to keep it that way.

A compendium of the curious and interesting for a Friday afternoon:

It is trendy these days to champion every imaginable energy resource under (and including) the sun. Who hasn't heard a politician, pundit, so-called energy expert or even President Obama declare support for using all options at our disposal to solve the nation's energy problems?

Check out this pitiful example of how to cut off your nose to spite your face.

Renewable energy sure takes a beating from free marketers like Heritage Foundation policy analyst Ben Lieberman, who said in November saying wind power is "a bubble which bursts as soon as the government subsidies end."