Great Lakes Today

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Great Lakes Today, a collaboration of public media stations, was created to highlight issues affecting the lakes. All reports are available to stations for free -- whether or not the station is in the Great Lakes region.

The main partners in the collaboration are WBFO (Buffalo), ideastream (Cleveland) and WXXI (Rochester); other stations in the region will also contribute reports. Great Lakes Today is funded through a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Series

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4 Pieces

Drownings at Great Lakes beaches often have a common cause: dangerous currents similar to those found along the ocean. Over the past decade, some 500 drownings and rescues have been attributed to structural, longshore and rip currents. This four-part series examines the issue from various perspectives, including a grieving mother, scientists developing a warning system, and a Michigan beach where drownings are concentrated. NOTE: Stories can run as a series or individually. Intros and outros are customized

Caption: Victor Small gets help for his asthma at an East Baltimore clinic., Credit: Angelica A. Morrison
3 Pieces

Minorities in the Great Lakes bear the burden of environmental problems such as air pollution, water contamination and waste dumps. This series examines the issue through residents of Cleveland, Buffalo and an indigenous community in Ontario, Canada.

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3 Pieces

The environmental movement is being redefined. Many advocacy groups are reaching out to minorities and addressing issues important to them. This three-part series explains how the movement has changed -- and what still needs to be done.

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5 Pieces

A look at the impact of President Trump's proposed budget cuts


Pieces

Caption: A few members of Outdoor Afro Cleveland, including Smith-Woodford (holding sign), Credit: Elizabeth Miller/ideastream
Part 3 of series -- The Great Lakes region is home to millions of people of different races and ethnicities. But diverse backgrounds – and issues ...

Bought by WAMC Northeast Public Radio, WBFO, WXXI Rochester, WCPN, WOSU and more


  • Added: Sep 19, 2017
  • Length: 03:31
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: WT Stevens replaces a pipe under a Flint street, Credit: Elizabeth Miller/ideastream
Part 2 of series -- Historically, the environmental movement hasn’t always been welcoming to people of color – and issues that are important to the...

Bought by WAMC Northeast Public Radio, WXXI Rochester, WCPN, WBFO, WDET Detroit Public Radio and more


  • Added: Sep 19, 2017
  • Length: 03:46
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir at Yosemite in 1903, Credit: Library of Congress
Part 1 of series -- When you think of the environmental movement, what comes to mind. Preserving the wilderness in national parks? Or guaranteeing ...

Bought by WDET Detroit Public Radio, WCPN, WXXI Rochester, WBFO, North Country Public Radio and more


  • Added: Sep 19, 2017
  • Length: 03:36
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Lake Erie near Oregon, Ohio, Credit: Elizabeth Miller/ideastream
Western Lake Erie’s algae bloom is in full swing – and the water is a sickly green. Great Lakes Today’s Elizabeth Miller talked with a charter boa...

Bought by KPIK-LP, WXXI Rochester, Interlochen Public Radio, WKSU, WCMU Michigan and more


  • Added: Sep 18, 2017
  • Length: 01:09
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: These silk threads are produced by silkworms but based on the protein spiders use to spin a web.        , Credit: Kraig Biocraft Laboratories
The silky strands made by spiders are prized for their strength and suppleness. Now, scientists in the Great Lakes region are using technology to r...

Bought by KBCS 91.3 FM Community Radio, Michigan Radio, North Country Public Radio, WCPN, WAMC Northeast Public Radio and more


  • Added: Sep 15, 2017
  • Length: 03:35
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: The riprap rocks that now act as a barrier between Oswego resident Rich Bowman's house and Lake Ontario were paid for with state aid. Many in New York hope to get federal funding to help residents recover from this year's flooding along the shoreline.
New York State leaders are concerned that recent weather disasters may keep FEMA from giving them aid promised from this year's Lake Ontario floodi...

Bought by WBFO, WXXI Rochester, North Country Public Radio, and WCPN


  • Added: Sep 12, 2017
  • Length: 01:13
  • Purchases: 4
Caption: Grass carp, Credit: Shutterstock/Vladimir Wrangel
Researchers recently announced the discovery of over 7,000 grass carp eggs in a Lake Erie tributary. The good news? This isn’t the Asian carp spec...

Bought by WBFO, Interlochen Public Radio, North Country Public Radio, WCMU Michigan, WXXI Rochester and more


  • Added: Sep 11, 2017
  • Length: :57
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: by ANGELICA A. MORRISON / Douglas Lavery shows a map of part of the proposed project and converter hall. , Credit: by ANGELICA A. MORRISON / Douglas Lavery shows a map of part of the proposed project and converter hall.
The Lake Erie Connector is the first power line to connect Canada to the U.S. by crossing under one of the Great Lakes. Developers say the project ...

Bought by WBFO, North Country Public Radio, WCPN, Interlochen Public Radio, and WXXI Rochester


  • Added: Sep 08, 2017
  • Length: 03:33
  • Purchases: 5
Caption: Lake Erie algae bloom, 2011, Credit: NASA
For a city on Lake Erie, it's the season for monitoring toxic algae blooms -- and drinking water.

Bought by WBFO, WXXI Rochester, WCMU Michigan, and WCPN


  • Added: Sep 07, 2017
  • Length: 01:00
  • Purchases: 4
Caption: Tony David (right) and an apprentice, Angelo Johnson (left) look out over the water where the dam used to be., Credit: Veronica Volk
Seventy-two dams in the U-S were demolished last year; and hundreds more were removed in the past decade. Most are taken down as part of an effort ...

Bought by WRVO Public Media, North Country Public Radio, WCPN, WCMU Michigan, WAMC Northeast Public Radio and more


  • Added: Sep 01, 2017
  • Length: 04:16
  • Purchases: 6