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: Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in Covert, Mich., Credit: File photo, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Decades ago, the Great Lakes shoreline was a popular spot to build nuclear power plants, because there was plenty of water to cool reactors. Now, s...

Bought by WDET Detroit Public Radio, WLPR , WCMU Michigan, WBFO, and North Country Public Radio


  • Added: Apr 12, 2017
  • Length: 03:32
  • Purchases: 5
Caption: Photo Credit: Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper / Spring Shoreline Sweep 2016, Credit: Photo Credit: Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper / Spring Shoreline Sweep 2016
Thousands of volunteers from around the region take part in clean-ups all year long. Riverkeeper in Western New York is kicking off their annual sp...

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


  • Added: Apr 10, 2017
  • Length: 02:11
  • Purchases: 4
Caption: Max Herzog of the Cleveland Water Alliance at an Erie Hack meetup event, Credit: Elizabeth Miller/ideastream
Pollution and other problems plague areas all over the Great Lakes region. And they can make drinking or swimming dangerous. There’s plenty of bla...

Bought by Michigan Radio, WXXI Rochester, WCPN, WAMC Northeast Public Radio, WCMU Michigan and more


  • Added: Apr 05, 2017
  • Length: 03:29
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Teachers test a classroom activity at SUNY Oswego's Rice Creek field station, Credit: Payne Horning
For years, the Sea Grant program has helped Americans learn about the oceans, the Great Lakes and other waters. Now President Trump wants to stop f...

Bought by WAMC Northeast Public Radio, WXXI Rochester, WCMU Michigan, North Country Public Radio, WKSU and more


  • Added: Apr 05, 2017
  • Length: 01:26
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: A plastic bag washed up on the beach at the Erie Basin Marina., Credit: Veronica Volk
Plastic bags are all around us, especially in the checkout lanes of grocery stores. They're also a persistent litter problem on land and along the ...

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


  • Added: Mar 31, 2017
  • Length: 03:43
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: International Joint Commission meeting in Buffalo March 28., Credit: Eileen Koteras Elibol/WBFO
Lots of people were already upset about President Trump’s plan to slash Great Lakes funding in next year’s federal budget. Now he’s recommending a...

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


  • Added: Mar 29, 2017
  • Length: 01:01
  • Purchases: 9
Caption: PRX default Piece image
The International Joint commission held two public meetings in Buffalo on Tuesday – they’re the binational group that oversees the Great Lakes. And...

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


  • Added: Mar 28, 2017
  • Length: 03:27
  • Purchases: 5
Caption: Buffalo's view of Lake Erie, Credit: Elizabeth Miller/ideastream
US and Canadian Commissioners representing the Great Lakes met in Buffalo, New York Tuesday to hear from the public on the region’s progress.

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


  • Added: Mar 28, 2017
  • Length: 01:14
  • Purchases: 4
Caption: Dan Egan, Credit: W.W. Norton & Company
A new book by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Dan Egan examines Great Lakes history and current issues facing the region.

Bought by WCMU Michigan, WBFO, North Country Public Radio, and WKSU


  • Added: Mar 24, 2017
  • Length: :55
  • Purchases: 4
Caption: Adam Kirian feeds livestock at his farm in Hancock County, Credit: Elizabeth Miller/ideastream
Algae blooms in western Lake Erie can contaminate drinking water in nearby cities. That happened as recently as 2014, when Toledo residents could n...

Bought by Michigan Radio, WXXI Rochester, WRVO Public Media, WCPN, Interlochen Public Radio and more


  • Added: Mar 22, 2017
  • Length: 04:25
  • Purchases: 7