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: Patrick Robinson goes to catch a fish in Elk Creek, Credit: Elizabeth Miller
As winter sets in, Americans who live along the Great Lakes are bundling up. But another season is underway – and it brings an economic bump to an ...

Bought by WXXI Rochester, WCMU Michigan, and WCPN


  • Added: Dec 22, 2016
  • Length: 03:39
  • Purchases: 3
Caption: Lake Ontario Waterkeeper / Floating condoms and trash found in Toronto's harbor after heavy rains. , Credit: Lake Ontario Waterkeeper
An environmental group has released results of tests on the water in Toronto's harbor. The tests show the city has some work to do.

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


  • Added: Dec 22, 2016
  • Length: 01:04
  • Purchases: 4
Caption: Lake Erie, Credit: Elizabeth Miller
Great Lakes Today looks back at 2016's biggest stories.

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


  • Added: Dec 22, 2016
  • Length: 01:20
  • Purchases: 5
Caption: Holiday wrapping
The holiday season can be a happy time, but it might not be so great for the environment. Tips on how to have an environmentally friendly holiday.

Bought by WSKG, WXXI Rochester, WCPN, North Country Public Radio, WAMC Northeast Public Radio and more


  • Added: Dec 21, 2016
  • Length: :58
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Lake Erie, Credit: Elizabeth Miller
Tired of the U.S. EPA "dragging their feet" in declaring Western Lake Erie an impaired water, several groups filed a Notice of Intent to Sue the ag...

Bought by WXXI Rochester, WSKG, and WBFO


  • Added: Dec 20, 2016
  • Length: 01:07
  • Purchases: 3
Caption: Lorry Wagner, CEO of LEEDCo, Credit: Elizabeth Miller
The nation's first offshore wind farm recently began operating in New England, and developers now are eying vast body of water: the Great Lakes. Pr...

Bought by WXXI Rochester, KUVO, WCMU Michigan, WRVO Public Media, WDET Detroit Public Radio and more


  • Added: Dec 20, 2016
  • Length: 03:28
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: NEW YORK POWER AUTHORITY PHOTO / Ice boom installation 2015, Credit: NEW YORK POWER AUTHORITY PHOTO / Ice boom installation 2015
As ice forms on Lake Erie, it creates problems for the huge power plants downstream. To keep electricity flowing to millions of residents in the No...

Bought by WBFO, WCPN, WAMC Northeast Public Radio, and WCMU Michigan


  • Added: Dec 16, 2016
  • Length: 03:42
  • Purchases: 4
Caption: Delaware Avenue., Credit: Elizabeth Miller
Put-In-Bay, on an island in Lake Erie, is a summer destination for vacationers and tourists. But when winter comes and ferry service to the mainlan...

Bought by WDET Detroit Public Radio, WCPN, WCMU Michigan, WKSU, and WBFO


  • Added: Dec 15, 2016
  • Length: 03:27
  • Purchases: 5
Caption: Students at Toledo's maritime school, Credit: Timothy Dubravetz
The opening of a new maritime-themed high school was announced Tuesday in Cleveland. It joins the 3 other maritime schools in the Great Lakes region.

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


  • Added: Dec 14, 2016
  • Length: 01:10
  • Purchases: 4
Caption: ANGELICA A. MORRISON / A used water bottle floats in a creek in the Great Lakes watershed. , Credit: ANGELICA A. MORRISON
The Alliance for the Great Lakes and its volunteers address the issue of plastic pollution along the Great Lakes basin. This year they've collected...

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


  • Added: Dec 13, 2016
  • Length: 01:36
  • Purchases: 7