environment

Practice Snow Shoveling Safety This Winter

With the winter cold, comes the winter snow. For thousands of Americans who live in cold climates, the simple task of shoveling snow can lead to thousands of injuries annually.

For those who don’t have the luxury of a snow removal service, there is the backbreaking task of shoveling our driveways, and sidewalks. To prevent injuries as much as possible while shoveling, follow these simple tips:

  • Stay hydrated.
  • Dress warm, layer up. 
  • Lift with your legs, not your back.
  • Push the snow instead of lifting whenever possible.
  • Take it slow and stretch prior to going out.

The cold and physical exertion can put extra strain on your heart so make sure you take a break if you feel fatigued or chest pains of any sort, and be sure to contact your physician if symptoms persist. 

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

Michigan Sites To Be Redeveloped With $2.4 Million Funding

Plans to redevelop contaminated Mid-Michigan properties are on the way, with The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) awarding $2.4 million in brownfield grants and loans.

Brownfields are vacant or abandoned properties known or suspected to be contaminated. With the plans in place, these areas will be redeveloped to increase property value at the site, as well as for neighboring properties. 

A few of the plans include a senior and multi-family affordable housing development in Lansing’s Stadium District, workforce and affordable housing near the Kalamazoo River, as well as a mixed-use, live-work development in Kalamazoo. EGLE will be providing $20.7 million overall to fund the 67 projects statewide that will benefit from the brownfield funding.

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

Do Not Eat Advisory For Clark’s Marsh, Oscoda Township

Now that hunting season has begun, everyone is looking to have their cuts of venison  processed so they can enjoy the fruits of their labor. If you are hunting or eating animals near Clark’s Marsh, you may want to be careful.

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) are advising hunters and others to not eat venison taken within three miles of Clark’s Marsh in Oscoda Township. 

There has been a Do Not Eat advisory issued due to evidence of animals within a three mile  area being more likely to have various per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid), in their liver and muscle tissue. These substances are associated with negative health effects such as reduced fertility, liver damage, high cholesterol, and certain types of cancers.

For more information about fish and wild game consumption, visit: Michigan.gov/EatSafeFish.

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

The City of Flint Looks To Redevelop Former Buick City Site

The Buick City site was the former home of Buick Motor Company up until 2010, and has since sat vacant. There are currently plans in place to turn it into an in-demand, move-in ready facility. As one of the most blighted and contaminated industrial sites in the state, redevelopment has now become a top priority for the state of Michigan and the city of Flint. 

The Flint Commerce Center, an entity of Ashley Capital, plans to turn the facility into a 275,000-square-foot industrial building that, when fully developed, will represent one of the largest investments for the north side of Flint in decades. The facility is expected to generate up to $300 million and create between 2,000-3,000 new jobs. 

In addition to getting rid of the blight and contamination, the facility will also address the shortage of industrial space as well as offering opportunities to attract new business to the state.

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

St. Clair Student Helping Her College Go Green

The key to future success of the next generation is creating sustainable environments in which they can maintain and preserve natural resources. Northwood University is kicking off their campus-wide recycling collection to do just that. 

The project “Green is the NU Blue at Northwood University” kicked off November 1st with the goal of collecting and recycling paper, cardboard, plastic, and aluminum items from around campus. St. Clair senior, Lex J. Rutledge is working with university staff and students to ensure that the program is a success. 

Some of the efforts that have been implemented over the past decade include:

  • Additional bike racks to promote bike traffic
  • The creation of a butterfly garden
  • The addition of water fill stations around campus

Rutledge is currently looking for a student to take over her position in the project as this is her last year at Northwood. “This is a program that Northwood really needs, and it’s something I believe the majority of the student body will value,” says Rutledge.

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

If Wood Is How You Heat Your Home It’s Time To Stock Up

It’s projected that this will be a winter with colder temperatures than the more mild temperatures of winters past. If  wood is the primary method used to heat your home you may want to stock up, due to firewood supplies being less than usual.

Due to market forces, and competing demands for firewood-friendly hardwood material, it’s becoming more difficult for consumers to find fuelwood. Options to obtain fuelwood include: Firewood Scout, as well as state and national forests.

To prevent spreading harmful forest pests or diseases, try to harvest wood sources from your local area if possible. 

For more information about collecting fuelwood from your state forests read here: Fuelwood Permit FAQ Document

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell