By HOPE O’DELLCapital News Service LANSING – Michigan farmers can’t plant more wheat this year to make up for Ukrainian and Russian production that’s been lost to the ongoing war. Combined, Russia and Ukraine account for 30% of the world’s wheat production, said Scott Swinton, an agricultural economist at Michigan State University. According to Bloomberg […]
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Michigan’s recycling rate lags U.S. average
By SYDNEY BOWLERCapital News Service LANSING – The majority of local government leaders statewide, 86%, say recycling is somewhat important or very important to their community residents, according to a new study from the University of Michigan. However, Michigan’s estimated overall recycling rate is 18%, which lags considerably behind the national average of 32%. The […]
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What changes to Michigan’s PACE program could mean for sustainability financing
SUBSCRIBE TO MICHIGAN CLIMATE NEWS! Dear Michigan Climate News readers, We asked you what topics we should cover in this newsletter, and we got a resounding response — you want to stay up-to-date on climate solutions, politics, and policy. To that end, in addition to regular solutions-based stories, we will be bringing you this monthly […]
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CONVERSATION: WATER AFFORDABILITY & CLIMATE CHANGE IN DETROIT AND MICHIGAN
TAKE THE READER SURVEY HERE! Water is getting less affordable over time for Michiganders across race and geography. We discussed the problem and the solutions. Public health begins and ends with clean water. People must have access to safe drinking water to survive and access to sanitation to prevent disease. But challenges with water and […]
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From the headlines – March 21 – 25, 2022
Help on the way: Large amounts of money could be headed to Detroit to fix water infrastructure, prevent flooding and improve drinking water, among other priorities. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer reached a deal with the Michigan Legislature Thursday for a $4.8 billion spending plan to use Covid relief funds and federal infrastructure dollars to invest in things like cleaning up […]
Posted inVoices
Would gas tax breaks make a big difference when prices are skyrocketing? We asked 4 experts
The Conversation By: Jay L. Zagorsky, Erich Muehlegger, Sanya Carley, Theodore J. Kury With gasoline prices trending over US$4 per gallon nationwide, politicians are feeling the heat. In response, Maryland and Georgia have temporarily waived their state gasoline taxes to reduce the burden on consumers. Other states are considering similar actions, and some members of Congress have called for suspending the […]
Posted inGuides
How will climate change impact water affordability in the Great Lakes?
SUBSCRIBE TO MICHIGAN CLIMATE NEWS! In 2014, the City of Detroit cut off water service to more than 20,000 customers for nonpayment. This left scores of poor, primarily Black households without the necessities for safe and sanitary daily life. “People cannot drink. They cannot cook. They cannot flush toilets or maintain sanitation,” said Rev. Kenita […]
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Is Michigan’s climate plan in danger?
CO2 2022/2021 417.84 ppm / 418.05 ppm TAKE OUR READER SURVEY HERE! Is Michigan’s climate plan in danger? A potential Supreme Court ruling to limit the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate carbon emissions from power plants could threaten Michigan’s climate plan, which seeks to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The court recently heard a […]
Posted inAccountability
‘A moral crisis’: Metro Detroit faith leaders call for end to water shutoffs, adoption of income-based rates
The call comes amid rising service rates as the city’s water department embarks on door-knocking campaign to get customers on payment plans The Rev. Kenita Harris has long witnessed many Detroit families struggle to pay for a basic life necessity: water. In the minister’s eyes, lacking access to clean, safe, and affordable water robs families […]
Posted inAccountability
SEC proposes far-reaching climate disclosure rules for companies – here’s where the rules may be vulnerable to legal challenges
The Conversation By: Daniel E Walters, William M Manson The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission released its long-awaited proposal to require companies to disclose their climate risks to investors, and it’s arguably the most significant action on climate change yet under the Biden administration. SEC Commissioner Allison Herren Lee called it a “watershed moment for investors and financial markets.” It is […]