John Hartig Archives | Great Lakes Now https://www.greatlakesnow.org/category/about-great-lakes-now/who-we-are/authors/john-hartig/ Great Lakes Now shares stories about the unique culture and history of the Great Lakes basin Fri, 16 May 2025 16:39:26 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.greatlakesnow.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/cropped-gln-avatar-32x32.jpg John Hartig Archives | Great Lakes Now https://www.greatlakesnow.org/category/about-great-lakes-now/who-we-are/authors/john-hartig/ 32 32 Great Lakes Moment: Government downsizing, defunding and deregulating at what environmental cost? https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/05/great-lakes-moment-government-downsizing-defunding-and-deregulating-at-what-environmental-cost/ Mon, 05 May 2025 20:22:31 +0000 https://www.greatlakesnow.org/?p=42367 Great Lakes Moment: Government downsizing, defunding and deregulating at what environmental cost?

Great Lakes Moment is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor John Hartig. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit PBS.

There is always room to improve program effectiveness and efficiency in government, as well as business, nongovernmental organizations and other institutions.

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Autoworkers’ long history of protecting our environment https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/04/autoworkers-long-history-of-protecting-our-environment/ https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/04/autoworkers-long-history-of-protecting-our-environment/#respond Mon, 07 Apr 2025 19:10:24 +0000 https://www.greatlakesnow.org/?p=41793 Autoworkers’ long history of protecting our environment

Great Lakes Moment is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor John Hartig. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit PBS.

April 22, 1970 was the first Earth Day. On that day, two boats — one with an American flag representing American autoworkers and one with a Canadian flag representing Canadian autoworkers — met in the middle of the Detroit River to hold a wake, symbolizing the death of the river from pollution.

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Great Lakes Moment: Detroit River common terns under threat https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/03/great-lakes-moment-detroit-river-common-terns-under-threat/ https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/03/great-lakes-moment-detroit-river-common-terns-under-threat/#respond Mon, 03 Mar 2025 20:03:50 +0000 https://www.greatlakesnow.org/?p=41153 Great Lakes Moment: Detroit River common terns under threat

Great Lakes Moment is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor John Hartig. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit PBS.

Common terns are known for their aerial acrobatics, performing rapid turns and swoops to the delight of those watching.

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Great Lakes Moment: Rouge River oxbow enhances education at The Henry Ford https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/02/great-lakes-moment-rouge-river-oxbow-enhances-education-the-henry-ford/ https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/02/great-lakes-moment-rouge-river-oxbow-enhances-education-the-henry-ford/#respond Mon, 03 Feb 2025 16:41:32 +0000 https://www.greatlakesnow.org/?p=40605 Great Lakes Moment: Rouge River oxbow enhances education at The Henry Ford

Great Lakes Moment is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor John Hartig. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit PBS.

In the 1960s, an oxbow was eliminated in the lower Rouge River when a concrete channel was built to move stormwater out of the watershed.

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Great Lakes Moment: Connecting people to nature through The Great Lakes Way https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/01/great-lakes-moment-connecting-people-to-nature-through-the-great-lakes-way/ https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/01/great-lakes-moment-connecting-people-to-nature-through-the-great-lakes-way/#respond Mon, 06 Jan 2025 15:11:33 +0000 https://www.greatlakesnow.org/?p=40054 Great Lakes Moment: Connecting people to nature through The Great Lakes Way

A recent Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan report documents substantial progress in creating The Great Lakes Way — an interconnected set of greenways and water trails stretching from Port Huron, Michigan on southern Lake Huron to Toledo, Ohio on western Lake Erie.

In 2000, the Community Foundation polled metropolitan Detroit communities about obstacles to building greenways.

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Great Lakes Moment: Michigan’s Port of Monroe fosters a blue economy that welcomes wildlife https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/12/great-lakes-moment-michigans-port-of-monroe-fosters-blue-economy-welcomes-wildlife/ https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/12/great-lakes-moment-michigans-port-of-monroe-fosters-blue-economy-welcomes-wildlife/#respond Mon, 02 Dec 2024 18:27:07 +0000 https://www.greatlakesnow.org/?p=39703 Great Lakes Moment: Michigan’s Port of Monroe fosters a blue economy that welcomes wildlife

Great Lakes Moment is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor John Hartig. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit PBS.

Historically, the prevailing thinking was that society could have either a healthy economy or healthy biodiversity, but not both.

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Great Lakes Moment: Sacred Grounds https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/11/great-lakes-moment-sacred-grounds/ https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/11/great-lakes-moment-sacred-grounds/#respond Mon, 04 Nov 2024 18:24:52 +0000 https://www.greatlakesnow.org/?p=39263 Great Lakes Moment: Sacred Grounds

Great Lakes Moment is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor John Hartig. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit PBS.

In the era of climate change, many Detroit homes and churches face challenging stormwater fees.

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Great Lakes Moment: Mink thriving along the Detroit River https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/10/great-lakes-moment-mink-thriving-along-the-detroit-river/ https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/10/great-lakes-moment-mink-thriving-along-the-detroit-river/#respond Mon, 07 Oct 2024 18:55:00 +0000 https://www.greatlakesnow.org/?p=38774 Great Lakes Moment: Mink thriving along the Detroit River

Great Lakes Moment is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor John Hartig. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit PBS.

From a distance, I caught a glimpse of a relatively small elongated furry animal moving along the shoreline of the Detroit River.

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Great Lakes Moment: Ten natural wonders of The Great Lakes Way https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/09/great-lakes-moment-ten-natural-wonders-of-the-great-lakes-way/ https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/09/great-lakes-moment-ten-natural-wonders-of-the-great-lakes-way/#respond Tue, 03 Sep 2024 23:00:21 +0000 https://www.greatlakesnow.org/?p=38320 Great Lakes Moment: Ten natural wonders of The Great Lakes Way

Great Lakes Moment is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor John Hartig. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit PBS.

The Great Lakes Way is an interconnected set of greenways and water trails stretching from Port Huron, Michigan (at the head of the St.

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Operation Manoomin: Restoring Wild Rice along the Detroit River https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/08/operation-manoomin-restoring-wild-rice-along-the-detroit-river/ https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/08/operation-manoomin-restoring-wild-rice-along-the-detroit-river/#respond Mon, 05 Aug 2024 18:39:25 +0000 https://www.greatlakesnow.org/?p=37928 Operation Manoomin: Restoring Wild Rice along the Detroit River

Great Lakes Moment is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor John Hartig. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit PBS.

Manoomin (mah-NOO-mehn) or wild rice was once very common in coastal marshes along the Detroit River and has always been sacred to First Nations.

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