Living in Michigan, we often take for granted how precious our natural resource of fresh water is. We run the tap too much, take long showers, never think twice about watering the lawn- often see people's sprinklers running while it's raining. We need to protect our water. It needs protection from being pumped out and shipped away and to stay pure.
Nestle pumps 140 gallons per minute out of it's Evert well and is trying to increase it to 400 gallons per minute. Streams and wells nearby are drying up. It needs protection from the risk of oil lines rupturing. Currently, Enbridge has a 63 year- old oil line runs below the Straits of Mackinaw and is ruptures would be catastrophic. Recent spill in Kalamazoo by Enbridge pipeline cost billions, and the river remains closed in areas as still contaminated - since 2010. If this happened in the straits both Lake Michigan and Lake Huron would have huge contamination, affecting the fishing and tourism industries, which are critical to the economies in Northern Michigan.
Our water has changed drastically with invasive species such as the zebra and quagga mussels, New Zeeland Mud snails, rusty crayfish...all changing the native habitats. Fertilizer use is creating massive algae blooms creating dead zones in lakes. Mercury contamination in many of our lakes limits the amount of fish that can be consumed safely. Federal funding for protecting the Great Lakes is proposed to be cut. Simple measures such as cleaning boats and fishing equipement before going from one lake to another helps. Treating ballast waters in shipping industry would help. Preventing asian carp from entering the Great Lakes is needed.
Sure is a lot of doom and gloom isn't it? I write this post as I want people to be informed. Don't keep your head in the sand. Stand up and fight to protect our natural resources. Teach you children, neighbors, colleagues, friends and family to take a stand. I ask you what can you do today to protect our precious water?