Michigan is getting $33 million to spend on urban forestry, which can help mitigate heat waves fueled by climate change. The question is whether government can do a better job engaging with communities in the process.
Michigan climate change
Posted inMichigan Government
In rural Michigan, farmers split over big solar
Developers are trying to lease large tracts of land for utility-scale solar projects, but their plans are pitting neighbor against neighbor in Livingston County, even prompting allegations of ‘disinformation’ campaigns.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
In urban 'heat islands' like Detroit, staying cool means getting creative
Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, Milwaukee, Windsor and Toronto, though close to the Great Lakes, are all urban ‘heat islands.’ Experts say these cities have unique opportunities to create more green spaces to cool things down.
Posted inUrban Affairs
Detroit plans neighborhood solar fields to capture light from blight
Three Detroit neighborhoods will host a combined 104 acres of solar fields under a plan Mayor Mike Duggan says will target “some of the most blighted areas in the city.”
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan medical students fight to make climate change part of curriculum
Doctors need to understand how climate change plays a role in health, so Michigan medical students are pushing for climate health education in their programs.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Urban 'heat islands' in Great Lakes and the toll on human health
Cities like Detroit, with lots of buildings and infrastructure that absorb and re-emit heat, are considered urban heat islands, but the tracking of related health events is lacking.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan braces for a heat wave. Here’s how to stay safe and cool
The state will experience its first long heat spell of the year beginning Sunday. Peak temperatures in much of lower Michigan are expected to hit the mid and upper 90s.
Posted inMichigan Government
Severe weather costs Michigan millions. Can funding meet demands?
Michigan is grappling with increasingly expensive climate-related weather incidents and disasters. But the state’s primary recovery fund is $15 million short of projected costs.
Posted inGuest Commentary
Opinion | Siting law will help Michigan towns reap economic benefits of wind, solar
Rural communities are the best places to harvest wind and solar energy and these technologies can be major windfalls for these communities.
Posted inGuest Commentary
Opinion | Third-party community programs would expand solar-energy access in Michigan
Independently owned community solar projects would benefit people who lack access to solar energy due to income or the placement of their home.