An experimental project in Washtenaw County has the potential to change the way road repair and resurfacing are carried out. The pilot project in Pittsfield Township uses a hot-mix asphalt that incorporates ground tire rubber. A study is underway to determine if it is not only better for the environment but more sustainable and resilient as a paving practice. The project is a collaboration between the Washtenaw County Road Commission, Michigan Tech University and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. Learn more in a conversation between WEMU's David Fair and Michigan Tech transportation engineering professor Dr. Zhanping You.

Fall has arrived, and the transition towards Michigan’s colder months is underway. Many property owners are already looking ahead and designing spring plans for the lawn. That would include Saline resident Edith Anderson. Edith goes beyond modern landscape design and is “Rebuilding Nature: Yard by Yard.” That’s the title of her recently published book. Edith joined WEMU's David Fair to share why more homeowners are trading sterile lawns for living landscapes that welcome back the birds, bees and butterflies.

2025 marks the 25th year of the Green Fair in Ann Arbor. The event was initially called "The Mayor's Green Fair." Now, it is called the A2Zero Green Fair to reflect the city's initiative aimed at reaching carbon neutrality by the year 2030. WEMU's David Fair and Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor discuss the impact of a quarter-century of Green Fairs and the path forward to a healthier and more sustainable community.

The Michigan football season is underway, and excitement and expectations are on high for what the Wolverines can accomplish on the field of play. There are also big expectations for what happens in and around the rest of the "Big House". Work towards making Michigan gamedays a zero-waste event continue, and WEMU's David Fair discussed progress with U-M Senior Project Manager, Alison Richardson.

Canadian wildfires have played havoc with air quality in Washtenaw County and the state of Michigan for the past few summers. Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian is the chief medical executive for the state of Michigan. She joined WEMU's David Fair to look at the short and longer-term implications.

We’ve had plenty of hot days this summer, but what happens to the environment when concrete and asphalt surface temperatures heat well into the 100’s? Keenan Gibbons and his team at SmithGroup wanted to find out and used drones to study heat patterns along Huron Street in Ann Arbor. The research on heat islands has led to some determinations about how to mitigate impact and help move the city towards its carbon neutrality goals. Gibbons joined WEMU's David Fair to explain the research and its findings.

The federal administration has laid off hundreds of staff from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the impact is already being felt locally and in region. Moving forward, there is the potential NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab in Ann Arbor could be shut down. WEMU's David Fair spoke with Nicole Rice about where it stands now and where it may be headed. Rice is among those already fired from the lab in Ann Arbor.

Between 1995 and 2023, the City of Ann Arbor’s Natural Area Preservation (NAP) division coordinated a continuous butterfly monitoring program using trained community science volunteers. Ludovico Behrendt is an environmental data specialist with NAP and conducted a retrospective analysis of this nearly 30-year dataset. He joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss the findings on the health of butterflies in the area and what it says about the health of the local environment.

Just how pervasive are plastics in our lives? Try and live just a week without any. That’s the notion behind the Ypsi Plastic Free July Challenge. It is put forth by Zerowaste.org and runs through August 1st. WEMU's David Fair spoke with Zerowaste.org co-founder and deputy director, Lydia McMullen-Laird, about this year’s challenge and some tips on how best to reduce the use of plastics in our homes.

With an electric vehicle, a longer commute can be more affordable, but there can be challenges, too. Mackenzie Munro used to have a longer commute into Ann Arbor as an employee at the Ecology Center. Now, she makes a similar drive to Lansing for her work with EGLE. Is it worth it? Learn more about the real EV life in Mackenzie's conversation with WEMU's David Fair.

The City of Saline is considering whether to rehabilitate, replace, or remove the historic Saline River Dam. Dam removal offers long-term ecological benefits but raises concerns about aesthetics, recreation, and economic impact. A final decision on the matter is coming in October. In the meantime, the city has been taking public input and reaching out to neighboring communities for discussion. WEMU's David Fair talked with Saline Mayor Brian Marl about what has been learned so far and what comes next in the process.

A recent fire at Recycle Ann Arbor's Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) has raised concerns about what exactly is going into the bins we send to the MRF. Nationally, there are a growing number of fires at such facilities. WEMU's David Fair gets an update from Recycle Ann Arbor CEO Bryan Ukena.