Every day, the choices we make in our homes and communities connect to much bigger environmental stories. One of those connections is through Plastic Free July, a global movement encouraging people to reduce their reliance on single-use plastics. But what does that look like right here in Washtenaw County? Lydia McMullen-Laird is the co-founder and deputy director of the Ann Arbor-based Zerowaste.org. She and Rebekah Warren discussed ways residents can reduce their use of everyday plastic and how to participate in the 2026 Plastic Free July Challenge.

PFAS. Few environmental issues have affected Michigan communities more directly than these so-called "forever chemicals," which have been found in our waterways, groundwater, and drinking water systems across the state. In her first segment as host of "Issues of the Environment," Rebekah Warren was joined by U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan. They discussed what local and national actions have been taken and what is needed to prevent further PFAS contamination.

Meet the new host of "Issues of the Environment." You know her as a former state Representative and former state Senator from Ann Arbor. Rebekah Warren served as chair of the House Great Lakes and Environment committee and in a number of other environmental leadership roles. Since leaving office, Rebekah has founded, and is President and CEO of Adaptive Strategics, which puts environmental issues front and center. Now, she will steward the conversations about our environment, right here in Washtenaw County. For his last go-round as host, WEMU's David Fair sat down with Rebekah Warren and talked about the future of "Issues of the Environment."

There is a species of butterfly so rare, its worldwide population is limited to 10 highly fragmented pockets in Michigan and Indiana. Washtenaw County is among the areas where you'll find the Mitchell's satyr. Efforts to save the species continue and come via some radical habitat preservation strategies. WEMU's David Fair shares more about the local effort to prevent extinction in a conversation with Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission Stewardship Planner Allison Krueger.

Because of federal funding rollbacks for environmental programs, city and local governmental units are looking to more public-private partnerships. With Ann Arbor looking to become carbon neutral by the year 2030, such partnerships are crucial. WEMU's David Fair talked with the Director of the Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations, Missy Stults, on the importance of expanding such partnerships.

We often ask ourselves how we can make a difference in the health of our environment at home. One of the answers is to build a rain garden. There are now well over 1,000 rain gardens in Washtenaw County as the Water Resources Commissioner's Office has scaled a decentralized network to capture and filter stormwater. It's making a difference, and the effort will expand this year. WEMU's David Fair gets more details in a conversation with Rain Garden Coordinator, Susan Bryan.

The march toward carbon neutrality in Ann Arbor continues. In enacting the measures needed to make the A2ZERO plan work by the goal date of 2030, it has to be approached from a variety of angles. That includes boots on the ground. That’s where the Ann Arbor Climate Corps comes in. It helps bridge the gap between city policy and neighborhood level implementation, and it’s been working so far. But now, there is the potential elimination of federal AmeriCorps funding. Maggie Halpern is program manager for Ann Arbor Climate Corps. In her conversation with WEMU's David Fair, she talks about what options are being considered, should that come to pass, and the work the Climate Corps will continue doing in Ann Arbor.

There is a growing local food network in Washtenaw County. As high prices increase food insecurity, more homegrown food can help. Further, local farmers are creating better connections with the general public, and that is helping to combat the climate crisis by helping reduce transportation-related emissions. There is also potential for more local economic impact. WEMU's David Fair talked with Ryan Poe, the founder of The Hungry Locavore, about local agriculture as part of our carbon neutrality and food insecurity solutions.

Climate change has brought more unpredictable weather, and that has resulted in more severe storms and more flooding, more dams at risk and that, of course, puts property and lives in danger. Around here, we depend on the Huron River. The Digital Water Lab at the University of Michigan has set a network of real-time sensors to improve water monitoring, flood response and coordination among dam operators. WEMU's David Fair got a lesson in how that works in a conversation with U-M Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Branko Kerkez.

Are you familiar with pocket forests? These are dense plantings of native trees and shrubs that can influence water movement and soil conditions and improve the environment and ecosystem in a targeted area. There are already some in Washtenaw County, and more are coming. WEMU's David Fair talked about the growing number of small-scale ecological projects with Dr. Heather Chen-Yost, who is a volunteer with the Tree Town Urban Forest Team.

Environmental concerns continue to surround data centers, and there are a number either approved or planned in Washtenaw County. Supporters of these centers contend there are ways to ensure environmental health while improving the local economy. We’ve explored environmental concerns on WEMU’s "Issues of the Environment." This time around, we’ll get a business perspective on it. Phil Santer is Chief Operating Officer for Ann Arbor SPARK, and he joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss the economics of these data centers.

Today is Earth Day. The theme for Earth Day 2026 is "Our Power, Our Planet." To mark the occasion, we take a look at the power of natural river flow and the benefits and consequences of man-made dams. There are some legislative reforms under consideration in Lansing, and, in the meantime, there are a number of dams in Washtenaw County in different states of functionality. Huron River Watershed Council executive director Rebecca Esselman joined WEMU's David Fair for a look at where the power of policy and funding will lead us in the years ahead.