Rebekah Warren
Host of Issues of the Environment and 1st Friday Focus on the EnvironmentRebekah Warren is the host of Issues of the Environment and First Friday Focus on the Environment on WEMU. She is a longtime Michigan environmental and public policy leader and the President and CEO of Adaptive Strategics, LLC, where she focuses on practical solutions to complex challenges at the intersection of communities, government, and the environment.
Rebekah previously served in the Michigan Legislature for 14 years, representing Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and broader Washtenaw County in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. In the House, she chaired the Great Lakes and Environment Committee and helped lead bipartisan efforts to pass landmark water protection legislation implementing the Great Lakes Compact—widely recognized as one of the most significant freshwater protection laws. In the Senate, she served as Vice Chair and Ranking Member of the Natural Resources, Environment and Great Lakes Committee and worked extensively on issues including water quality, invasive species, renewable energy, land use, and recycling policy.
Throughout her legislative career, Rebekah focused on protecting Michigan’s natural resources and strengthening the state’s role as a national leader in Great Lakes stewardship. Her work included advancing protections against PFAS contamination, supporting renewable energy and energy efficiency policies, expanding recycling and clean-up initiatives, and advocating for smart growth strategies to preserve farmland and open space. She has also served in leadership and advisory roles with the Great Lakes Commission, the Council on Future Mobility, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the National Conference of Environmental Legislators.
Rebekah’s work has been recognized by environmental, conservation, public health, and civic organizations across Michigan and the country. She is honored to bring conversations about science, policy, innovation, and community leadership to WEMU listeners, highlighting the people and ideas shaping a healthier and more sustainable future for the Great Lakes region.
-
Trinity Health Ann Arbor is launching a new program designed to show that in-patient healing can go beyond hospital walls. Its "Hospital Without Walls" initiative fundamentally redefines modern healthcare by physically integrating medical wellness with the surrounding natural ecosystem. Rebekah Warren discussed this innovative and environmentally friendly plan with Lacey Sapkiewicz, Senior Vice President of Operations at Trinity Health Ann Arbor and Livingston. -
The mid-July Canadian wildfires released intensive amounts of smoke, resulting in days of hazardous air quality in Washtenaw County and all across Southeast Michigan. Studies have shown that climate change remains a major factor in these extreme conditions. Dr. Stuart Batterman, Professor Emeritus of Environmental Health Sciences and Global Public Health at the University of Michigan's School of Public Health, joined Rebekah Warren to discuss these studies in detail and what future precautions should be taken. -
A number of Ann Arbor businesses have started to phase out using single-use plastics. Not only has this lowered their operational costs, it's beneficial to many local environmental initiatives. Phillis Engelbert, owner/operator of Detroit Filling Station in Ann Arbor, is among these entrepreneurs leading the way in working towards zero waste. She talks more about her actions and how others can follow her example with Rebekah Warren. -
Residents in the Middle Huron River Watershed are facing an escalating environmental challenge as warmer summers and severe storm events increasingly trigger harmful cyanobacteria blooms, which threaten recreational water use, local wildlife, and the health of our regional impoundments like Ford Lake. Rebekah Warren discussed the matter and the actions being taken to fight it with Ric Lawson, director of programs for the Huron River Watershed Council. -
Enbridge Energy's Line 5 pipeline, located beneath the Straits of Mackinac, has been long been a controversial topic. The line has been deteriorating and leaking, yet action to remedy the problem has been slow. Rebekah Warren and Michigan League of Conservation Voters President/CEO Lisa Wozniak were joined by Dr. Mike Shriberg, Director of the University of Michigan Water Center and a Professor of Practice and Engagement at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability, to discuss the current state of Line 5. -
The expansion of Washtenaw County's Border-To-Border Trail continues, and the next piece of the puzzle is the "Dexter Connection." This stretch of the trail will connect hikers and bikers to downtown Dexter and is expected to be completed this fall. Roy Townsend serves as Project Manager for the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission. He spoke to Rebekah Warren about the expansion's current progress and how it may impact Washtenaw County's overall environment and infrastructure. -
An outbreak in cyclosporiasis recently spread all over Michigan, and a large number of cases were identified here in Washtenaw County. Kristen Schweighoefer, Director of the Washtenaw County Health Department's environmental health division, joined Rebekah Warren to discuss the source of the outbreak and what precautions residents should take to prevent another. -
For years, Washtenaw County’s relationship with the "forever chemicals" known as PFAS has centered on massive industrial pollution along the Huron River, like the Tribar industrial spill upstream. Yet, a two-year, proactive study by the Multi Lake Water and Sewer Authority entirely flips that script, revealing that the low-level PFAS consistently detected in local wastewater isn’t a corporate spill—it's coming from everyday consumer products used inside Dexter and Lyndon Township homes. Rebekah Warren discussed the study and what actions may come from it with Daniel Brown, climate resilient specialist and emerging contaminant for the Huron River Watershed Council. -
July is National Park and Recreation Month, and as Washtenaw County honors its 200th anniversary, its park system—which celebrated its own 50th anniversary in 2023—is showcasing how public spaces serve as vital community infrastructure rather than just places for leisure. Rhonda Bouma is Deputy Director of Operations for the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission. She joined Rebekah Warren to talk about what the county's park service has achieved and what it has planned for the future. -
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.
