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It has been 41 years since the US Congress held its first hearings about “global warming” and 25 years since the Kyoto Protocol was approved It committed the nations of the world to address the climate crisis. For decades, the fossil fuel industry’s stranglehold on US politics kept action at bay. In mid-August, the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law committing $369 billion toward climate emission reduction efforts. WEMU's David Fair checked in with Mike Garfield from the Ann Arbor-based Ecology Center to get early analysis of the benefits and shortcomings of the measure and what it may provide to Washtenaw County and Southeast Michigan.

In November, Ann Arbor voters will decide the Community Climate Action ballot proposal. It's a broad plan aimed at helping the city achieve its carbon neutrality goals and set a foundation for building a city run entirely on renewable energy. But it comes with a hefty price tag. It asks voters to agree to a 20-year tax levy that, if approved, will raise about $140 million over its lifetime. WEMU's David Fair and Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director, Lisa Wozniak, explore the proposal and its implications with Jason Frenzel. He serves as a member of the ballot proposal's steering committee.

Dining is often a shared experience and frequently as we gather across the table, a cultural experience. Margaret Carney is the founding director and curator of the International Museum of Dinnerware Design in Ann Arbor. She joins "creative:impact" host Deb Polich to talk about how dinnerware adds to the enjoyment of breaking bread together.

Using all art forms, art + creative therapy is an integrative mental health and human services profession used in treating people of all ages. Though used in the majority of health care settings, unlike other medical practices, it remains unlicensed as a practice. Michigan Senator Jeff Irwin has introduced legislation to change that in Michigan. Listen in as he joins "creative:impact" host Deb Polich, and they discuss his reason for supporting this legislation.

We're halfway through September, and there's plenty of movie news to chat about! WEMU's David Fair and Michigan Theater Foundation executive director, Russ Collins met in-studio to talk about the upcoming offerings in the world of cinema.

This week, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed historic legislation into law aimed at improving the health and sustainability of Michigan's environment, and we wanted to take a deeper dive into what that is going to look like. WEMU’s David Fair and Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director Lisa Wozniak found Kara Cook to provide insights as WEMU’s 1st Friday guest. Kara provides perspective from her position in the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.

Where are the arts + creative industries now, four years since the COVID pandemic devastated our lives, communities and businesses? Alison Watson, director of the Michigan Arts & Culture Council, has a view of the sector across the state. Alison joined Deb Polich on this edition of WEMU’s "creative:impact," and we catch up on the current state of the arts.

Over the summer, the Huron River Watershed Council conducted an extensive survey of freshwater mussels in the Huron River to determine potential impacts when the Peninsular Paper Dam is removed. It found that removing the Pen Dam could release sediment, potentially smothering downstream mussel populations. Once the dam is removed, though, the river will return to a more natural state, benefiting mussel species over time. WEMU's David Fair looked at the research and its implications with Huron River Watershed Council Ecologist Dr. Paul Steen.

While the Ypsilanti Freighthouse serves as a daytime warming center, the only 24/7 shelter for unhoused members of the Ypsilanti community is the Delonis Center in Ann Arbor. and it has limited beds available. There is ongoing community discussion about the need for a shelter on the eastern side of Washtenaw County. Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale that need and what's being done about it with Lindsay Calka. She's the managing director of Groundcover News, a publication giving voice to low-income residents.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Michigan Republicans agree: Enhancing literacy needs to be a greater statewide priority. While they negotiate how best to support literacy efforts, there are strong programs available through our libraries. WEMU's David Fair explored the underdiscussed and appreciated role of these institutions with the director of the Ann Arbor District Library, Eli Neiburger.