Recent power outages in Washtenaw County have a good portion of Southeast Michigan outraged. Nearly a million lost power in the last two winter storms. Ann Arbor City Council member Jen Eyer joins WEMU's David Fair to discuss what the city will ask of the state legislature and the Michigan Public Service Commission and the increased interest in establishing a municipal electric utility in Ann Arbor.

Food prices are kicking a lot of people right where it hurts…the wallet. Supply issues during the pandemic and inflation are sending prices soaring. As a result, more people are beginning, or returning to, home gardens. Stacy Mates is seed company manager for the Green Things Farm Collective in Ann Arbor. She shares her expertise in a conversation with WEMU's David Fair.

So much time and effort has been spend on making our homes more efficient. But what about commercial properties and businesses? A new and innovative program in Ann Arbor aimed as creating such opportunity in the area called the A2 Area Commercial Solar Program is available to businesses and property owners throughout Washtenaw County that are open to moving to solar. Ann Arbor's Senior Energy Analyst, Julie Roth, joins WEMU's David Fair to provide all the details.

The Gelman Sciences 1,4 dioxane plume continues to spread and threaten the health of groundwater in Scio Township and Ann Arbor. Recent reports indicate there is now a potential threat of exposure through wet basements. With spring and the usual basement flooding that occurs in portions of the area, it is a cause for concern. University of Michigan toxicologist and environmental professor, Dr. Rita Loch-Caruso, is a co-author of a study identifying the problems. She joined WEMU's David Fair with the latest information.

Helping beautify Washtenaw County and contribute to preservation and sustainability: those are among the functions of Ann Arbor Farm and Garden. WEMU's David Fair is joined by board member Martha Lowry. Together, they discuss Ann Arbor Farm and Garden’s mission and growing investments in creating educational and environmental opportunities throughout Washtenaw County.

The city of Ann Arbor is considering a ban on natural gas stoves in new construction. In fact, the planning commission has already put that proposal forward but there are measures at the state level that would prohibit such a ban. What will be the future of gas stoves locally? Find out in this conversation between WEMU's David Fair and Ann Arbor Planning Commission member, Lisa Sauve.

Housing and transportation account for 50% of all greenhouse gas emissions, so changing to electric vehicles won't help slow the climate crisis on its own. The manner in which we build and retrofit our residential and business communities is vital to environmental sustainability. The nation's lead expert on this is Reid Ewing, Distinguished Professor of City and Metropolitan Planning at the University of Utah and this week's guest on "Issues of the Environment" with WEMU's David Fair. Later this month, Dr. Ewing will be a featured panelist in Ann Arbor on the interplay between housing and transportation when it comes to reducing our carbon footprint.

New research out of the University of Michigan could one day completely change plastics recycling, particularly when it comes to PVC plastics. Right now, there is no way to recycle PVC in Washtenaw County and most of the country. WEMU's David Fair talks with the lead author of the study, Dr. Danielle Fagnani, to find out what we've learned and when, or if, we may see it put to practical application.

Recycling plastics is difficult and expensive. Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County are well ahead of the curve, but there are significant hurdles to overcome in the next few decades. WEMU's David Fair joined by the CEO of Recycle Ann Arbor, Bryan Ukena, to explore what is being done locally to address plastics recycling now and in the future.

You may have noticed that winters in Michigan are changing. That will continue. WEMU's David Fair spoke with University of Michigan professor of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, Dr. Richard Rood, about our climate future and the need for greater emphasis on adaptation.