Environmental stewardship is certainly important now. With a changing climate, growing population and greater need for adaptation, it will only become more important. That’s why educating today’s K-12 students is vitally important. The Ann Arbor Public School District has its Environmental Education program, and it’s not only teaching in-class, it provides hands-on experience in nature. The program has been growing and will touch even more students this year. Find out more in a conversation between WEMU's David Fair and Environmental Education teacher Coert Ambrosino.

Residential rain gardens may seem like a small component of environmental sustainability. We’re learning just how big of an impact they make in Washtenaw County and Southeast Michigan. A brand new, interactive mapping tool shows where many of the residential rain gardens are and the amount of stormwater they collectively capture. Learn more in this conversation with WEMU's David Fair and Susan Bryan, the Rain Garden Coordinator for the Washtenaw County Water Resources Office.

Some areas of Washtenaw County received nearly five inches of rain in a short, three-hour period on Wednesday, August 23rd. The aftermath is still being assessed and addressed. In some areas, it could take months. Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner Evan Pratt joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss storm response and what was learned.

When Ann Arbor City Council next meets, it is expected to pass an ordinance that will require home sellers to acquire an energy score report from a qualified assessor before listing the property for sale. Tom Renkert is Chief Executive Officer of the Ann Arbor Area Board of Realtors, and while the organization fully supports the city's A2Zero carbon neutrality goals, it doesn't believe this ordinance should be a part of the plan. He joined WEMU’s David Fair to explain why.

The number of cases of Lyme disease cases locally is on the rise. Washtenaw County epidemiologist Laura Bauman joined WEMU's David Fair with the latest information and advice on how to best protect yourself.

To achieve environmental and sustainability goals, it's going to take contributions from everyone. The city of Ann Arbor has contracted with zerowaste.org to educate and engage the public in a variety of ways, including a 'neighborhood swap' program. Zerowaste.org executive director, Samuel McMullen, joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss the effort and its intended impacts.

The number of people camping has exploded since the onset of the pandemic. And, there are numerous benefits to getting out in nature. However, sleeping in your tent isn’t one of them. Tents are covered with cancer-causing, fire-retardant chemicals. Ann Arbor Democrat Jeff Irwin has successfully pushed a measure through the Michigan Senate to make it legal to sell tents without that toxic coating. He joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss that issue and the ongoing fight to get a better legislative handle on more of the chemicals that pollute the environment and impact public health.

Ridesharing services, like Uber and Lyft, continue to grow in popularity. That is particularly true in college towns and urban centers like Ann Arbor. Imagine a ridesharing fleet that was entirely electric, and we can imagine tremendous environmental benefit. According to a new study by the University of Michigan and Carnegie Mellon University, there are environmental benefits. There is also likely to be an increase in some existing pollution and public health issues. WEMU's David Fair talked with U-M Assistant Professor Parth Vaishnav about the real world application and implications of the new data.

PFAS contamination is occurring in the area’s only cold-water trout stream. Johnson Creek is a 3.6-mile-long tributary to the middle branch of the Rouge River, where it joins in Wayne County’s Northville Township. The Arbor Hills landfill in Washtenaw County’s Salem Township has been identified as the source of the contamination. Getting regulators to address the issue has been difficult, and that is where the grassroots citizens group, The Conservancy Initiative, comes in. David Drinan is its vice president, and he spoke with WEMU's David Fair on how the group is taking matters into its own hands.

2023 marks the 20th anniversary of the Ann Arbor Greenbelt program. It makes use of millions of dollars from grants, landowner donations and other locally funded programs to protect thousands of acres of farmland and open space around the city. With the anniversary comes the announcement of a new farmland accessibility opportunity. The program's land acquisitions manager, Rosie Pahl Donaldson, joined WEMU's David Fair with all of the details on a new and exciting component to the Ann Arbor Greenbelt program.