university of michigan school for environment and sustainability

It can be expensive to install rooftop solar panels, but they do pay for themselves over time. Not only does it save on energy costs, but a new University of Michigan study says the value of rooftop solar panels will continue to increase. It will also be vital as the climate continues to warm, and we will need more energy to keep cool. WEMU's David Fair was joined by U-M Energy Systems Assistant Professor Dr. Michael Craig to learn more about the research.

Ann Arbor will serve as host to the National PFAS conference, which runs June 10th-12th at the Michigan League. Scientists, political leaders and environmental advocates will gather to discuss the best ways forward in dealing with toxic forever chemicals. Among them will be Robert Kerr, who is co-chair of the 2024 National PFAS Conference and Community Leader with the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network. He, along with WEMU's David Fair, previews the conference and why it's so important to Washtenaw County and the state of Michigan.

Every April brings us another Earth Day. The event aimed at increasing environmental education, awareness and activism is now in its 54th year. How far have we come in more than five decades and what has to happen next? Rosina Bierbaum is a professor and Dean Emerita in the U of M’s School for Environment and Sustainability. She gave an insider's assessment with WEMU's David Fair and Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director Lisa Wozniak.

There are a great number of positives when people operate and work on urban farms and community gardens: access to fresh and healthy foods, community building and reduced transportation needs in areas known as food deserts. A new study from the University of Michigan discovered some areas where improvement is needed with some urban farms and gardens creating a carbon footprint much greater than conventionally grown produce. WEMU's David Fair checked in with Benjamin Goldstein to learn more about the research and why it caused such an uproar. Goldstein is co-lead author of the study.

Scientists are both astounded and alarmed. 2023 was the warmest year ever recorded, and it’s not even close. Human-spawned greenhouse gas emissions coupled with a strong El Nino spiked global temperatures. What are the implications and repercussions? And what will 2024 bring? WEMU's David Fair talked it over with the dean of the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan, Dr. Jonathan Overpeck.

Among the many resolutions people make to start a new year is to find ways to better protect the planet. Shelie Miller studies these things as a professor in sustainable systems at the U of M’s School for Environment and Sustainability. She joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss how to improve our efforts at home and community sustainability.

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.

A five-year study out of the University of Michigan has turned up some interesting findings about the future of our forests and urban canopies. Dr. Peter Reich joined WEMU's David Fair to share what his team learned and how it can be applied to prevent degradation of Michigan’s tree population.

A decline in pollinators is adversely impacting the environment and could become a greater public health issue. The good news is, efforts are underway all over the country to address the matter, including at the University of Michigan. Dr. Sheila Schueller from the U-M's School for Environment and Sustainability joined us to share how the university was designated a "bee-friendly" campus and what comes next in expanding pollinator conservation.

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.