Don’t Miss the Water is Life Festival, Saturday, August 31st, Petoskey [Volunteers Needed!]
Join Freshwater Future at the 6th annual Water is Life Festival, Saturday, August 31st, from 12:00 – 9:00 pm at Petoskey’s Festival Park! We will celebrate our relative, nibi (water), through music, art, food, youth learning, and community building. There is a phenomenal lineup of musical talent including Seth Bernard, Alina Moor & Urban Tropical, David Kroon, The Accidentals and more! This event is free, family-friendly, and open to the public. See you there – Bimaadiziwin Nibi | Water is Life! Want to register to attend and perhaps win a fabulous door prize or become a vendor or donor for the event? You can do that and more at the festival website: waterislifefestival.org!
Water is Life Festival needs volunteers! If you are interested and planning to attend, consider volunteering while you are there – register here!
Walk, Paddle, and Roll with Us: Make a Donation Today to Protect the Great Lakes!
Your support and engagement are helping Freshwater Future inform Great Lakes communities about elevated lead risks and advocate for affordable water policies. But there’s more work to be done! The Freshwater Future Team is raising $5,000 to support our mission to protect the Great Lakes and the communities that rely on them with our Walk Paddle and Roll, now through September 30th. We will be cleaning up our local wetlands, biking, and organizing activities across the region. Click HERE to check out what our team is doing and donate now – Thank you for helping to make a difference!
Meet Our Spring Grantees: Capital Area Friends of the Environment
Capital Area Friends of the Environment in Lansing, MI are concerned about contamination of groundwater from a local power plant’s toxic coal ash waste piles. They are conducting in-depth testing to determine the extent of the contamination and advocating to regulators for greater oversight of the waste and clean-up efforts. You can learn about our other amazing spring grantees here. Does your grassroots organization need funding for your water protection work? Our Fall Project Grants are open for applications until September 30th!
Freshwater Voices Newsletter Available Online!
Check out our latest issue of the Freshwater Voices Newsletter, where we reflect on what’s driving the rising costs of water and challenges specific to the Great Lakes and highlight how Freshwater Future and our partners are addressing these issues around the region. Click this link to view the online version.
Are Private Water Companies Paying a “Fair Market Value” for our Water Systems?
One of the many factors driving up the cost of water is the process of privatization, where for-profit water companies buy up and begin to operate public water utilities. These could be either drinking or wastewater systems, or both. One of the ways private water companies are able to acquire systems and return a profit is with the assistance of “fair market value” legislation. Half of the Great Lakes states, including Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana, have legislation that allows this. So, what is fair market value legislation and how can it make my water more unaffordable? We answer those questions and more in our blog!
This week, and in the coming weeks, we will explore how privatization is spreading across the Great Lakes region and how it affects our communities.
Join Us on August 22nd for Freshwater Future’s Virtual Monthly Wellness Session
Our waters depend on community leaders like you, and we know the work can be as stressful and draining as it is rewarding and critical. Join us this month on Thursday, August 22nd at 11:30 am ET to learn and practice proven methods that reduce stress and help you re-energize to continue your water work. Our facilitator, Jonathan Relucio, is a skilled practitioner of trauma-informed mindfulness, yoga, and meditation with over 20 years of experience advocating for social justice. The event is FREE, and everyone is welcome – share with family, friends, co-workers, and volunteers.
