Next Week! Wonders of the Great Lakes 2024 Online Auction Starts May 17th
We are just days away from the start of Freshwater Future’s Wonders of the Great Lakes Auction on May 17th! Whether you’re a seasoned auction pro or a curious newcomer, this online event is for you. Every bid makes a difference. From delicious food, handcrafted art, gifts, and recreational gear to wine and beer tastings, museum and music tickets, and boat, kayak, and train tours, this online auction is your chance to support Freshwater Future and experience the Great Lakes’ wonders that make our region so special. Spread the word with your friends and family. The more bidders, the bigger impact we can make together!
- American Spoon
- Baabaazuzu
- Chicago Shakespeare Theater
- Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants
- Field Museum
- Founders Brewing Co
- John Ball Zoo
- Lake Art
- Lake Geneva Cruise Line
- Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua
- Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria
- Music Box Supper Club
- National Museum of the Great Lakes
- North Shore Scenic Railroad
- Nutcase Vegan
- Patagonia
- Striker Rainwear
- Superior Coffee Roasting Co.
- Susan P. Gateley, Author and Publisher
- Taylors Falls Scenic Boat Tours
- Waters View Inn Beach House
- Widmer’s Cheese Cellars
Register for Freshwater Future’s May Mindfulness and Movement Monthly Wellness Session
The April Mindfulness & Movement Session received phenomenal reviews! Join us this month on May 23rd 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. Pre-registration is required.
Reflections and Recording from Great Lakes CAFO + HABs Conference
We loved seeing everyone at this year’s Great Lakes CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation) + HABs (Harmful Algal Blooms) Conference whether you attended virtually or in person in Toledo! No worries if you couldn’t make it – we’ve got the recording for you. While there is no recreating the CAFO bus tour or dinner aboard the Sandpiper boat, the recording captures the amazing experts from Professor John Ikerd’s discussion on the economic fallacies of CAFOs to Jeff Reutter’s assessment of progress on Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms.
Minnesota State Park to be Shuttered for Iron Mine
Minnesota is set to close Hill Annex Mine State Park in Calumet on the Mesabi Iron Range to convert the land back into an active mine. The 625-acre park consists of an old mine pit, and formerly, offered pontoon trips and was a hot spot for fossil collectors. The closure is part of a plan by a reclamation company to process commercial iron ore from waste pilings at the site. Lawmakers are advancing proposals to decommission the park and could soon remove public access. The reopening of the mine raises concerns about pollution to the area’s water resources. To learn more about mining pressures around the Great Lakes, check out this blog from Freshwater Future.
The Cost of Climate Change in Canada: $139B in Next 30 Years
A new report on climate change impacts predicts that floods, droughts, and major storms could cost the Canadian economy $139 billion (CA$) over the next 30 years. The report emphasized that the role of water in climate impacts cannot be understated. Floods and storms bring excessive water and drought brings problems with agriculture and wildfires like the record-setting wildfires across Canada last summer. The study calls for swift action to implement adaptive measures, such as local nature-based projects like green stormwater infrastructure that can manage floods, as well as large-scale infrastructure.
