For Friday, June 21, 2024
1 – Excessive heat can be a drag, including on air quality.
Michigan’s environmental agency reminded people this week about steps to protect yourself from risks related to poor air quality due to excessive heat and ozone.
You can stay informed when air quality advisories or alerts are issued in your area by checking online at AirNow.gov and subscribing there to email or text alerts from the EnviroFlash system.
This year, the state has made changes to its air quality alert system. The new system now includes air quality advisories and alerts for ozone, or smog, and particulate matter, or soot.
During a poor air quality day, people are advised to:
- Reduce the time you are active outdoors
- Consider less intense activities that require less physical exertion
- Schedule outdoor activities for the morning or evening when ozone levels are usually lower.
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2 – A paper in the Journal of Great Lakes Research identifies Michigan’s Top Ten most unwanted.
The paper is about aquatic invasive species. Researchers ranked, in order of impact, those species determined to have the most significant environmental and socio-economic effects.
The winners?
From lowest to highest impact, we have white perch, round goby and the common reed, aka Phragmites.
Then there’s water chesnut, grass crap, Japanese stiltgrass and sea lamprey.
At No. 3 is alewife, with quagga mussel in second place and zebra mussel at No. 1.
The most common shared negative effects of the invasives include direct hazards or threats posed to native species, and costly damage to human recreation, aesthetics and economic activities.
The authors say the rankings can serve as a reference point for researchers, educators and communicators as the Great Lakes continue to be affected by the spread of invasive species.
– Mr. Great Lakes is heard at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on Delta College Public Radio 90.1 FM in University Center, Michigan, near Bay City (listen live). Follow @jeffkart on Twitter #MrGreatLakes
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Mr Great Lakes 