For July 7, 2017

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1 – SC Johnson’s manufacturing site in Bay County recently joined two other company-owned sites running on 100 percent wind energy.

The Bay County site is located in Bangor Township and manufactures Ziploc brand bags.

The Bangor Township facility is purchasing all of its electricity from nearby wind farms.

SC Johnson says almost one third of its global energy usage now comes from renewable sources. It’s part of a company effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Two other SC Johnson sites in the Netherlands and Poland are running completely on wind energy.

2 – Teachers can go back to school this summer.

From Aug. 14-17, a Lake Huron summer teacher institute will be held in Alpena. Applications for the event are due July 21.

It’s put on by the Northeast Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative, in partnership with federal and state agencies, universities, nonprofits and others.

The event provides an opportunity to network and explore Great Lakes and natural resource issues.

Participants will receive a $500 project stipend to launch a place-based education effort at their school.

For more information, see nemi glsi . org.

 

3 – The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has tips for avoiding problems with Canada geese this summer.

A subspecies called the giant Canada goose is most plentiful in Michigan. These birds nearly went extinct in the 1950s because of overhunting and habitat loss.

These days, the number of giant Canada geese counted each spring in Michigan is well over 300,000 due in part to wildlife management programs.

Tips to keep geese away from your yard include using bird-scare balloons and applying repellents like grape concentrate to your lawn to keep geese from feeding on the grass.

Also, do not feed Canada geese. Be aware of your surroundings when visiting parks and areas near water. Canada geese are protective of their nests and hatchlings. Do not disturb them or get too close.

– Mr. Great Lakes is heard at 9:30 a.m. Fridays in Bay City, Michigan, on Delta College Q-90.1 FM NPR. Follow @jeffkart on Twitter #MrGreatLakes