For Sept 1, 2017

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1 – A Great Lakes-wide event is planned for Sept. 16.

Thousands of people are expected to participate in September Adopt-a-Beach on Sept. 16. The day is organized by the Alliance for the Great Lakes and dedicated to volunteering and cleaning up Great Lakes beaches and shorelines.

The event is part of the International Coastal Cleanup, involving millions of people caring for local shorelines around the world.

In the Great Lakes last year, Adopt-a-Beach volunteers picked up more than 40,000 pounds of litter. 87 percent of it was plastic.

To find a cleanup near you, or host your own event, go online to GreatLakesAdopt.org.

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2 – Human antidepressants are building up in the brains of bass, walleye and several other fish common to the Great Lakes region.

In a new study, researchers from the University of Buffalo detected high concentrations of antidepressants in the brain tissue of 10 fish species found in the Niagara River.

The Niagara River connects Lake Erie and Lake Ontario via Niagara Falls.

The discovery of antidepressants in aquatic life in the river raises serious environmental concerns, researchers say.

The active ingredients from antidepressants are coming from wastewater treatment plants, and could affect the feeding behavior of fish and their survival instincts.

The levels of antidepressants found do not pose a danger to humans who eat the fish, but are a threat to biodiversity if they disrupt the balance between species that keep the ecosystem stable.

The study was published on Aug. 16 in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

– 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