For Friday, Feb. 19, 2021

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1- It was a mild winter until recently. The lack of ice cover on the Great Lakes was national news. 

Not so much anymore, with an extended disruption of the polar vortex this month that hovered over the Great Lakes and caused rapid increases in ice cover.

Michigan Sea Grant is calling attention to this as part of a webinar on March 3. The message: Winter on the Great Lakes is dynamic, and often includes rapid changes. 

During the webinar, at 3 p.m. on March 3, experts will discuss “Ice, Evaporation, and Water Level Impacts.”

Speakers will include Dr. John Lenters from Michigan Tech, a leading researcher who has studied and monitored the critical role evaporation plays in Great Lakes water levels. 

Registration is free. 

2 – Today’s standard household batteries like AAs and AAAs are safe to dispose of with your normal trash. But the lithium-ion batteries found in mobile phones, laptops, tablets, cordless power tools and other devices are not. 

And if they’re disposed of improperly, lithium-ion batteries can spark fires at landfills, among other things. 

There was a fire recently at a landfill in Marquette County, where four lithium ion batteries caught fire in a bag of trash. Several other fires have been reported in Southfield. 

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy says improper disposal of lithium-ion batteries is a growing concern. Officials say the best way to dispose of the batteries is to treat them as hazardous waste. 

The state maintains an online list of household hazardous waste contacts by county and a page with information on e-waste recyclers. 

The Bay County government website at BayCounty-MI.gov also has a page on battery recycling with information on locations in Bay City, Saginaw, Midland, Marlette and Caro. 

3 – Groups involved with the Lake Huron Coastal Preserve project, featured on last week’s segment, are taking comments from the public. 

An online meeting is set for 5 p.m. March 8 to receive comments on a 145-acre parcel of property purchased by Huron Pines.

The nonprofit purchased the Lake Huron coastal property in December with the help of a short-term loan from The Conservation Fund. 

The long-term plan calls for Alabaster Township to assume ownership of this property in 2022. 

The township is considering a grant application to the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund and looking for comments about the potential future use of the property as a park, desired amenities, accessibility questions and general feedback.

Written comments also are being accepted, with a March 1 deadline. 

– Mr. Great Lakes is heard Friday mornings in Bay City, Michigan, on Delta College Public Radio 90.1 FM (streaming). Follow @jeffkart on Twitter #MrGreatLakes

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See also:

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British Company That Uses Waste Plastic To Pave Roads Bringing Process To U.S.