For Friday, Aug. 21, 2026
1 – Data centers are on the minds of the Conference of Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers.
The group recently shared a data center overview on state and provincial water management laws and programs in the Great Lakes basin.
There are around 525 data centers in the eight U.S. Great Lakes states, representing about one-fifth of all U.S. data centers. Around 225 new data centers are planned across the region through 2030.
Water use is an issue. Nationally, it’s estimated that U.S. data centers consumed about 17 billion gallons of water in 2023 for on-site cooling. Officials say a Great Lakes Compact and companion cross-border Agreement serve as an important framework for the responsible management of water resources in the basin. That includes state and provincial oversight of large withdrawals.
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2 – Sept. 19 is the biggest day for Adopt-a-Beach action.
The Alliance for the Great Lakes is helping organize cleanups across the Great Lakes on and around Saturday, Sept. 19. They’ll join people worldwide as part of the International Coastal Cleanup.
It’s the 35th anniversary of Adopt-a-Beach. The Alliance is encouraging people to sign up to join or host a shoreline cleanup. A cleanup planned for the Bay City State Park is already full.
Check out adopt.greatlakes.org for more.
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3 – Plastics are one of the top finds during beach cleanups.
A water purification company is highlighting new peer-reviewed research from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.
A study found that communities exposed to higher environmental concentrations of microplastics had higher rates of several chronic diseases.
The researchers analyzed more than 700 coastal U.S. census tracts and adjusted their analysis for demographic, socioeconomic and environmental elements.
Areas with the highest microplastic concentrations had a 21% higher prevalence of stroke, 17% higher prevalence of diabetes and 10% higher prevalence of high blood pressure than areas with lower concentrations.
Researchers say this isn’t proof that microplastics cause the diseases. But the findings add to a growing body of studies on how tiny plastics may interact with the human body.
– Mr. Great Lakes is heard at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on Delta College Public Radio 90.1 FM WUCX in University Center, Michigan, near Bay City (listen live). Follow @jeffkart on Twitter or even Bluesky #MrGreatLakes
Mr Great Lakes 