Today at FLOW, we are launching our latest campaign. It’s called Get Off the Bottle, and it combines facts, law, and policy with good old fashioned humor about the absurd implications of bottled water, whose sales surpassed the sales of soda for the first time in 2016. Just think about that for a moment…. Read more »
Today is World Water Day, focusing attention on the importance of water. The theme for World Water Day 2018 is Nature for Water – exploring nature-based solutions to the water challenges of the 21st century. In Michigan, citizens are rallying to call attention to the failure of state policymakers to protect our water. Shannon… Read more »
Taking a Look at Bottled Water Bottled water costs up to 2,000 times more per volume than tap water. About 64% of commercial bottled water is just tap water that’s been filtered or purified. Approximately 70% of plastic water bottles are not recycled — and still people drink from them. Getting Off the Bottle is… Read more »
Should Michigan law make it easier for special interests to grab large amounts of water without public oversight? Most citizens would say no, but the Michigan Legislature is considering a “yes.” The State House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday, February 28 at 9 a.m. on a bill, HB 5638, giving… Read more »
At the core of its plain meaning, public trust means that future generations depend on us – trust us – to protect the water, air, and land upon which their wellbeing will depend. Public trust principles are enshrined in law. The people who serve in positions of leadership and authority are legally responsible to all… Read more »
FLOW’s organizing principle is the public trust doctrine. What sounds like an exotic concept is quite simple. This 1500-year old principle of common law holds that there are some resources, like water and submerged lands, that by their nature cannot be privately owned. Rather, this commons – like the Great Lakes — belongs to the… Read more »
Jim Maturen of Reed City is a lifelong conservationist who looked personally into the concern that Nestle’s water withdrawals are affecting critical and sensitive trout streams. He did it the old-fashioned way – he went out in the streams. We asked him for his observations. The controversy over Nestlé’s extraction of water in Osceola County… Read more »
A sampling of recent news coverage involving FLOW Research shows Great Lakes algae and microplastics connect March 21, 2021 Scientists discovered plastic microfibers in the Great Lakes are sticking to green algae that grows along the bottomlands in a way that could help keep the pollution out of the environment. Liz Kirkwood, executive director for Traverse… Read more »
Liz Kirkwood, Executive DirectorJim Olson, President, FounderDeirdre Ring-Marrinson, Fund Development SpecialistNayt Boyt, Catalyst CoordinatorDave Dempsey, Senior AdvisorOver the past two years, FLOW has experienced tremendous growth, including the hire of development director Deirdre Ring-Marrinson, office manager Nayt Boyt, and most recently senior advisor Dave Dempsey. Dave brings 35 years’ experience in water policy, served as… Read more »
In the last two years, FLOW has taken a leadership role in many efforts to protect the public ownership and health of the Great Lakes. FLOW has provided science, technical, and legal analysis to underpin the work of citizens fighting for the Great Lakes. Committed to offering a sound basis for advocacy on behalf of… Read more »