Environment

When Caroline Miller walks into the woods, students follow, some carrying tools and many carrying a curiosity for nature that they didn’t have before they met her. She leads volunteer efforts to rid the MSU campus of invasive plants and said she wants to teach plant ecology and work against “plant blindness,” the tendency of people to overlook nature in their environments.

Those affected by the ice storm last year spoke about their experiences during the days and weeks after the devastation at an event organized by climate advocacy groups.

The project would involve logging, gravel mine expansion and forest restoration efforts. Some groups are opposed because they worry about environmental impacts and a decrease in off-road vehicle trails.

Tiny shards of plastic called microplastics are all over the environment and even inside human bodies. Researchers have found a type of bioengineered algae that can clean up these pesky particles.

More than 1,600 plants and animals are protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, but out of all of those, only one is a moss. A new effort seeks to protect these often overlooked plants.

Lawmakers are making another effort to adopt Michigan’s first statewide septic code with mandatory inspections, intended to protect drinking water from contamination. It’s the only state without one.

Michigan has been trying to shut down the controversial pipeline since 2019. A technical question before the court could seal its fate.

An order issued earlier this week is the fourth time the U.S. Energy Department has extended operations of Consumers Energy's J.H. Campbell power plant in Ottawa County.

Given dramatic changes in federal energy policy and spending, as well as possible reduction in state financial support for alternative energy projects, is Michigan still on target to reach its clean energy goals?

Melting snow over the weekend across the Lower Peninsula released trapped pollutants into the air, triggering statewide air quality alerts.