Alliance for the Great Lakes

August marks the 10-year anniversary of when residents of Toledo, Ohio awoke to urgent warnings not to drink or use their tap water. The cause? Toxins in Lake Erie from a harmful algal bloom fed by farm fertilizer runoff. Chronic algal blooms persist, which is why we're helping states prioritize and target funding to the highest priority fields and the most cost-efficient practices.

New Targeting Strategies to Fight Algal Blooms - Alliance for the Great Lakes This August marks the 10-year anniversary of when residents of Toledo, Ohio awoke to urgent warnings not to drink or use their tap water. Half a million people were unable […]

Every office, from mayors to the president, can impact the Great Lakes. Push for policies that protect our water. Your voice matters—ask questions, engage online, and hold candidates accountable. Download our nonpartisan Voter Toolkit! https://bit.ly/3YAlNU2

“While chemicals leaching from e-bike batteries is concerning, when it comes to large trash items, people are often surprised to learn that most trash in Lake Michigan is actually tiny pieces of plastic,” said Alliance COO Molly Flanagan.

Community group retrieves over 60 Divvy bikes from Lake Michigan since June Residents concerned about chemicals leaching into the lake, but the Alliance for the Great Lakes notes that plastics are a much bigger concern.

🌊✨ Our campaign to stop plastic pollution and protect the Great Lakes is ending soon!

💰 Every dollar you donate right now will be MATCHED up to $6,000! 💰
We’re in the final hours to hit our matching goal, and we need your superhero energy. Double your impact and be the change-maker we know you are.

Hit the donate button today! 👉 https://bit.ly/4d2GrQX

How do we reduce plastic pollution? We must hold plastic producers responsible for the waste they produce. Andrea Densham, our senior policy advisor, says: "It's time to pass critically needed extended producer responsibility policies across the Great Lakes region."

Tons of plastic trash litters Great Lakes beaches — Why not hold manufacturers responsible? Over 20 years, volunteers picked up more than 535,000 pounds of litter from Great Lakes shorelines, and 86% was plastics. Illinois should follow other states and get manufacturers to help with cleanup.

“We want construction to begin as soon as possible,” Molly Flanagan, COO of the Alliance for the Great Lakes said. “The ultimate goal is to get these protections built at Brandon Road to keep invasive carp out of the Great Lakes.”

A project aims to stop the spread of invasive carp to the Great Lakes A new agreement has unlocked the federal funding needed to begin construction on a lock and dam designed to keep Asian carp out of all the Great Lakes.

We all love and depend on clean water. Unfortunately, plastic is polluting our waterways — in the Great Lakes and around the world.

We’ve made significant strides in combating plastic pollution. From organizing large-scale cleanup campaigns to promoting sustainable practices within local communities and advocating for crucial legislation, our efforts are making a difference.

But the fight is far from over, and we need your support now more than ever.

Every dollar you donate will be matched up to $6,000 and go twice as far in our fight against plastic pollution in the Great Lakes.

Donate Today: https://bit.ly/4d2GrQX

To celebrate Plastic-Free July, we've released a new toolkit that explains solutions to plastic pollution and gives you tools to advocate for those changes. Check out the Plastic Free Great Lakes Toolkit, your blueprint to fighting plastic pollution:

Plastic Free Great Lakes Toolkit - Alliance for the Great Lakes We all love and depend on clean water. Unfortunately, plastic is polluting our waterways — in the Great Lakes and around the world.   Researchers estimate that over 22 million pounds […]

How can we protect Great Lakes shorelines from erosion? Our CEO Joel Brammeier, speaks with WBEZ's Sasha Ann Simons about the effects of erosion and how infrastructure improvements can reduce its impact.

How to protect Lake Michigan’s shoreline from erosion Lakefront erosion is a longstanding problem in and around Chicago, and climate changes are making matters worse.

Both major party conventions are on the Great Lakes this year, putting them on the national stage. Candidates and campaigns have a clear opportunity to stake out solutions and remedies for the threats facing the lakes. "Federal priorities can be the difference between clean lakes and healthy people, and festering problems that damage human health, our economy and the environment," our CEO Joel Brammeier writes in the Chicago Tribune.

Joel Brammeier: The imperiled Great Lakes take the national stage Candidates will have a clear opportunity to stake out solutions for the threats to our most precious natural resource — the Great Lakes.

Are you in the Duluth area and interested in keeping Lake Superior beaches clean? Celebrate Lake Superior Days by joining an Adopt-a-Beach cleanup this Sat 7/20 at 1pm at Park Point Beach House! Sign up here: https://adopt.greatlakes.org/s/cleanup/a2oPm000000THK1IAO/aab23387

A critical barrier to stop invasive carp is now moving forward. Molly Flanagan, our Chief Operating Officer, speaks with Chicago Tonight about how this will protect the Great Lakes.

Illinois Finally Signs Agreement to Build $1B Invasive Carp Barrier, Now That the State Isn’t on the Hook for Entire Lifelong Maintenance Tab After months of negotiations, Illinois has finally signed onto a project partnership agreement with the state of Michigan and the Army Corps of Engineers to move forward with construction of what’s largely viewed as the last line of defense against invasive carp entering the Great Lakes.

Are you passionate about protecting the Great Lakes and the people that rely on them? If so, consider becoming a volunteer Alliance Ambassador and represent the Alliance at events across the region. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3VQ0D11

Alliance Ambassadors - Alliance for the Great Lakes Are you passionate about protecting the Great Lakes and the people that rely on them? If so, consider becoming a volunteer Alliance Ambassador! The Great Lakes region is huge. And […]

Happy 4th of July! 🇺🇸🎇 As we celebrate our nation's freedom, let's also celebrate and protect the natural beauty of the Great Lakes. Every action we take today helps preserve these stunning waters for future generations.

Last week, our President & CEO Joel Brammeier and Jon Heuring, Senior Foundation & Corporate Giving Manager, attended the first-ever Social Impact Summit hosted by . Environmental non-profits shared how Navistar's support is fueling sustainability goals. Exchanging ideas on tackling issues from trees to the Great Lakes was invigorating. Together, we're making an impact for healthier lakes!

"A big day for the Great Lakes."

"Essential to stopping invasive carp from wreaking havoc on our Great Lakes."

"Will help us protect local communities and key industries, including fishing and boating, that support tens of thousands of good-paying jobs."

'Big win': Construction can start on project to block invasive carp from Great Lakes The project involves building a series of mechanisms to block invasive carp from traveling from the Mississippi River watershed to the Great Lakes.

Big news: The Brandon Road project – a series of barriers on the Des Plaines River to stop invasive silver and bighead carp from reaching the Great Lakes – is now set to begin construction!

As of today, the state of Illinois and the state of Michigan signed a final project agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to get shovels in the ground as soon as January. Invasive carp are a serious threat to the Great Lakes. The Brandon Road project will act as the choke point to prevent invasive carp in the Mississippi River from entering Lake Michigan.

This project is a decade in the making and is a major priority for the Alliance for the Great Lakes.
https://greatlakes.org/2024/07/historic-win-for-the-great-lakes-invasive-carp-barrier-gets-final-ok/

Invasive carp pose a serious threat to our Great Lakes. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is ready to start building a critical project to prevent them from reaching Lake Michigan.

Tell Congress: Keep Up Momentum to Stop Invasive Carp

Tell Congress: Keep Up the Momentum to Stop Invasive Carp Tell Congress: Keep Up the Momentum to Stop Invasive Carp

🌊 "Invasive carp threaten the Great Lakes! It's time to step up and protect our waters. 🐟 Read the latest from on why action is crucial now.
https://bit.ly/4cB0bKN

What plastics are we finding on the beach? “Single-use plastics are what our volunteers find the most,” Olivia Reda, volunteer engagement manager, shares in this article. “Those plastic water bottles, forks, straws, or whatever else just keep breaking down into smaller and smaller pieces.”

Great Lakes beachcombers are finding mostly plastic MARQUETTE — Most of the litter on Great Lakes beaches is plastic, according to a 20-year study released Thursday. The study, spanning 2003 to 2023, is based on trash collected during the Adopt-a-Beach volunteer clean-up program organized by the Alliance for the Great Lakes, a nonprofit group worki...

We must keep invasive carp out of the Great Lakes. The Alliance, along with dozens of other groups, are urging Gov. Pritzker of Illinois to sign an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that is crucial to initiate the Brandon Road project to keep the carp from entering Lake Michigan.

www.nwf.org

Honoring : Just as water connects us, so does the journey for freedom and equality. At the Alliance for the Great Lakes, we celebrate this day, reflect on our shared history, and commit to a future where every community thrives.

Thank you so much for joining us at the Great Blue Benefit last Thursday! What an incredible evening it was, celebrating our collective efforts to protect the Great Lakes.
View some of the memorable moments from this year's event!

Nothing says Father's Day like some good ol' dad jokes, Great Lakes style!
• It's Erie-zistable to make puns on Father's Day!
• Huron thin ice if you don't give it a try.
• Can you come up with a pun that's truly Superior?
• Why did the Great Lakes get along so well? They had great "current" events!
• What did Lake Michigan say to Lake Erie on Father's Day? "Water" you doing to celebrate today?
• Why did the Great Lake make a great dad? Because he was always "shore" of himself!
Happy Father’s Day! 💙

Beach season is upon us, which means it's a great time to brush up on beach safety. In the Great Lakes, waves, rip tides, and strong currents near piers can be dangerous -- but being prepared and knowing how to respond can help ensure safe swimming for all. 🏊

Great Lakes summer beach hazards: Hard-hitting waves, dangerous rip currents The Great Lakes can be as dangerous as they are beautiful.