Writer Mark H. Stowers in this issue takes a look at how a 1907 invention of plastic has become a major environmental problem in general and more specifically for inland lakes as microplastic particles make there way into the waterways in Oakland County. The Alliance for the Great Lakes reports that 22 million pounds of plastic are dumped into the Great Lakes annually. Of that amount, 86 percent is plastic that breaks down into microplastics, which find their way into aquati

Leo Hendrick Baekeland innocently invented plastic in 1907. The easily shaped, durable, and inexpensive material became a staple in homes and businesses, with thousands of beneficial uses. Other scientists would come along and build upon the invention, but few probably foresaw the global problems they were creating in their labs.

Michigan’s water and woods set the stage for an annual orchestral performance that begins when March weather warms and continues through late summer. The Michigan toads and frogs symphony features each species' mating song, from high-pitched trills and whistles to low-pitched moos. Common sounds include the high-pitched chorus of spring peepers, the long musical trill of the American toad, the banjo-pluck of Green Frogs, and the deep, loud bass of American Bullfrogs. These we