From a young age, John Hartig knew he wanted to work toward protecting the environment, especially waterways and the quality of water in the Great Lakes region. Today, he is a Visiting Fulbright Scholar at the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research at the University of Windsor and the Great Lakes Science Policy Adviser for the International Association for Great Lakes Research.
He’s the author of five books and more than 100 articles about the environment, and for 14 years he served as Refuge Manager for the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. Considering that 80% of people in the United States and Canada live in urban settings, it’s especially important, says John, to encourage relationships with the natural world among young people and toward grooming the next generation of conservationists.
In this episode, Lynne and John discuss:
- 50 years of Earth Day
- Detroit as one of the most remarkable ecological recovery stories
- Water limited situations in the Middle East
- The Great Lakes
- The Sustainability Action Plan in Detroit and Windsor, Ontario
- Canoeing and fishing in northern Michigan
- Sterling State Park
- Mercury levels in fish
Links and Resources
- Earth Day
- Seth Siegel books about water activism
- Detroit Riverwalk
- University of Windsor’s Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research
- Fulbright Scholar
- John Hartig’s books
- Wayne State University’s Center for Peace and Conflict Studies
- Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge
- International Association for Great Lakes Research
Coming up next on the Make Meaning Podcast:
Lynne interviews Jessica McCormick, Director of the Jewish Emergent Network Rabbinical Fellowship. Tune in as Lynne and Jessica discuss this entrepreneurial, collaborative approach to form and engage a new community, devoted to a rich, meaningful practice of the Jewish faith in this new age of American life.
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