Common Groundwater
Michigan is defined by the Great Lakes that surround it. But there's a so-called sixth lake that’s critical to our state, too: our groundwater. It flows deeply through every community and to every corner of our peninsulas. Yet, we have so much more to learn about this natural feature.
Like groundwater, this podcast aims to reach across our state and reveal deeply nuanced stories of environmental threats and solutions through a lens of humanity. We go beyond the headlines to show you something grand yet personal to us all.
Common Groundwater
From in the Red To in the Black - The Polluter Rulebook
Ink from recycled paper, of all things, was what polluted the Kalamazoo River Watershed so much, it was placed in two federal cleanup programs.
Paper mills, oil spills, dams, manure—the "Kazoo" has seen it all. And yet, this watershed and its inhabitants have persevered. With contamination comes a fierce pride, and with pride comes action.
The Kalamazoo River Watershed Council was created to bring its namesake river out of the red and into the black. It's been doing a just that, all while bringing folks of diverse geographies and histories together to protect the waters that connect them all.
In the third episode of "The Polluter Rulebook," Doug McLaughlin joins us to put our contamination conversation into a local context.
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To learn more about the Kazoo and its Kalamazoo River Watershed Council, go to kalamazooriver.org.
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Common Groundwater is hosted by the Michigan Environmental Council and Lansing resident Beau Brockett Jr.
Our music is "The Four Seasons" by Antonio Vivaldi, arranged by Derek Zhang and performed by Jackson resident Taj Wallace.
Our 2024 series is sponsored by Kalsec, a global ingredient company headquartered in Kalamazoo that meets the highest recognized social and environmental standards through its B Corps certification.
