Rad Reads: The Death and Life of the Great Lakes
This Rad Reads recommendation is for all the lake lovers out there. So often we talk about "protecting what we love" but when it comes to our Great Lakes what exactly are we protecting them from?
The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan, who lives and works in Milwaukee, talks about many threats to our great lakes with the main focuses being invasive species and the fight to keep the lakes from being drained from too much taking. Listen, I love Lake Michigan, like a lot, but from a scientific perspective I didn’t know much about what was threatening it. This book helped me start to dive into that.
So what kind of wisdom does this book share? Here are some good words that stuck out to me:
“A Great Lake can hold all the mysteries of an ocean, and then some.”
“...One out of every five gallons available on the planet- can be found in the Great Lakes.” (In reference to fresh water).
“The biggest threat to the Great Lakes is our own ignorance.”
Now what if I told you that all three of those quotes were spread across just two pages in the introduction of the book? Yep, it’s true. Makes it pretty easy to understand that there is plenty of goodness to read and learn in this book.
If you have ever been curious about the history of the Great Lakes, if you have watched the lakes change over the years and wonder the causes and impact of those changes, or if you have just enjoyed some quality time on the lakes with people you care about then this one is for you.
I mentioned earlier the phrase “protect what you love” and honestly those are some of my favorite words, ones that I try to live by each day. I truly love Lake Michigan and I want to protect it at all costs. I want it’s beauty and resources to be able to be shared with everyone and anyone who wants to take it in, but I want this to be done in the safest way possible. This book can serve as a great tool, even if it’s just the beginning, to learn how to enjoy and appreciate this amazing resource while doing so in a responsible and educated way.