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Sustainability and the River

The picture above was taken from the Liberty Bridge in Bay City, Michigan. It brings together the elements of sustainability in one dramatic view. It paints a contrasting picture of the natural beauty of the Saginaw River near its mouth and its commercial aspects.

At the center is a stone dock where materials for extensive road and highway systems are delivered. Commercial ships and recreational boating have an impact on the River both for fun and useful imports, yet leave behind gas, oil wastes, and invasive species that pollute this valuable water system. Visible are the stacks of the two coal fired power plants which provide our much needed electric power, while producing greenhouse gases, mercury, and arsenic contaminates.

Sustainability requires a careful balance between providing for important needs such as clean water, clean air, healthy food, and the level of toxicity that we allow into the production and delivery of essential products and raw materials. Exploring sustainable solutions through education and research may bring us closer to an environmental balance that can provide a healthy and pleasurable life for Saginaw Valley residents.

We now live on a planet with seven billion people; the answers may not be easy. The Saginaw Valley Sustainability Society will provide resources and materials about sustainable solutions to environmental problems, including global climate change, as they impact the natural resources and people of the Great Lakes region in general, with specific focus on the Saginaw Bay and its watershed. We need your help. Please join our efforts!