"The Great Lakes" region is an area that is comprised of 5 major lakes that are between the border of southern Canada and some states bordering Northern America most notably Michigan. These lakes are Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie, and Ontario. Lake superior borders the northern state Wisconsin, while lakes Michigan and Huron border Michigan. Lakes Erie and Ontario border the Ohio-Pennsylvania border and New York borders respectively. These 5 lakes play a huge roll in supporting our entire countries livelihoods as they are the largest groups of lakes by area, and second largest by volume being 21% of the entire planet's surface freshwater. All of these lakes are connected by small rivers and straights and each play a vital role in the well-being of our country. However, if one was to be considered more important than the rest, at least to us as Americans, it would be Lake Michigan as it is the only lake completely within our borders.

Why do I care?

One of the many things that climate change affects, most notably, is the sea levels. But much like the seas and oceans, water levels in lakes and ponds are growing as well. One of the areas affected by this is the Great Lakes. A "new low ice cover record" was recorded in the Great Lakes in January 2021. Rapid switches in the water levels between the high and lows are normal in Michigan now. Heavier rainfall increases runoffs from farms and cities. "This pollution contributes to beach closings and algae blooms like the harmful algae bloom in Lake Erie that shut down Toledo’s drinking water supply in 2014". Warmer winters have also reduced the amount of ice covering the lakes. As you can imagine this is affecting the many species of fish and other water creatures residing in the lakes.

As shown in the figure above, air temperature, basin precipitation, water temperature, ice coverage, and water levels are among other things that are changing in our lakes. Lakes Erie and Ontario posted the highest water levels on record. We are reaching new record high colds as well as new record setting ice coverage. The states surrounding the area, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, have all had their wettest years to day, and by the time July rolls around, it is the hottest it has ever been. This isn't just some global warming problem. It's a complete change in climate on both fronts.

Okay, well who does this effect?

Someone I would like to introduce to you is Sara Bowers (pictured left), She is 97 years old and lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan She doesn't live on the lakes but she lives quite close so she visits them frequently. She has lived there for the majority of her life and has lived in the same house the entire time. The houses in the neighborhood she lives in are about 100 yards apart. She happens to have a big garden where she harvest vegetables including cucumbers that she has actually showed me how to pickle before (though I was young and have forgotten now). Sara is my great grandmother on my mom's side. Climate change has affected her as well as the neighbors in her area. Nothing too severe, but changes in gardening have been crucial for her to have a successful harvest. Before, certain seasons for fruits and vegetables were longer than they are now while some are slightly shorter. She has also noticed some changes in the lakes over the years. The lakes used to be for "non-public" use for longer due to the cold weather and icy lakes. But as the ice melts faster every year and the average temperature rises, summers feel longer as lake weather is around longer.

How does that effect me?

Something that I mentioned before is that these "Great Lakes" contain 21% of the Earth's freshwater. We share these lakes with Canada, besides Lake Michigan, so we own roughly 60% of that freshwater. As you could imagine, that much freshwater is quite valuable. These great lakes provide drinking water for roughly 40 million people. And with climate change, the value of these lakes are only increasing. Chances are, if you live within 1000 miles of these "Great Lakes" the water you are drinking right now came right from the source. So anywhere from Maine, to Colorado, to Kentucky, you are affected by this drinking water. And for us Californians, it is all the more vital. We get our drinking water from very limited ground and surface water. If the Lakes stop being able to provide as much water as they do, the people of those areas will have to look for other suppliers, such as California and Florida. Southern Californians were in a water crisis not that long ago. I still remember it and I'm only 19 years old. No matter where you are in the country, this crisis affects us all. We could even go as far to say that this would affect the planet as a whole.

Well what can I do?

There are many things that you can do to help.

1. You can donate to organizations that help this cause and others.

     - preserve.nature.org

     - support.defenders.org

     - give.icv.org

2. Going green. Changing things about your everyday life that will limit the effects of Climate Change.

• Save Energy at home
• Walk or Bike places
• Eat more Vegetables 
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
• Change source of power (Solar)