Save Your Spot for Next Week’s Mindfulness and Movement Session
Don’t miss out on the next Movement & Mindfulness session next Wednesday, February 25th at 11:30 a.m. ET. The 45-minute session is guaranteed to help you de-stress from all your hard work to address water issues. Register here to join us and our facilitator, Jonathan Relucio – a skilled practitioner of trauma-informed mindfulness, yoga, and meditation with over 20 years of experience advocating for social justice. This event is free and open to the public, and a reminder that registration is required for each event. Register here!
Need Funding for Your Local Water Advocacy?
Community-based organizations are invited to submit Spring Project Grant Applications. Now is the perfect time to determine if Freshwater Future’s grant program is a good fit for your organization. Read more about organization and project eligibility on our grants webpage, which includes a map of all previously funded projects and frequently asked questions. Call or email Alana at (231) 348-8200 ext. 6 or Alana@freshwaterfuture.org) to learn more! Applications are due by March 31st.
Last Chance – Stop Indiana Senate Bill 277 and Protect Hoosier Health
The final vote is coming up in the Indiana State House on a bill that puts Hoosiers’ health at risk, including the safety of residents’ water from source to tap. Indiana Senate Bill 277 proposes to dismantle the state’s environmental agency and public health protections, and the House will soon vote on it. Send a message with this form or call your state representative soon, asking them to oppose this bill. Look up your elected officials contact information here https://freshwaterfuture.org/elected-official-lookup/. Afterwards, please share this with your fellow residents!
Chicago-Area Organization Influences New County Environmental Justice Policy
Community-based organizations like Voces Fieles Comunitarias Contra La Opresión are celebrating Cook County, Illinois’ first Environmental Justice Policy Framework. Through their experience working to address local urban flooding and industrial pollution, this Cicero-based group provided valuable insight on this policy guide. The new framework is intended as a living document to ensure environmental justice considerations are made for all government decision-making from stormwater management to economic development. Freshwater Future applauds grassroots organizations making a positive impact on local policies.
Celebrate the Wins: Canada and U.S. Take-On Plastic Pollution
Great Lakes residents can celebrate recent victories in Canada and the U.S. to address plastic pollution. In Canada, a court recently confirmed the federal government’s authority to classify plastic items as “toxic” under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. Thanks to the work of advocates, including Canadian partner organizations Ecojustice and Environmental Defence for this work, progress is being made to address the serious risks of plastic pollution. Meanwhile in the U.S., the Safe Drinking Water Act has been invoked by seven state governor petitioners, including three from the Great Lakes region, to push federal action on water testing for microplastics.
