Meet the blogger
Jeff Alexander
My life, in 60 seconds
I grew up in suburban Los Angeles. Moved to Michigan to play college hockey. What? Seriously. Hockey didn't work out. Settled on journalism. Met girl of my dreams (now wife) while in college. Encountered the wondrous Great Lakes. Never returned to California. Blessed with three wonderful children. Worked as a reporter and editor for 25 years at several Michigan newspapers. Wrote two books. Left the newspaper industry in 2009. Started my own writing and media consulting business (J. Alexander Communications). Now a contract writer for hire. I enjoy kayaking, hiking, reading, watching pro hockey and college football, traveling, exploring the Great Lakes and occasionally trying to rise above the rank of world's worst angler. And I blog about the Great Lakes because these freshwater seas are, in a word, incredible. Thanks for visiting!
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Is your representative in Congress a friend of the environment?
The League of Conservation voters recently released its National Environmental Scorecard, which rates members of Congress based on how often their votes supported environmental protection measures. Personally, I’m a sucker for credible reports that hold members of Congress accountable for their … Continue reading
Controversial mine releases its “Community Scorecard”
Mining giant Rio Tinto recently released what the company calls a “Community Scorecard” of its work at the controversial Eagle mine near Big Bay, Michigan. The scorecard is based on a company-controlled survey that asked local residents and community leaders … Continue reading
Article - The Great Lakes have some of world’s most concentrated plastic pollution
Reblogged from Keepers of the Water: Plastic pollutants circulate in pockets of the Great Lakes at concentrations higher than any other body of water on Earth, according to a recent State University of New York study. The study is the … Continue reading
Sewage-free Great Lakes a priority for one U.S. senator
U.S. Senator Mark Kirk, an Illinois Republican, will make a triumphant return to Congress in January, months after suffering a stroke. Kirk recently said that one of his priorities upon returning to Capitol Hill will be seeking a ban on … Continue reading
2012 election will have huge implications for the Great Lakes
Efforts to restore the Great Lakes from more than a century of human-induced abuses have made great strides over the past decade, but a looming federal budget crisis could undo much of that progress. Great Lakes advocates worked with Congress … Continue reading
Taking stock of the Great Lakes during Great Lakes Week 2012
Great Lakes Week kicks off today in Cleveland and is fitting that this conference — focusing on restoring the Great Lakes — is being held in Cleveland, near the shores of Lake Erie. Cleveland, which was once dubbed the Mistake by … Continue reading
Crossing Lake Ontario is one of the world’s hardest swims
Swimming across Lake Ontario is one of the world’s most difficult swims, according to an interesting article on Great Lakes ECHO. Powerful currents and rapidly changing water temperatures make swimming across the lake a risky endeavor. Swimming across Lake Ontario was … Continue reading
Plastics pollution not just in oceans; Great Lakes also affected
The massive plume of plastic waste floating in the Pacific Ocean has garnered lots of media attention lately. Turns out, the Great Lakes face a similar problem, but on a smaller scale. A group of students spent their summer looking … Continue reading
Michigan Tech unveils new Great Lakes Research Center
Michigan Tech University on July 30 unveiled its new $25 million Great Lakes Research Center. The opening of this facility is great news for the university and the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes are facing a myriad of serious threats, … Continue reading
Great Lakes drownings are becoming an epidemic
Nearly fifty people have already drowned in the Great Lakes this year, and there is still about six weeks remaining in the summer swimming season. These numbers, which have already surpassed the 2011 total for Great Lakes drownings, are astounding … Continue reading
