Here’s a great new blog for you to bookmark or put on your RSS feed - Great Lakes on the Ground (www.greatlakesontheground.wordpress.com). It’s authored by Andy Buchsbaum, Regional Executive Director of the National Wildlife Federation’s Great Lakes office. I’ve known Andy since I was in law school and had the pleasure of working with him for several years at NWF. Andy has been personally involved in every major Great Lakes issue this decade, most recently leading the Great Lakes restoration effort on behalf of the environmental community. He describes himself as a “recovering attorney” and before coming to NWF was a prominent and highly effective public interest environmental litigator.
Andy’s Great Lakes on the Ground blog has been up for almost a month now, and most of his posts have focused on the Asian carp mess, and more importantly solutions moving forward. I expect his blog will be a valuable and interesting source of information and provide an insider’s perspective on Great Lakes policy issues.
Unfortunately, not all blogging news is good, and Andy’s new blog comes (coincidentally) at the same time that Dave Dempsey’s Great Lakes Blogger is ending. It’s no secret that Dave and I have had some policy disagreements over the years, but he is always thoughtful – and thought provoking. Dave is first and foremost an advocate for the Great Lakes, and his passion for the Great Lakes is evident in his blogging and books. He can be critical of not only polluters and politicians, but also environmental groups and the media – and with Dave’s experience, I always took his criticisms seriously. I hope Dave will return to blogging and writing down the road, and that many others will exercise their freedom of speech to join these debates and speak up for the Great Lakes in any forum.
