The Green Room

As the recent disaster in Massachusetts shows, pipeline problems can cause fatal explosions. But in Michigan, it’s the impact pipelines might have to our increasingly threatened water supplies that is drawing most of the attention. This is the third of our “Green Room” series on pipelines.

Whether crude oil or natural gas, once these fossil fuels are extracted from the ground, they can present flammable and toxic hazards. Safely transporting them is a major challenge. In this installment of "The Green Room," we have the second in our series on pipelines.

Why do some people feel oil and gas pipelines are a good and necessary part of our lives, while others fight against them? To tackle this question, first we need to understand the basics: We all know what a pipeline is. But what they carry, where they are, and why there are so many, are questions most of us aren’t so sure about. In this first part of a series on energy pipelines, Barbara Lucas gives us a bit of “Pipelines 101," in "The Green Room."

Driverless technology is here! Two fully-automated, 11-passenger, all-electric shuttles manufactured by French firm NAVYA will soon begin transporting University of Michigan students, faculty, and staff on a non-stop two-mile route between the Lurie Engineering Center and the North Campus Research Complex. As it grows, this paradigm-shifting technology promises to change our world in many ways. In the May edition of 89.1 WEMU's 'The Green Room,' we examine its potential to help, or hurt, in our

Inspired by the intense controversy over Ann Arbor’s deer cull, this two-part series focuses on underlying value systems that shape perspectives on wildlife management issues.

Centuries-old trees have many benefits: they provide habitat, absorb stormwater runoff, sequester carbon, and beautify the rural landscape. Many of our largest got their start when buggies or farm tractors were the fastest thing on the road. Now, in the age of speedy (and often distracted) driving, trees close to the road are being hit by drivers that lose control. Should they be removed for safety's sake? In the last few months, there has been much talk about this question in Washtenaw County.

These days, it seems you can back up just about any point of view, depending on which facts you choose to cite. So, let’s take a moment to set aside the debate over data when it comes to Ann Arbor’s deer management plan, including sterilization and a lethal cull. In this first of our two-part series in “The Green Room,” Barbara Lucas focuses instead on the underlying perspectives and value systems guiding some of the voices in this contentious issue.

At the November climate talks in Bonn, Germany, an initiative called “America’s Pledge” put forth a commitment by U.S. states, cities, companies, and colleges to achieve the carbon cuts agreed to by the U.S. in Paris in 2015, despite Trump’s withdrawal from the agreement . But if the U.S. doesn’t pursue federal-level policies to reign in carbon emissions, can global efforts succeed, in light of the world’s highly interdependent economies? In this installment of WEMU’s The Green Room, Barbara

Sandhill cranes are perhaps the earth’s oldest living bird species. Measuring up to 5 feet tall, these iconic symbols of wilderness have rebounded from near extinction in our area. Has this conservation success story gotten out of hand? In this installment of WEMU’s Green Room series, Barbara Lucas explores varying perspectives.

No matter who we are or where we live, all human being have one thing in common: we all have the night sky above us. But can we actually see it? Studies say nowadays only 20% of the world’s population lives somewhere dark enough to see the heavens untouched by light pollution. Luckily, this is one form of pollution that can be reversed. Join Barbara Lucas as she explores how.