When you do the little things to help protect the area’s water supply, it could make a big impact in the rest of the world. The international marine conservation non-profit Mission Blue named the Great Lakes earlier this year the first and only freshwater Hope Spot. The designation means that the Great Lakes, made up of the St. Lawrence Seaway and the lakes of Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior are scientifically identified as critical to the health of the ocean. Since the bodies of water flow into the ocean, the impact of agricultural run-off, plastics pollution, and industrial emissions could be felt not just in Door and Kewaunee counties but thousands of miles away. Dean Hoegger from the Clean Water Action Council of Northeast Wisconsin says any attention is good when it comes to this important issue.

Hoegger says some of the efforts they are participating in currently to protect area waterways and the Great Lakes include working with municipalities to ban the use of some asphalt sealants and inspecting streams to make sure agricultural activities do not disturb them. There are over 150 Hope Spots around the world identified by Mission Blue.

Graphic from Mission Blue