Foster to Hollywood by Michael Courier Photography

Art and Advocacy

Lake Michigan is a combination of art and therapy for me. I’ve spent countless nights staring off into the distance, watching the sunlight change color on the rolling waves. For as much as I love Chicago and urban life, nature is still my true calling.

Growing up on a farm allowed me to be close to nature—walking in the woods, helping raise cattle and kittens, and watching the fields spring to life. Around the same time I became interested in photography and started to capture the world around me.

When I graduated from university, I moved to Chicago and worked in web development and graphic design. Realizing I was unhappy with this path, I decided to make a career switch.

The past five years has seen my photography business grow, and many of my clients are nonprofit organizations around the city. My job is to help them capture the quality of their work, so they can better communicate their mission to the public. And while my work has impact, I cannot help but feel like I could, and should, be doing more.

DDT being sprayed.

After watching a documentary about Rachel Carson and her fight to ban the widespread use of DDT, a question started to form: how do I use my skills to help the environment?

At the moment, I do not have a good answer—but I know that only sharing beautiful photos of the lake is not enough. With my background in photography, design, and media literacy, I know I am capable of more. For now, as I continue on this path, I’ll share information and resources that are important and informative.

Invasive Species in Lake Michigan

Invasive species are one of the most pervasive threats to the lake, both in economic and environmental damage. An invasive specie is any type of organism that is not from that region, and has most likely been introduced by human activity. To learn more about the general impact an invasive species can have on an ecosystem, check out this informational TED ED video.

In the Great Lakes region there are over 180 different invasive species that affect the ecosystem. Listed below are a few examples. If you want to know even more about the invasive species threat to the Great Lakes, you should check out The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan.

Zebra and Quagga Mussels

Shells from zebra mussels on the shore of Kathy Osterman "Hollywood" Beach.

Sea Lamprey

The teeth and devastation of the sea lamprey. Photo credit: Wikipedia Commons.

Local News and Resources

Plastic fibers emerge as Lake Michigan pollutant: "The small fibers are most likely from our clothes, particularly ones made with polyester or polyurethane. With every wash cycle, thousands of these colorful synthetic fibers are flushed down the drain, through sewage treatment systems, and into local rivers and lakes.": Read Source: Michigan State University
Invasive Species: An invasive species is a plant or animal that is foreign to an ecosystem. During the past two centuries, invasive species have significantly changed the Great Lakes ecosystem. These changes have greatly affected the economy, health, and well being of the people that rely on the system for food, water, and recreation. Once established, it is extremely difficult to control their spread.: Read Source: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

National News and Resources

How ‘Silent Spring’ Ignited the Environmental Movement: "Though she did not set out to do so, Carson influenced the environmental movement as no one had since the 19th century’s most celebrated hermit, Henry David Thoreau, wrote about Walden Pond. 'Silent Spring' presents a view of nature compromised by synthetic pesticides, especially DDT. Once these pesticides entered the biosphere, Carson argued, they not only killed bugs but also made their way up the food chain to threaten bird and fish populations and could eventually sicken children. Much of the data and case studies that Carson drew from weren’t new; the scientific community had known of these findings for some time, but Carson was the first to put them all together for the general public and to draw stark and far-reaching conclusions. In doing so, Carson, the citizen-scientist, spawned a revolution.": Read Source: New York Times
Rachel Carson - She Set Out to Save a Species... Us: "When Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring was published in 1962, the book became a phenomenon. A passionate and eloquent warning about the long-term dangers of pesticides, the book unleashed an extraordinary national debate and was greeted by vigorous attacks from the chemical industry. But it would also inspire President John F. Kennedy to launch the first-ever investigation into the public health effects of pesticides — an investigation that would eventually result in new laws governing the regulation of these deadly agents.": Watch Source: Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)

Helpful Organizations

Alliance for the Great Lakes The Alliance for the Great Lakes works to protect the Great Lakes for today and tomorrow. We involve tens of thousands of people each year in advocacy, volunteering, education, and research to ensure the lakes are healthy and safe for all.: Visit their website
Openlands Founded in 1963 as a program of the Welfare Council of Metropolitan Chicago, Openlands is one of the oldest metropolitan conservation organizations in the nation and the only such group with a regional scope in the greater Chicago region. Openlands has helped protect more than 55,000 acres of land for public parks and forest preserves, wildlife refuges, land and water greenway corridors, urban farms, and community gardens.: Visit their website
Fresh Water Lab The Freshwater Lab is an initiative to communicate Great Lakes water issues to the general public, create tools to visualize the current state and future scenarios of water sources, engage unaffiliated groups in water planning, and train a new generation of Great Lakes leaders. As we focus on the Great Lakes basin, we also reach outward to build relationships with water stewards from other parts of the world.: Visit their website
Great Lakes Commission The Great Lakes Commission represents, advises and assists its member states and provinces by fostering dialogue, developing consensus, facilitating collaboration and speaking with a unified voice to advance collective interests and responsibilities to promote economic prosperity and environmental protection and to achieve the balanced and sustainable use of Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River basin water resources.: Visit their website
Sierra Club Illinois Chapter From the shores of Lake Michigan to the forests of the Shawnee, Illinois is a state rich in natural beauty. We are committed to protecting the diversity of our state's natural resources through campaigns on conservation, energy issues, clean water, and transportation. Join us and help us protect the water, air, land and wildlife in our beautiful state.: Visit their website
Great Lakes Fishery Commission While the lakes fall under the jurisdictions of two nations, eight states, one province, and several tribes, the fishery resources do not observe political boundaries. Canada and the United States recognized decades ago that the best way to manage and sustain the fishery is through continuous, binational cooperation.: Visit their website
The National Wildlife Federation We believe America’s experience with cherished landscapes and wildlife has helped define and shape our national character and identity for generations. Protecting these natural resources is a cause that has long united Americans from all walks of life and political stripes.: Visit their website
Invasive Mussel Collaborative The IMC provides a framework for communication and coordination, identifies the needs and objectives of resource managers, prioritizes the supporting science, recommends communication strategies, and aligns science and management goals into a common agenda for invasive mussel control.: Visit their website

Michael Courier Photography