(BlackburnMeda.ca file photo by Ryan Drury)(BlackburnMeda.ca file photo by Ryan Drury)
Midwestern

'Love Your Greats' Wants More Protection For Great Lakes

A co-founder of an organization called "Love Your Greats" says their goal is to encourage people to think about what they can do to protect the Great Lakes.

Jen Pate believes most people who live anywhere near the Great Lakes have a connection to the lakes, so they try to make them aware of the fact that whether you boat or paddle or swim, if you spend time on the beach, you also get your drinking water from that same source.

"When you look at, say, things we've collected off the beach, there's things they recognize, maybe they've used it 20 minutes ago and they think oh my goodness, or, someone's drinking out of a plastic water bottle while I'm doing my talk or whatever it is -- there are these real-life examples right in their backyard, right on their dinner table," she says.

Jen Pate - Co-Founder, Love Your Greats (Bob Montgomery photo)

Pate says her focus has been on plastic pollution, and it's something most people can relate to and can play a part in eliminating the problem.

She says media coverage has been great and people are finding alternatives to things like plastic straws and other forms of single-use plastics.

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