New Frontiers of Water Use in the Great Lakes
New Frontiers of Water Use in the Great Lakes
Sustainability & Innovation Coffee – May Edition
Thursday, May 15 | 8:00–9:30 AM
Bamboo Ann Arbor
Join us for the May Sustainability & Innovation Coffee, a monthly gathering of changemakers, entrepreneurs, and leaders advancing climate and sustainability solutions across Michigan and the Great Lakes region.
This month’s conversation explores the future of water in a changing climate.
We’re excited to welcome two featured speakers:
Val Brader – Principal at Rivenoak Law and Rivenoak Consulting, and former Director of the Michigan Energy Office. Val brings deep expertise at the intersection of law, policy, and clean energy innovation.
Joel Brammeier – President and CEO of the Alliance for the Great Lakes, a leading voice on freshwater protection, policy, and community engagement throughout the Great Lakes region.
Michigan’s legal history viewed water as a common enemy and prioritized converting swamps into farmland. As precipitation patterns change, Michigan faces increasing concerns about flooding. At the same time, the state must consider how to manage areas where water levels may be lower than ever—potentially requiring new limitations on water use. Given these challenges, what lessons can Michigan, a water-rich state, learn from its arid "frontier" sister states as its own climate becomes more volatile?
Come for the coffee, stay for the conversation. You'll connect with innovators, learn from experienced leaders, and help shape the future of sustainable innovation in the Midwest.
Free and open to all – RSVP encouraged.