We abuse land because we see it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect. -Aldo Leopold

NMEAC has been fighting for a clean and just environment in northern Michigan for 45 years. We are an all-volunteer organization that works on a myriad of issues including clean energy, fresh water, smart development, and other issues that preserve and protect northern Michigan as a place to thrive. Become a Member today!

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CODE TO BREAK LONG SLIDER TEXT2018
Environmentalist
of the Year
Celebration

  • Featured event

    Big Feelings Warming World

    Have you heard of the term “polycrisis?” A polycrisis is when several distinct (and often serious) problems are occurring simultaneously, and together these problems create a BIG problem.

    Global climate change is one instance of a polycrisis.

    There is no one trigger for climate change. No single switch we can flip to fix the issue. It is an intersection of several failing systems that no individual person or even an individual country can change on their own. We have known about this issue for decades and yet… It’s like watching a train wreck- if the train is headed straight for your house. We are all affected by this polycrisis.

    What is an individual to do, then? We recycle, but to what end? If the issue is too big for any one of us, why engage at all?

    If you’re receiving this newsletter, I know that you care about this planet and its inhabitants—human and nonhuman. You want to be a part of the team pushing for a healthier climate future. The Northern Michigan Environmental Action Council would like to offer a new lifeline for climate-minded individuals.

    Big Feelings Warming World flyer

    Big Feelings, Warming World (BFWW) is a space to unravel the weight of Collective Grief. We are all experiencing the effects of climate change; NMEAC invites you to process these feelings with your neighbors. NMEAC will host the first iteration of BFWW on Monday, August 24th, from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Capacity is limited to 13 people in order to allow for thoughtful conversation. Please register to join us.

    REGISTER HERE

    After you register, you will receive a welcome email with the location.

    Who is leading the conversation?

    Rachel is a board member with NMEAC and has recently earned her FLOW Facilitation Certification through the Good Grief Network. She has been holding her climate grief since childhood, when she learned that plastic does not decompose.

    Kyla will be co-facilitating. She is a longtime NMEAC supporter and has a background in climate psychology.

    What is a collective grieving space?

    Collective grief is when a group feels the weight of grief resulting from the same event. A collective grieving space that you may be familiar with is a funeral. People come together to share stories and be in community with others experiencing the same weight of change.

    The Climate Crisis is too big for any one of us to get our minds and hearts around individually. This offering is an opportunity to share with others how we are feeling about the changes we see, and to hold one another up emotionally so we can invest in meaningful effort.

    If you are interested in this event, or other events of this kind, please register here.

    Hope to see you on Monday!

    WHEN
    August 24, 2026 at 10:00am
    WHERE
    Location Shared After Registration
    rsvp

  • Featured page

    Oil Wars or Clean Energy Peace Webinar

    Watch our webinar presented on April 10, 2026, featuring climate videographer Peter Sinclair.

    Continue reading


  • Latest from the blog

    NMEAC: A Brief History

    It was in the 1980s that I first became aware of the Northern Michigan Environmental Action Council (NMEAC) and sent in my membership to help with their mission of “education and action” on behalf of the earth.
    read more


  • Latest from the blog

    Grant Parsons on NMEAC's Principled Success

    In 1985/1986 MDOT wanted to clear-cut M-72. Phil Thiel convinced Jim Olsen and me and some others to oppose them. In addition to Jim’s Complaint, each of us adopted a tree and vowed to protect it. We pretty much won, saved a lot of the trees. Clarence Kroupa, the man who invented trees, was our expert. This is the tree I adopted.
    read more

  • Latest from the blog

    Sally Van Vleck Reflects on NMEAC's Origin

    Yes, the rumors are true, NMEAC really did begin with a conversation between 4 women sitting around a kitchen table in 1980. Back then, one of the hot issues was nuclear power, so when we learned that a request had been filed with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to increase the capacity of the spent fuel rod tanks by placing the used fuel rods closer together, the environmental community had concerns. The management of the plant insisted that it would be safe; however, others who knew about this sort of thing were wary.
    read more


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