Take an ecofriendly Great Lakes break

This was written for my JRN 472 class and published on Great Lakes Echo on April 28, 2011.

Take an ecofriendly Great Lakes break

By Nicole LaChance

Between gas and fast food, a relaxing retreat can be hard on the planet. You can help by bringing a refillable water bottle and buying snacks in bulk before leaving.

Other tips for eco-vacations are at the Michigan Green Lodging page or The International Ecotourism Society. Some Great Lakes getaways try to ease the planet’s burden and provide fun for travelers. A few eco-friendly vacation ideas in the region:

Indiana bottle bill fails

This was written for my JRN 472 class and published on Great Lakes Echo on April 22, 2011.

Indiana bottle bill fails

By Nicole LaChance

In many Great Lakes states, countless soda bottles are tossed aside, never to see a recycling bin. The same goes for used medicine containers, juice bottles and food containers that are otherwise doomed for a landfill.

An Indiana state representative tried to divert these containers from the dump. Rep. Terry Goodin, D-Crothersville, introduced a bill in January to put a five-cent deposit on all plastic containers holding beverages, dietary supplements and food and food ingredients.

To Green, or Not To Green

I wrote this article as a freshman for The Big Green, an online magazine at MSU. Unfortunately, because of other commitments at the time of their meetings, I was only able to write one article.

Note: I was mistakenly credited as Nicole Lachan, not LaChance.

To Green, or Not To Green

By Nicole Lachan on 01 November 2008

In the past year, “green” living has been the trend all over America, and MSU is no exception. In an effort to put students in an environmentally-friendly mindset, the school has set up recycling centers in the buildings, given out free reusable bags and water bottles, and supplied students with tips on how to “be Spartan green.” Even off-campus stores and restaurants are touting new eco-friendly options for consumers’ enjoyment. It seems that everyone is taking charge and thinking more carefully about their environmental impact. Now, the MSU Department of Theater is taking this line of thinking one step further and putting on an entirely “green” play, using all natural and recycled materials.