Unlike other parts of the country (or the world for that matter), people living in and around the Great Lakes are very cognizant of both the unique benefits the Great Lakes bring them such as jobs, beauty, cooler temperatures, and recreation as well as all of the potential issues impacting this unique resource. Issues like Asian carp, zebra mussels, quagga mussels, gobies, lampreys, lake levels, water temperature, ice cover, and water withdrawals are always on the region’s radar. With the Great Lakes Week Conference in Cleveland this week and the Presidential campaigns, these issues are especially at the forefront. You can get more information on the Conference at glweek.org and PBS is live-streaming certain sessions via the website at GreatLakesNow.org