Living in the suburbs, very near the city of Detroit, sometimes it is easy for me to forget the amazing wealth of natural resources that Michigan has.  When I stop to think about the fact that the Great Lakes surrounding Michigan have 90% of fresh water available in the United States and 18% of what's available in the world, I remember that we have a great responsibility to guard this resource at our disposal.  From the Huron-Manistee National Forests in the Lower Peninsula to Tahquamenon Falls in the Upper Peninsula, we have so much to enjoy and guard from being lost.

While the Auto Industry certainly put Michigan on the map and created a rich economy and technical base for us here, it is now time for us to diversify and make Michigan a place where people once again go for the answers.  Why not turn to our natural resources and make Michigan a pioneer for creating a sustainable eco-system for all of our people to enjoy.  Cleaning up the lakes, greening the state, clearing the air, these are all things that we can do along with taking all of our engineers and tech savvy folk who need employment and putting them to work on creating a better grid of power through non-fossil fuels.  This state could be the envy of the world with its rich environment and excellent technological base.  People would stop thinking of Michigan as a place where the "Motor City" is and start thinking of it as the premier state to go for cutting edge renewable and sustainable energy options.  Who wouldn't want to live and work in a state known for these things?

When I started graduate school in September of 2007, I hadn't thought much about what others think about Michigan.  After speaking with people from around the world in my classes, I've realized that I have a love and pride for our state.  Regardless of any of the negatives, this is still a land of the seasons.  This is a place with diversity abundant and a freedom of spirit.  You take things for granted when you see them every day, but when you re-enter the state from Indiana along I-94 and see the trees stretching on either side all along the freeway, you realize that not every state has that.  We are special.  I breathe a sigh of relief every time I drive back over that state border and its not just the fact that I get to zoom back up to 70mph, it's the feeling of being home.