Environment

October isn't quite beach weather, but make no mistake that when the time comes to enjoy the rivers and lakes outlining the state, that water will be clean enough to jump into. Every year, 60 days of heavy rainfall washes into water bodies without being disinfected. However, the Great Lakes Water Authority took advantage of equipment and put it to use during those heavy rainfall periods, and have since disinfected every drop of water that's entered the Rouge River - saving the region hundreds of millions of dollars.

"Oh you got it! You gotta send me that," said Congresswoman Debbie Dingell.

In 1969, a worker on the Rouge River dropped his torch into the water. The flame ignited oil from an accidental spill from the nearby Shell refinery by the I-75 overpass. It lit the river on fire - and hardly anyone cared. Now, 50 years later, with the aid of thousands of volunteers, the cooperation of hundreds of groups and more than a billion dollars, the restoration of the river and its watershed has become a paradigm for how others should clean their polluted rivers.

Danish toymaker Lego is testing a new way for customers to return their unwanted bricks in an effort to move closer to its goal of switching to 100 percent sustainable materials in the next decade.

A third night of aerial treatment to combat Eastern Equine Encephalitis is underway, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said Thursday.

Every year, Michigan's fall foliage reaches peak pigmentation in September and October. A combination of reds, purples, oranges, and yellows dazzle any travelers smart, or lucky enough, to drive through the state's forests. With days getting shorter and temperatures seeing their final warm days, visitors can expect these colors to start their blooming now. Don't miss out on the best places to visit the astounding colors that blanket the state's more forested areas.

There are houses that become money pits and then there's the Rende's home in Troy. 

Young people are increasingly engaged in activism around Michigan and the rest of the country in a global effort to mitigate climate change and the compounding effects it's having on the planet. On Friday, activists are converging in 19 cities in Michigan, including Detroit to speak out and call on legislators to reduce fossil fuel use and promote more green solutions.

Following a Trump administration promise to roll back Obama-era protections of streams and wetlands in the U.S., the EPA made good on that promise on Sept. 12 when it outlined a policy that freed up wetlands from federal jurisdiction. This decision doesn't affect Michigan that much because the state already has regulations that protect its wetlands. However, Michigan officials say any rollback of protections is a short-sighted decision and sets a dangerous precedent for defining water quality

Ford has a brand new police interceptor that is not only expected to outperform most cars on the road - it's supposed to save departments thousands of dollars every year. 

After a summer of 26 consecutive days of at least 90 degrees, what's on the way for Michigan's 2019 warmer months?

From Starbucks to McDonald's, companies and states are starting to ban single use plastics.

How you dune? 

Not interested in purchasing fertilizer for your yard this year? Fox 2 has you covered. Or rather, the brooding thunderstorm clouds anticipated this spring have you covered.