The Great Lakes Stewardship Standard

Overview

The Great Lakes Stewardship Standard is Michigan Eco Travel's evaluation system for outdoor operators and gear products in the Great Lakes watershed. It is not a proprietary framework. It applies adopted external standards from Leave No Trace, OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100, bluesign, and the Michigan DNR.

We do not charge for verification. Operators and brands cannot pay to appear on the site. Every listing results from an unsolicited review initiated by our editorial team, or from an application reviewed against published criteria. Applications receive no preferential treatment.

The Standard has two tracks: an Operator Track for guided and self-guided experience providers, and a Gear & Product Track for product manufacturers and retailers. Each track has three tiers: Aware, Aligned, and Advocate, representing increasing levels of environmental commitment and documentation. The designation on gear applies at the product level, not the brand overall.

Carbon emissions are not yet addressed by the Standard. The activities MET covers are inherently low-carbon by nature, which is part of what makes quiet outdoor recreation a responsible travel choice. A carbon component covering operator infrastructure and product manufacturing is planned for a future revision of the Standard.

The Tier System

All tiers require meeting every criterion listed for that tier. Higher tiers stack on lower ones: an Aligned operator meets all Aware criteria plus additional requirements.

Operator Track

The Operator Track applies to quiet-sport operators. For eligibility details, see Partner With Us. Activity-specific criteria default to N/A where not applicable.

Aware: Operators

All of the following are required:

1. A written low-impact policy referencing the specific Leave No Trace principles relevant to the operator’s activity type, describing how each is applied in their operation, and shared with guests before every trip.
2. Documented group size limits for each experience type offered.
3. A near-water waste management approach covering human waste, food scraps, and gray water.
4. Water-based operators: Michigan invasive species prevention. Operators actively apply and communicate the Clean, Drain, Dry protocol (per the Michigan DNR Invasive Species Program) to guests before every water-based trip.
5. Fishing operators: Applicable Michigan catch-and-release regulations and best-practice baitfish handling communicated to guests before each trip.

Aligned: Operators

All Aware criteria, plus:

1. A structured guest environmental briefing covering local ecosystem sensitivities and watershed stewardship, beyond regulatory communication, actively educating guests about the place they are visiting.
2. Active membership in a named Great Lakes or freshwater conservation organization: Trout Unlimited, Alliance for the Great Lakes, 1% for the Planet, or as verified by MET. Membership (not a one-time donation) is required.
3. Customer-facing gear sourced from Aware-tier brands or as verified by MET.
4. No single-use plastics provided to guests during guided experiences.
5. Water-based operators: Water-safe personal care products free of oxybenzone and octinoxate (UV filters harmful to aquatic ecosystems), or mineral, non-nano formulations, communicated to guests before water-based trips, and made available for use on-site.

Advocate: Operators

All Aligned criteria, plus:

1. PFAS-free gear available to guests (PFAS are synthetic "forever chemicals" used in waterproofing that accumulate in water and wildlife). For guides: client-use gear (waders, jackets, PFDs) is PFAS-free. For outfitters with shops: also stocked for sale.
2. Active physical participation in at least one conservation event annually, with a minimum of four hours of participation. Direct habitat work (stream restoration, invasive species removal, shoreline cleanup, reforestation) is recommended and weighted positively.
3. Active waterway condition reporting to Michigan DNR or the relevant watershed council when pollution, invasive species, or environmental damage is observed.
4. A public-facing environmental statement visible to guests before booking, describing the operator’s commitment to Great Lakes stewardship.
5. Customer-facing gear sourced from Aligned-tier brands or higher.
6. Microplastic shedding awareness and care guidance communicated to guests (synthetic fabrics shed plastic fibers when washed, which enter waterways), including washing bag recommendations, cold water cycles, and natural fiber alternatives where available.

Gear & Product Track

Product-level standard. Each product is evaluated individually. A brand may have products at different tiers. The designation appears at the product level in MET's gear recommendations and Field Notes. Activity-specific and product-type-specific criteria default to N/A where not applicable.

Aware: Gear & Product

All of the following are required:

1. OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 certification (an independent standard testing textiles for harmful substances at every stage of production) or a documented product-specific PFC/PFAS-free claim on the brand's official product page, citing the specific testing standard or method used. Claims without a cited methodology do not qualify.
2. Water-repellent products: PFC-free DWR (Durable Water Repellent coating) or water-repellent treatment. Applies to any product with a water-repellent coating regardless of material type. Set to N/A for products with no water-repellent treatment.
3. Fishing tackle products: Lead-free sinkers, weights, and jig heads (tungsten, tin, bismuth). Set to N/A for non-fishing products.
4. Minimum one-year manufacturer's warranty. Brand-wide warranty policies qualify.

Aligned: Gear & Product

All Aware criteria, plus:

1. A repair program available for this product.
2. bluesign certification (a standard for safer chemical use in textile manufacturing, applied at the mill level) alongside OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100. Brands whose mills are not bluesign-certified may submit documentation of an equivalent chemical management approach for evaluation; MET determines equivalence on a case-by-case basis.
3. Minimum two-year manufacturer's warranty. Brand-wide policy qualifies.
4. Supply chain transparency: brand publishes a tier-1 supplier list or equivalent public disclosure.
5. Brand publicly acknowledges microplastic shedding from their product category and describes at least one active step being taken to address it.

Advocate: Gear & Product

All Aligned criteria, plus:

1. Lifetime or satisfaction warranty with no time limit. Brand-wide policy qualifies.
2. Formal supply chain certification: Fair Trade, B Corp, or as verified by MET.
3. Published microplastic shedding data or third-party microplastic testing results publicly available.
4. Product end-of-life program: take-back, resale, or recycling program operationally active.
5. Fishing products: Fishing line recycling program operated or participated in by the brand. Set to N/A for non-fishing products.
6. Active conservation investment in organizations focused on the Great Lakes watershed.

Evaluation Process

Documentation evaluation is conducted by MET's leadership against standards set by Leave No Trace, OEKO-TEX, bluesign, and the Michigan DNR. MET's founder brings a background in international investigations and small business consulting to how operator and brand claims are reviewed. Operators and brands cannot pay to influence their designation. Operators and brands whose documentation meets the criteria for a given tier earn the M.E.T. Verified designation for that tier.

MET is an editorial operation, not a certification body. Designations reflect MET's review of the documentation operators and brands provide, evaluated against the published criteria for each tier.

Operators must provide written documentation of the commitments their tier requires, describing how each applies to their specific operation; this can be as simple as a copy of a certification, license, or policy. Responsibility for the accuracy of submitted materials rests with the operator or brand. Evaluation depth increases with tier: higher designations require more complete documentation, including third-party certifications where the criteria call for them.

AI tools are used to accelerate initial document review and flag potential discrepancies. No AI output is published or acted on without human editorial review. See our AI Use Policy for details.

Renewal

Aware and Aligned designations renew every two years. Advocate designations renew annually. Renewal requires re-submission of documentation and confirmation that no material changes have occurred. A material change triggers an immediate re-review regardless of renewal timing. Operators or brands that do not complete renewal by their deadline are automatically downgraded to the tier their current documentation supports, or removed from the site, with 90 days advance notice.

Disputes & Corrections

Any operator, brand, or member of the public may submit a dispute about a listing. Disputes are reviewed within 30 days. We correct factual errors promptly and transparently. Corrections are noted inline on the relevant page. To submit a dispute or correction, email hello@michiganecotravel.com.