EcoMyths Team—By Anne Sorensen, president of the Yellow Tractor Project, who pours her love of gardening and education into nurturing garden projects with as many people in as many places as possible. Some of us are driven by a passion to garden from the start…and some of us stumble into it, almost by accident. For me, … Read more
Step 1 to Garden Glory: Admit to Dragging Soil Through the Mud In the dog-eat-dogwood world of gardening, plants get all the glory, while soil has, well, something of a reputation problem. Many of us think of soil as a dull means to an end—that is, if we haven’t already written it off as just … Read more
The long, harsh winter may have delayed things a bit, but it’s now time to get moving on your garden. For this week’s EcoMyths segment on Worldview, Lauren Umek of Northwestern University/Chicago Botanic Garden and Bryant Scharenbroch of the Morton Arboretum, joined us in studio to tell us why soil matters in cultivating your green … Read more
Don’t worry, it’s totally natural to feel a little envy…if you didn’t win one of the beyond cool auction items from last month’s Naturally Funny Gala. Featuring behind-the-scene tours of eight of incredible spots around town dreamed up by our partners, the prizes included everything from a Field Museum-led birding expedition to a unique twist … Read more
Three cheers to all who made our first annual Naturally Funny Gala the rip-roaring success that it was! Going down at Second City’s UP! comedy club, the evening featured a one-hour live improv comedy show, some tasty eats and drinks, and “the opposite of comic relief” from Kevin Coyle, the VP of education for the … Read more
Paper vs. Plastic Showdown There’s a new sheriff in town—and plastic shopping bags are taking the heat. With Chicago the latest city to jump on the bandwagon of 160+ other U.S. cities (and potentially the whole of California) in outlawing plastic bags, it’s simple to assume that easy-to-recycle paper bags are the greener choice. But … Read more
As we recently determined in the paper vs. plastic myth, reusable bags made with recycled plastic are an eco-win—as long as you remember to bring them! So, for those of you looking to beef up your reusable supply, here are a few go-tos made from recycled plastic for your purchasing pleasure.
In his intro to sustainable engineering classes at Northwestern University, professor Eric Masanet likes to set the tone for the semester by posing the once ubiquitous checkout question: “Paper or plastic?” For many of his eager young students, the answer seems obvious—paper breaks down fast in the environment, is easy to recycle, and comes from … Read more
The author’s little brothers keeping things real with good QT outside. Getting outside is good for you! But…with endless days of summer stretching on, it’s easy enough to feel like you’re running out of ideas. So, in honor of Leave No Child Inside Month—and the beauty of sustaining outdoor fun all summer long—we decided to … Read more
How will climate change impact trees? Scientists are exploring the possibility as we speak. (D. Simmons) Trees help make us cool in the face of global warming*. But, sturdy and steadfast as they may be, some species are showing vulnerability in our increasingly warming world. “The effects of climate change on trees will be complex,” … Read more
