Ryerson Woods in Deerfield, Illinois, has earned its reputation as one of the region’s most unique and important conservation areas, with many thanks for its continued success owed to the support of our partner group, the Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods. What’s that you say—what happened to the “friends”? Yes, you probably know the organization … Read more
—by Bob Fuller, M.S., Facilitator of 49th Ward Green Corps As a child, whenever I stayed with my grandparents in rural Maine we would collect our garbage—seltzer bottles, coffee grounds, and mounds of Grammy’s cigarette butts being the primary ingredients—and every couple of days, Grampy would have me ride along to drop off our collection … Read more
How are you celebrating America Recycles Day? Our plan: to pay homage to the brilliance of recycling by, ahem, recycling some related content. Here, a few EcoMyths blogs and articles on recycling for your eco-celebrations: EcoMyth: You Must Rinse All Containers Before Recycling Them…or Else! Recycling Blog: To Rinse or Not to Rinse Radio Show: … Read more
Students at Round School Elementary — an Eco-School in Virginia — enjoy some valuable time outside. (Photo via NWF/Eco-Schools USA) It’s hard to believe but true: The average American kid spends an average of 7 1/2 hours per day using entertainment media on an computer, cell phone, TV, or other electronic device, according to a … Read more
—by Debra Shore, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District commissioner Today more people than usual will be talking about crap. It’s November 19: World Toilet Day. (You didn’t think I’d forget, did you?) In fact, in her engaging and excellent TED talk, British author Rose George urges all of us to speak about the unspeakable, talk about … Read more
Nature Unplugged: Can Today’s Kids Get Enough Time Outside? These days most adult-types under the age of, well, 100 find themselves more frequently communing with computers than with Mama Earth. But unlike the many of us who grew up running around outside all day, today’s kids are less connected to the environment than ever. Yes, … Read more
Changing Perspective for a Changing Climate There’s something fishy happening in our rivers, streams, and lakes. Fish species that Americans have enjoyed for generations are experiencing population declines. Water temps are rising, while water levels are, well, doing the opposite. Freshwater ecosystems are changing—and not for the better. Indeed, global warming is at hand… What, … Read more
Growing up in Northbrook during the 1960s, I often took for granted the simple pleasures that many of us enjoyed during our childhood, such as running through the sprinklers and splashing around in our neighbor’s built-in pool, which was always filled to the brim. My parents were very mindful of the environment, but water conservation … Read more
Remember those wonderful, lazy days fishing at the lake with your grandfather? My Grandpa and I would bait our hooks, reel in a couple of good sized perch, and bring them back for Grandma Evelyn to cook. Those days are under threat now, and not just because of our obsession with Twitter and Angry Birds … Read more
Marsha, Marsha, Marsha! Does Living Near a Wetland Equal Basement Floodzone? Here’s the story, of a roomy basement…that was overflowing thanks to recent storms…Some people blamed wetlands for this hardship, but they were not at fault… For many, the lure of suburban living is more than just the promise of big houses and bigger yards—it’s … Read more
