Ready-to-Buy Reusable Bags for the Win!

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.

Myth: Paper Bags Are Greener Than Plastic

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

Photo Proof the Naturally Funny Gala Ruled

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

DIY Behind-the-Scenes Tours Around Chicago

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

On the Air: Soil 101 Can Turn Any Thumb Green

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

Myth: Green Thumbs Are Born, Not Made

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

Green Thumbs: Sometimes Born, More Often Created

—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

Myth: If Water Runs Low Here, We Can Get Just More Elsewhere

A Tale of Two Regions: The Thirsty Old West and the Great Lakes While parched California’s dreamin’ all about rain, in the Great Lakes, the jaw-stopping chill that was the Polar Vortex is actually helping increase the region’s long-term water supply. It’s a striking difference, with the West languishing in drought, and the Great Lakes … Read more

Water Supply Myth, Part 2: Now What?!

Pssst: This is part 2 of our epic water supply myth. Read Part 1 for the full picture. Great Expectations for Transfers and Incentive Programs How can we smartly invest in a more sustainable water supply? Let us count the economical ways…that investing in water transfers and incentives can make a world of difference. Confused … Read more