Environment

The Forest Preserve District of Will County has reminded residents not to dump unwanted pets in the Forest Preserve after rescuing hybrid turtle.

Pope Leo XIV prayed Wednesday for the world to recognize the urgency of the climate crisis and “hear the cry of the poor,” as he celebrated the first papal Mass using a new set of prayers and readings inspired by Pope Francis’ environmental legacy.

State Rep. Natalie Manley and Joliet Junior College Office of Sustainability launched a new event to encourage sustainability and cutting down on single-use containers.

The City of Crest Hill hosted a meeting Monday to discuss the ongoing issue with forever chemical pollution in two of the city's wells. Lake Michigan water is seen as the long-term answer.

The city of Crest Hill plans to give an updated presentation on the ongoing water contamination issues first discovered by the IEPA in April, at its City Council work session Monday.

Area residents are invited to bring their aging electronics and other items to a public recycling and shredding event Saturday in Aurora.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County has made its first major land acquisition under its 2025–2030 Capital Improvement Program, purchasing a large parcel in Custer Township.

The Lake in the Hills Rotary Club has planted its fifth pollinator garden to help stem the loss of pollinators.

Presentation focused on the ways natural area guardians can support native populations.

Eakas produces various plastic and metal parts for the automotive industry.

Emissions from four coal-fired plants in southwest Indiana have dropped 60% since 2010, when the rule took effect. That rule is now on the chopping block

Greener Grove has grown from a small group of likeminded neighbors to a one of Downers Grove's impactful non-profit organizations in just a few years.

The 2025 Arbor Day Poster Contest is designed to help young students develop an appreciation for nature, while contextualizing society’s harmony with the environment. This year’s theme was “Trees Plant a Cooler Future.”

The Will County Resource Recovery and Energy Division will host the Book Reuse and Recycling Event Friday through Sunday. More than 80,000 books found new homes last year.

Smoke from Canadian wildfires could filter the sun a bit this weekend, according to the National Weather Service

The Illinois Department of Public Health advises private well owners to have their water tested for elevated PFAS levels, especially if they live near communities whose public wells were found to have excessive quantities of the "forever chemicals."

Morton Arboretum unveils its latest whimsical sculptures, while classical orchestras and choirs along with a Taylor Swift tribute shake up the musical scene, native plants buoy the environment and a walking murder mystery takes a Japanese twist.

Special events range from The Morton Arboretum's Arbor Day Plant Sale and a production of "Our Town" at the MAC to live music, a showcase of jewelry artistry and an interactive exhibition on farming in DuPage County at the Elmhurst History Museum.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County has reopened the Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook following a 15-month, $2 million renovation.

A Joliet Junior College professor said she always enjoyed architecture but she never realized how much she enjoys teaching. When asked how she motivates her students, she says they motive her.

Joliet Public Schools District 86's Edna Keith elementary celebrated Arbor Day with the City of Joliet by planting a tree on its grounds.

Opinion: Do you ever wonder where your trash goes after you bag it up and leave it at the curb? LRS, our local trash handler, promises us that its process is entirely sustainable, writes Julie Jesmer.

Lockport organizations are holding multiple events to encourage residents to reduce waste and recycle this spring.

WM marked Earth Day this week with a ribbon cutting on its new $60 million renewable natural gas facility, 18370 Somonauk Road, DeKalb.

Edna Keith Elementary School students will join Joliet city officials in annual celebration of trees.

Harmful bleaching of the world’s coral has grown to include 84% of the ocean’s reefs in the most intense event of its kind in recorded history, the International Coral Reef Initiative announced Wednesday

Read the transcript from our Shaw Local Radio podcast on upcoming Earth Day celebration cleanup event in La Salle

Connor Hopkins interviews Luke Tomsha of Perfectly Flawed and Tyler Phillips of Illinois Valley Recovery, talking about their upcoming Earth Day celebration cleanup event 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 26, at the Lock 14 canal shelter in La Salle

DeKalb city residents who lead efforts to strengthen sustainability and environmental engagement in the area have earned awards for their work.

State Sen. Rachel Ventura, D-Joliet, backing legislation that supports green infrastructure loans for municipalities and counties throughout Illinois.

McHenry County College's Sustainability Center held its first Repair Fair Tuesday, April 15, giving people the opportunity to have household items like lamps and bicycles repaired for free by local volunteers and experts. Environmental Defenders of McHenry County cohosted.

The MCC Sustainability Center and the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County host the county's first Repair Fair with a focus on sustainability and community connections.

The members of the Pierce Downer’s Heritage Alliance are taking a breather after decades of service to Downers Grove and are passing the torch of community activism.

Families and community members of all ages are invited to the second annual DeKalb County Earth Fest on Saturday, a chance to learn about sustainable living, celebrate the environment and have a little fun.

Opinion: If you’re passionate about a healthy environment and sustainable future, then DeKalb County Earth Fest – a free and family-friendly event from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. this Saturday in DeKalb – is for you, writes Thomas Skuzinski.

Will County is holding free recycling collection for electronics and other household materials on Saturday, by appointment only.

The project at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, which is 30% completed, currently has approximately $475 thousand dollars in invoices that are unreimbursed with the freeze.

Second City Greens in Lockport is a hydroponic farm that grows seven varieties of herbs, artisanal lettuces and select leafy greens, such as Swiss chard and kale.

The Oregon City Council agrees to spend $130,000 for new leaf vacuum.

An intrepid professor and a trio of students have been chasing evidence of a rare and elusive dragonfly through the remarkable habitat at Joliet Junior College.

Unfortunately, oversalting sidewalks, parking lots and roadways in an effort to reduce ice-related injuries is also causing chloride toxicity in our waterways and impacts aquatic life, soil and human health, writes Julie Jesmer of DeKalb's Citizens' Environmental Commission.

The Will County Forest Preserve District hosted an event this week educating the public on the role fire plays in maintaining natural habitats in Illinois and the processes surrounding controlled burn programs.

Learn why. when and how the Forest Preserve District of Will County uses fire as a tool for conserving and restoring the habitats from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, at Sugar Creek Administration Center in Joliet.

When people eat or drink foods containing these “forever” chemicals, the compounds accumulate in the body and can cause kidney, prostate and testicular cancer

Lawmakers this week passed a bill aimed at boosting the development of renewable energy generation, but its proponents said the final measure was a “skinny” version of what they had hoped to pass

Lake County officials gathered Nov. 8 to celebrate the bird-friendly enhancements at the Lake County Central Permit Facility in Libertyville in an effort to mitigate bird strikes against glass windows.

This non-native plant blankets its surrounding landscape and smothers everything in sight.

An Illinois Senate committee hit pause on a bill to ban carbon sequestration injections near aquifers after more than an hour of debate Wednesday

Yard waste collection moves to every other week in 2025

President-elect Donald Trump has named former Rep. Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency as he continues to build out his future administration with loyal supporters