Exploring environmental concerns of the Midwest, from the perspective of a native Californian
As I continue to examine environmental issues, particularly related to cities, I now turn to the contentious topic of invasive species. Like most folks, I had heard occasional horror stories about a species of plant or animal invading an area, wiping out existing species, and costing a great deal to prevent further invasion and mitigate… Continue reading Non-Native Species
Next up in the urban wildlife series is the ways in which certain species are adapting to the urban environment. Pre-adaptation and plasticity Plants and animals are able to adapt to unfamiliar or challenging conditions of the city in a few different ways, and it’s not necessarily a slow, time-intensive process to get them up… Continue reading Adapting to City Living
Last post I introduced the theme of what will be a series exploring urban wildlife. While “urban wildlife” may seem like a contradictory phrase, human behaviors attract flora and fauna, intentionally and unintentionally, to our cities. When we invite more open and green spaces into our concrete jungle, more species can thrive alongside us, and… Continue reading Urban Wildlife (part two)
My most recent reading - related to the environment - led me to three books examining wildlife, both the exotic and the ubiquitous, in the urban landscape. As always, I’m interested in comparing perspectives from my native California and my current home of Chicago. What I found most interesting about these books was that they… Continue reading Urban Wildlife (part one)
In the months prior to this pandemic and the shelter in place orders, there were some exciting policy changes being pushed on the state level in Springfield and at the city level in Chicago. For my work with Friends of the Chicago River, I traveled to Illinois’ state capital this last February to testify in… Continue reading COVID-19 and the Climate Crisis
Though my family lives in Sacramento, I spent this past Christmas at the beach in Ventura. While there, the parking lot of the hotel we were staying at flooded. While the rain that night was heavy, it was surping just how much the parking lot flooded. Spending time at the Pacific Ocean, I was reminded… Continue reading Rising Tides
Living in Chicago means that Lake Michigan is my water supply (and the Chicago River carries my used water to the Mississippi River and ultimately to the Gulf of Mexico). If you had asked me where my water came from while living in Sacramento or Monterey, California, truthfully, I’m not sure what I would have… Continue reading Western Water
April 1st I began a new career as Policy Specialist with Friends of the Chicago River, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the health of the Chicago River for people and wildlife. Policy research doesn't require much work in the field, so I jumped at the opportunity to tag along with our Conservation Programs Specialist Maggie… Continue reading Touring the Chicago River Watershed
POPS (privately-owned public spaces) are spaces that, in exchange for zoning concessions, are available for public use, but owned and managed by private property owners. In other words, real estate developers can build bigger buildings if they allot some of that space for plazas, atriums, small parks, etc. However, cities have had to be vigilant… Continue reading POPS
During the month of January, I learned a lot about recycling in Chicago. I first learned about recycling Christmas trees, the theme of my January Post. Then I attended an Environmental Chicago Industry event where the theme was… recycling! Two individuals who work for Independent Recycling Services, a privately-owned waste and recycling company, came to… Continue reading More on the World of Recycling
Chelsey in Chicago 