Category Archives: pollution

Steel and Community in Chicago: Exit Zero Film, Exhibit, Discussion at the Field Museum Saturday (Apr 13)

Posted on April 12, 2013 by

Exit Zero is a documentary film that tells a personal story of the lasting social and environmental impacts of “deindustrialization” in Southeast Chicago.  Interweaving home movies, found footage, and first-person narrative, the film traces the stories of multiple generations of … Continue reading →

Posted in activities, community, economics, events, exhibits, history, pollution, social justice, waste

Fracking in Illinois? State at a Potential Turning Point

Posted on March 21, 2013 by

Fracking is an energy/waste/water issue that is fracturing communities and legislatures around the country, as citizens and governments decide how best to grapple with the economic benefits vs. the environmental and social costs of the energy-extraction juggernaut properly termed horizontal … Continue reading →

Posted in economics, energy, policy, pollution, water

RU: Fossil Free?

Posted on March 14, 2013 by

We at the Sustainability Studies program at Roosevelt University support the RU student-driven movement to have the university divest of its investments in fossil fuels. Four colleges in the US have already made this move, and according to the AASHE … Continue reading →

Posted in climate change, economics, energy, pollution, Roosevelt, social justice, students | 1 Comment

Volunteer Oppotunities with the Chicago Conservation Corps

Posted on January 7, 2013 by

One of the great things about the Chicagoland region for those interested in community service and environmental conservation: there’s an endless supply of opportunities to contribute our time and energy to worthy projects — from beach and parkland clean-ups to … Continue reading →

Posted in activities, community, conservation, parks and public land, pollution, service

Volunteer Oppotunities with the Chicago Conservation Corps

Posted on December 31, 2012 by

One of the great things about the Chicagoland region for those interested in community service and environmental conservation: there’s an endless supply of opportunities to contribute our time and energy to worthy projects — from beach and parkland clean-ups to … Continue reading →

Posted in activities, community, conservation, parks and public land, pollution, service

Dick Lanyon Discusses the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal in Lyons Saturday at 1pm

Posted on November 21, 2012 by

This coming Saturday at 1pm, author and former head engineer of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Dick Lanyon discusses the construction of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at the Village of Lyons Community Center (4200 S. Lawndale Avenue in … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, events, history, pollution, presentations, publications, transportation, water

Tour of Waste Site in Lake Calumet Region on Nov 2

Posted on October 25, 2012 by

Have you ever wondered where your garbage goes? Or think about environmental injustice in South Chicago? Join Roosevelt University students on Friday, November 2nd, from 10am-2pm, for an exciting tour of waste-related sites in the Lake Calumet region. The tour … Continue reading →

Posted in activities, conservation, field trips, planning, pollution, social justice, waste

Fisk and Crawford Power Stations Close, at Long Last

Posted on September 4, 2012 by

This week the long-outdated and notoriously-polluting Fisk and Crawford coal-burning power stations on Chicago’s Southwest Side closed, after years of community-based protest about the hazardous emissions both plants released into the city’s atmosphere in two of the biggest predominantly Hispanic … Continue reading →

Posted in energy, news, pollution, social justice

The Public Health Dangers of Extreme Urban Heat

Posted on July 11, 2012 by

Last week, we discussed the urban heat island effect as it related to the record-breaking heat wave in Chicago. The Cook County medical examiner’s office now blames the heat in part for several area deaths. Cool air gushed into the … Continue reading →

Posted in energy, health, pollution

What Is the Urban Heat Island Effect?

Posted on July 6, 2012 by

The current heat wave is one of the most intense in Chicago’s history. As is often the case, temperatures in the city are particularly extreme, due to the urban heat island effect. As urban areas develop, changes occur in their … Continue reading →

Posted in energy, pollution