I’m walking through a central Illinois neighborhood in mid-May this spring. The temperature is 92 degrees Fahrenheit, one degree shy of the record, and most people still haven’t acclimatized to the heat. In broad daylight, the...
Plants are essential to life on earth. As primary producers, they take energy from the sun and make it available for animals, like humans. So, it makes sense that we care deeply about their future, and how they will respond to the environmental factors of climate change. Let’s explore three aspects...
We’ve all heard of “climate change,” a term that feels so charged, but what does it really mean, and what is actually happening? Let’s break down the scientific definitions to help us really understand what researchers and climate professionals are talking about when they say “climate change.”...
I am always excited for a new adventure – the anticipation of looking around the bend to the next interesting feature on a trail; the view at the top of a mountain or, in Illinois, a bluff; or searching and finding a new bloom in a prairie! Everyday Environment is embarking on a new journey,...
What are PFAS chemicals?Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, called PFAS (pronounced pea-fass) for short, are a group of more than 15,000 man-made chemicals that have recently made their way into the news for all the wrong reasons. PFAS is an incredibly useful group of chemicals sometimes added to...
The spring rains have come, and the streams are running. Gliding over the somewhat cloudy waters of a creek in west-central Illinois, I took my kayak out to explore the changing landscape. A few years ago, a friend of mine introduced me to the wild world of freshwater mussels. So,...
What is a Master Naturalist?
We get that question a lot at University of Illinois Extension. Master Naturalists are many things: Advocates, volunteers, teachers, and environmental stewards.
Around the state and in your backyard,...
On April 8, 2024, parts of southern Illinois will darken as the moon passes in front of the sun causing a total eclipse. The eclipse has about a 115-mile-wide path cutting northeast across North America from...
The lakes, rivers, and streams of Illinois are places of beauty. They’re also essential to life.
Without clean water, there are no picnics on the beach, no fishing or taking the boat out, no geese paddling or ducks dabbling, and in worst-case scenarios, no water coming out of the faucet whenever...
Late winter and early spring are critical transition periods for trees, making the shift from dormancy to active growth. Proper care during these seasons sets the foundation for healthy, vibrant trees throughout the year. Late-winter care along with spring practices, will help trees transition and...
