Protect the delicate balance of our natural world
URBANA, Ill. – The impact of human activity on the planet is revealing itself in the soil, rivers, streams, and lakes. Three free online University of Illinois Extension webinars this summer will focus on the impact environmental changes with water and soil can have on the long-term health of...
Farmers: What do you need to know about ecosystem market opportunities?
URBANA, Ill. – To best serve the ag industry, the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership, an independent resource for farmers and their advisers on carbon market opportunities, considerations, and developments, is asking for input on what aspects...
Producers and consumers must share burden of global plastic packaging waste
URBANA, Ill. – Plastic packaging waste is everywhere. Our plastic bottles, food wrappings, and grocery bags litter the landscape and pollute the global environment.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, an area twice the size of Texas, consists of plastic waste from all over the world,...
Slow stormwater, prevent floods with rain friendly landscaping
URBANA, Ill. – Life does not exist without water. Gardens don’t grow without water. But what happens when there is too much of a good thing? Or when that good thing is mismanaged and becomes a misfortune. Or when there are prolonged periods of drought?“The tale of stormwater is more...
Study: Proposed nitrogen fertilizer policies could protect farmer profits, environment
URBANA, Ill. – Nitrogen fertilizer has major implications for crop yields and environmental health, specifically water quality in the Gulf of Mexico. Federal and state governments have shied away from regulating nitrogen fertilizer use, but voluntary and incentives-based programs have not been...
Prevent the spread of invasive species in Illinois
URBANA, Ill. – You may not know what an invasive species is, but you've likely heard about them and the price tags they can carry. The estimated cost of managing the damages caused by invasive species such as the emerald ash borer or Asian carp is $120 billion annually in the U.S.
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Give caterpillars a chance with soft landings under trees
URBANA, Ill. – Trees are natural caretakers – their limbs provide shade and shelter, their seeds and leaves provide food, their roots filter water. Insect scientists have another skill to add to the list – a haven for caterpillars. Entomologists are asking gardeners, homeowners, and landscapers...
Map reveals widespread lead pollution in Chicago backyards, parkways
URBANA, Ill. – In backyards and community gardens across Chicago, growers tend fruit and vegetable crops as diverse as the city they live in. Most have one thing in common – lead lurking in the soil.
Legacy lead, leftover from paint, gasoline, and other sources, lingers in the...
Geothermal energy systems capture the power of the sun
URBANA, Ill. – Solar energy is not limited to solar panels. Geothermal energy represents another method of using solar energy to heat water and buildings and to generate electricity.
As the sun heats the earth’s surface, geothermal systems harvest this energy in a clean, efficient, and...
Log on for forestry expertise woodland owners can use
URBANA, Ill. – From managing woodlands so they can support native wildlife to dealing with tree damage and pests, University of Illinois Extension Forestry has the tools woodland owners need. The nine-part, weekly Forestry...
Take heed of tornado warnings
URBANA, Ill. – As prime tornado season approaches, know what a tornado warning means and what to do.
The National Weather Service issues a tornado warning under two conditions, says Duane Friend, University...
Stay safe during electrical storms
URBANA, Ill. – Exceeded only by floods, lightning is the second largest killer associated with storms. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, over 25 million cloud-to-ground lightning flashes...
High dew points increase severe weather chances
URBANA, Ill – Severe weather often occurs in March with dew point temperatures in the 50s or 60s. Duane Friend, University of Illinois Extension natural resources educator, explains the impact of dew point on weather.
Water vapor is the gas form of water. Air can only hold so...
Environmental educator to bring west-central Illinois nature to your backyard
URBANA, Ill. –Whether you’re battling invasive species on your property, starting to compost at home, or trying to reduce fertilizers on the farm, doing the right thing for the environment isn’t always clear. The University of...
Test private wells to ensure safe drinking water
URBANA, Ill. – A properly constructed and maintained water well can provide many years of trouble-free service, but over time, wells can deteriorate or become damaged, allowing surface contaminants to enter the water in the well. In addition, groundwater can become contaminated.
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