If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
With almost no laws in place to protect the public from the known -- and very scary -- dangers associated with the controversial oil and gas extraction technology, communities across Illinois are in harm's way.
How safe is our food? How does the FDA monitor domestic food products (as well as what comes into the U.S. food system from other countries?)
As discussions stall in Springfield, the interests of Illinoisans are left flapping in the wind, with entire communities completely and unacceptably exposed to the array of well known risks associated with the controversial oil and gas extraction technique.
This year, I found it invigorating to see the award go to Kimberly Wasserman Nieto, who is one of the most committed and determined leaders in the long fight waged in my city to close Chicago's Fisk and Crawford coal plants.
Change comes slow. Especially when it runs headlong into 150 years of history. That is certainly the case with the Chicago River, a waterway long maligned and mistreated at the heart of this city.
The reality of our dependence on toxic pesticides in the United States and around the world can be hard to stomach. The toxic chemicals we spray on our crops aren't just killing pests.
Calculating the NBA's target footprint is important, as it will not only allow teams to adopt standards of best practice to lower the impact of their footprint, but will allow teams to do so in a business savvy manner.
While corner stores are often viewed negatively and blamed for contributing to the obesity epidemic, I've had the privilege over the past four years to view corner stores in a new light: as critical allies in improving the health of our communities.
Too often, the same people who work our fields during the day, planting and harvesting fresh produce, spend their evenings in line at the local food bank.
With this award, I continue to share my life's purpose to educate, demonstrate, and evangelize the need for sustainable food systems that public health first. There's no greater joy than to give life to these new models of hope.
The National Basketball Association's Green Week is globally unique in all of professional sports: No other league or team dedicates an entire week every year to educating tens of millions of fans about the importance of protecting our planet.
One of the most fascinating and disturbing issues that comes up again and again around fracking is the multitude of exemptions and entitlements that have been handed to the industry at the expense of citizens.
Here in Chicago, the buildings are part of the solution. The skyline that makes our city beautiful is also making it great: energy efficient, sustainable, resilient and ready to face the challenges of a new generation.
Illinois is the next state on the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)'s target list for putting the oil industry's interests ahead of the public interest.
Unless and until we have strong, protective safeguards on the books, we should not start fracking in Illinois. While we are encouraged by what is currently in bill HB 2615, we will remain vigilant for any weakening of the standards.
By Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., OnEarth On Sunday, NRDC and the Waterkeeper Alliance will join 350.org, the Sierra Club, and many other partners in holding...
