Stories by alex ruppenthal

MWRD says that new primary settling tanks at its Stickney Water Reclamation Plant are lowering its carbon footprint by trapping methane emissions and generating energy that can be returned to the plant. (Courtesy Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago)

MWRD Says It’s On Pace to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 50 Percent

The Chicago area’s wastewater treatment agency says it is ahead of schedule in its efforts to combat climate change. 

(Courtesy U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science)

State Rep’s Bill Aims to Expand Illinois’ Renewable Energy Portfolio

State Rep. Will Davis plans to file legislation this week that he says would expand the state’s share of renewable energy to 40 percent of total energy sources by 2030.

A lioness drinks from a waterhole in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park. (© Isak Pretorius, South Africa)

New Field Museum Exhibit to Showcase Stunning Wildlife Photography

“Wildlife Photographer of the Year,” based on the prestigious photography competition of the same name, will feature 100 winning photos selected among 45,000 submissions from 95 countries. We preview the show.

Ice covers the Chicago River on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019. A deadly arctic deep freeze enveloped the Midwest with record-breaking temperatures triggering widespread closures of schools and businesses. (AP Photo / Teresa Crawford)

MWRD Warns of Potential Flooding as Chicago Thaws from Deep Freeze

Melting snow and potential rain are likely to cause flooding as we head into a weekend warm-up following a record-setting Arctic blast.

(Chicago Animal Care and Control / Facebook)

Chicago Announces Record Release Rate at City Animal Shelter

More than 90 percent of the 16,000-plus animals sheltered by Chicago Animal Care and Control last year were either adopted, transferred to a rescue group or returned to their owner, according to city data. 

Swallows huddled together during a snowstorm (Keith Williams / Flickr)

Shiver, Fluff and Cuddle: How Birds Keep Warm in the Winter

Unlike humans, birds do not have the luxury of high-powered heating systems to keep warm in the winter, but they do have a variety of unique adaptations to help them survive.

Morning commuters face a tough slog on Wacker Drive in Chicago, Monday, Jan. 28, 2019. (Rich Hein / Chicago Sun-Times via AP)

Call Before Bringing Pets to Chicago Warming Centers, City Says

Those seeking refuge from this week’s bitter cold at one of Chicago’s public warming centers should not assume their dog or cat will be allowed in with them.

CTA trains move along snow-covered tracks Monday, Jan. 28, 2019, in Chicago. (AP Photo / Kiichiro Sato)

BBB Warns of Cold-Weather Scams as Temperatures Plummet

As extreme cold sets in, be on the lookout for scams involving driveway shoveling, furnace inspections and utility bills, the Better Business Bureau says. 

Hudson, a polar bear at Brookfield Zoo (Courtesy Chicago Zoological Society)

Chicago Zoos to Close in Anticipation of Extreme Cold

Brookfield Zoo and Lincoln Park Zoo plan to close for parts of the week as record-breaking lows are expected to move into the area.

(Google Maps)

Chicago Adopts Stricter Rules for Manganese, Other Pollutants

Chicago facilities that process potentially harmful industrial materials must now take further steps to ensure they aren’t polluting surrounding neighborhoods.

Snow-clearing efforts at Millennium Park following a snow storm on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune via AP)

Tips for Managing Icy Sidewalks Without Harming the Environment

Although ice melt products can help clear slick walkways, they can also harm pets and cause damage to lawns, gardens and waterways. What you need to know.

(Brenna Hernandez / Shedd Aquarium)

Chicago Museums Offer Free Admission to Federal Workers During Shutdown

A handful of museums and cultural institutions in and around Chicago are offering free admission to workers affected by the ongoing federal government shutdown. 

In this Nov. 6, 2018 file photo, Democratic gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker speaks after he is elected over Republican incumbent Bruce Rauner. (AP Photo / Nam Y. Huh)

Gov. Pritzker Signs Pact Committing Illinois to Paris Climate Goals

The move by Illinois’ new governor marks a sharp departure from his predecessor, former Gov. Bruce Rauner, who made little to no mention of the state’s role in curbing carbon emissions that most scientists agree contribute to global warming.

Newly elected MWRD President Kari Steele (center) with Finance Chairman Frank Avila and Vice President Barbara McGowan (Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago)

Kari Steele Elected as New President at MWRD

New MWRD President Kari Steele is the only chemist on the organization’s nine-member board. She was re-elected in November to a second term as commissioner. 

Remains of a freshwater shark with teeth shaped like spaceships from the 1980s video game Galaga was discovered in sediment surrounding Sue the T. Rex’s bones. (Velizar Simeonovski / Field Museum)

Shark Remains Discovered in Rock That Contained Sue the T. Rex

Tiny fossilized teeth found in sediment that surrounded Sue the T. Rex have led to the classification of a new shark species. 

Apache, foreground, a 7-year-old old male Mexican wolf recently arrived at Brookfield Zoo to be paired with 2-year-old Ela. (Jim Schulz / Chicago Zoological Society)

Brookfield Zoo to Establish New Pack of Endangered Mexican Wolves

Zoo officials say they’re hopeful that 2-year-old Ela and newcomer Apache, 7, will have a successful breeding season this winter and produce a litter of wolf pups in the spring.

The Illinois Governor’s Mansion (Illinois Governor’s Mansion Association)

Illinois Governor’s Mansion Secures LEED Status After $15M Renovation

Outgoing Gov. Bruce Rauner and first lady Diana Rauner are leaving the Governor’s Mansion in significantly greater – and greener – shape than they found it. And now the historic home has the paperwork to prove it.

John Berg, an environmental health specialist with the DuPage County Health Department, runs water from a private well in Willowbrook on Dec. 13, 2018, as part of testing for levels of cancer-causing ethylene oxide. (Alex Ruppenthal / WTTW)

No Contamination Found in Water Near Sterigenics’ Willowbrook Plant

Water samples collected at homes near a suburban medical sterilization plant linked to a cancer-causing gas showed no signs of contamination, environmental regulators announced Wednesday.

Rainbow Park Beach in Chicago (Steven Kevil / Wikimedia Commons)

Coastal Management Program Targets Lake Michigan Beaches

A state program designed to protect the Lake Michigan shoreline is adding a new category this year aimed at helping Chicago-area communities preserve their beaches.

A silver carp captured in June 2017 in the Illinois Waterway below the T.J. O’Brien Lock and Dam, about 9 miles from Lake Michigan. (Courtesy Illinois Department of Natural Resources)

New State Grant Program Aims to Help Companies Sell Asian Carp

If you can’t beat ‘em, eat ‘em. That’s the apparent strategy behind a new state grant program that will provide funding to companies that harvest and sell Asian carp.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan (Chicago Tonight file photo)

Illinois AG Demands EPA Enforce Rule Limiting Landfill Pollution

A group of state attorneys general, including Lisa Madigan, is demanding that the EPA withdraw its plan to delay a regulation aimed at reducing emissions of methane and other pollutants from landfills.

A Divvy docking station in the Chicago’s West Loop. (Tony Webster / Flickr)

Chicago’s Divvy Divide: Convenient Bike-Share Program or Sign of Gentrification?

A new study found that Evanston residents were generally accepting of bike-share programs like Divvy, while residents in Humboldt Park viewed such programs as signs of privilege and gentrification. 

(Pixabay)

Group Forecasts Statewide Impact of EPA’s Controversial Mercury Plan

The advocacy group Moms Clean Air Force warns that a Trump administration proposal to weaken standards for emissions of toxic mercury would harm residents and wildlife across Illinois. 

(Frank McNamara / Flickr)

Advocates: EPA Plan to Weaken Mercury Rule Threatens Great Lakes Fish

The Trump administration’s plan to roll back limits on toxic mercury pollution will harm Great Lakes fish – and potentially those who eat them, advocates say.

(kat_geb / Flickr)

Illinois Issues Proposed Rules for Growing Industrial Hemp

Farmers and others across the state are preparing to grow and process a new crop as Illinois finalizes regulations for industrial hemp. 

Project Manager Justin Rossman of Site Design Group explains the highlights of Ashe Elementary School’s planned garden to Dean Alonistiotis, aide to MWRD Commissioner Kimberly Du Buclet. (Courtesy Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago)

5 CPS Schools Selected for Green ‘Schoolyard Transformations’ in 2019

New outdoor spaces at a handful of Chicago elementary schools will provide safe play areas for kids in low-income neighborhoods while also mitigating flooding risks, according to program organizers.