Green Profiling: When Open Spaces Aren’t Open for All
June 30, 2020
Our work expanding access to open spaces and public lands isn’t done until everyone can safely access these spaces free from discrimination and harassment.
IEC Blog
10 Great Illinois Spots and the Land and Water Conservation Fund
June 29, 2020
The LWCF has had an outstanding, though often unrecognized, impact on some of Illinois’ most significant places, from historically meaningful sites to a myriad of recreational spaces including national refuges and urban open spaces.
Life Without Running Water During COVID-19
May 4, 2020
We haven’t done right by the communities most impacted—Black, brown and low income communities—until we’ve guaranteed this vital resource regardless of zipcode, race or ability to pay.
The Truth About Illinois, the Great Feeder of the World
May 1, 2020
We need to accept that we were wrong. We must take a holistic approach to our food system if we want to survive another crisis.
Earth Day 50
April 22, 2020
Today, the world celebrates the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. This milestone provides us all an opportunity to reflect on the progress we’ve made and
Our Top Stay-at-Home Sustainability Tips
April 13, 2020
By Jen Walling | IEC Executive Director When so many of us are spending more time than usual at home due to the novel corona
IEC’s Top Tip to Save the Planet: Civics and Advocacy
March 9, 2020
Looking back on this decade of questions, one of the most commonly asked is, “What is the single most impactful thing an individual can do to help save the planet?”
Cover Crops and the 200 Year Nutrient Pollution Gap
December 13, 2019
Nutrient pollution from excess fertilizer carried downstream by water and erosion is poisoning our drinking water, feeding toxic algal blooms and contributing to a massive deadzone in the Gulf of Mexico.
Lead Poisoning Awareness Week
October 25, 2019
By Iyana Simba | IEC Clean Water Advocate When it came to light in 2014 that residents of Flint, Michigan were exposed to elevated lead
Reclaimed Heritage: How Simple Appreciation is Better for Us and the Planet
September 5, 2019
By Crystal Kern | IEC Finance Director I grew up on a self-sufficient farm in central Kentucky. We had a diverse garden with more plant varieties
Introducing IEC Staff Picks
August 6, 2019
Get to know IEC while picking up a few tips and tricks for protecting the environment Historically, our blog has been a place for IEC
The Price of Climate Change
July 18, 2019
Midwestern farmers are paying the price of climate change
Team IEC on Capitol Hill
June 28, 2019
While a majority of our work at the Illinois Environmental Council is focused on passing and implementing environmental policies here in Illinois, we also engage
Bringing Lawmakers Out of Their Office Buildings and into Nature
June 11, 2019
To educate lawmakers on the importance of agriculture and natural resource conservation practices, we connect them with experiences that demonstrate the real-world impacts of their votes in the legislature.
Illinois Has the Greenest Cannabis Bill in the Country
May 31, 2019
With input from the environmental community, Illinois is about to become the national leader for environmental protection in the cannabis industry. Earlier this year, Governor
The Critical Need for Water Infrastructure Funding
March 19, 2019
It is past time for dedicated capital funding for water infrastructure to ensure every Illinoisan has access to clean, affordable water.
What joining the US Climate Alliance means for Illinois
February 7, 2019
As one of his first acts, Governor Pritzker signed Illinois onto the US Climate Alliance
Did Illinois just elect the most pro-environment General Assembly ever?
November 7, 2018
The winners of yesterday’s election will be making decisions that have wide-ranging impacts on Illinois’s environment.
Sterigenics, Ethylene Oxide and Human Health
October 4, 2018
Jen Walling Executive Director, Illinois Environmental Council Without a family history of breast cancer, no one can pinpoint how my mother developed cancer. I was
Federal Setbacks and the State of Illinois Energy Policy
August 24, 2018
By Cary Shepherd Policy Director, Illinois Environmental Council The federal administration unveiled its latest attempt to prevent our nation’s transition to a clean energy economy