From flax that can be used in clothing and cars to robotic skimmers to stricter laws, researchers, activists and volunteers fight an industry intent on making more plastic.
The overwhelming problem of plastic Read More »
The upcoming overhaul of the Chicago region’s transit system shows how potent organizing around public services can be.
Massive Public Transit Win in Chicago Shows the Power of Grassroots Coalitions Read More »
More than a month after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers halted work on the Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, part of a $1.15 billion project to keep invasive carp out of the Great Lakes, the agency announced last week it would resume construction.
IEC’s Mundra Turtogtokh shares some of the exciting items generously donated for our 2026 Environmental Leadership Dinner silent auction.
Five Silent Auction Items I’m Especially Excited About This Year Read More »
A flood is a warning too late.
When the Deep Tunnel Runs Out of Room Read More »
Clean energy workers are building the wind, solar, and battery storage projects to help build Illinois’ climate resilience and clean energy future. The training programs equipping those workers with the skills necessary for Illinois’ green economy were made possible by the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, which turns five on September 15, 2026.
On Aug. 11, Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order calling for a pause on data center construction and expansion in the city of Chicago.
Why are more elected officials calling for restrictions on data centers? Read More »
Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order Tuesday directing city departments to intensify scrutiny of new data centers in Chicago — a politically potent move that doesn’t unilaterally impose new limits on the fast-growing industry, but could slow its growth.
Every year, the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) issues a voting scorecard that grades members of the Illinois General Assembly on how they voted for bills affecting the environment.
Richard Chew is joined by Dany Robles, senior legislative director at the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC); he talks about IEC’s 2026 Legislative Environmental Scorecard.
WCPT 820 Interview: Dany Robles Read More »
Commercial pesticides are being detected in public spaces like schools and parks, according to recently released research by Prairie Rivers Network, an Illinois-based nonprofit that advocates for water health. In addition, environmental advocates say Illinois doesn’t have an established method to track agricultural pesticide drift and lacks the regulations to prevent exposure like what occurred in Morton.
This year’s extraordinary heat made July 2026 Cook County’s deadliest month for heat deaths in a decade. Regardless of where you live, heat waves have become the most lethal weather phenomenon in the world, killing an average of 12,000 people every year. Like many other environmental injustices, heat deaths do not impact everyone equally.
Illinois is requiring polluters to begin reporting spills of industrial plastic pellets known as nurdles, a growing source of contamination in the Great Lakes and Mississippi River watersheds.
Even as a political backlash against data centers mushrooms across the U.S., a broad consensus on how to regulate them is emerging in Springfield, according to key corporate, labor and environmental lobbyists.
How to regulate data centers in Illinois at the center of latest proposal Read More »
Illinois Environmental Council Releases Annual Scorecard (SPRINGFIELD, IL)—The Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) released its 2026 Legislative Environmental Scorecard today. The scorecard, which is released annually, assigns legislators a percentage score based on how they voted on bills affecting the environment. This year, 58 percent of state house representatives and 46 percent of state senators received
New Report: State Legislators Scored on Environmental Voting Record Read More »
IEC’s state legislative team has published our 2026 Environmental Scorecard evaluating the performance of every Illinois state legislator based on their environmental voting record.
2026 Environmental Scorecard Read More »
One year ago, the Illinois Environmental Council warned that H.R.1, dubbed the “Big Ugly Bill,” would impact Illinois’ clean energy economy, weaken environmental protections, and make it harder for families and communities to thrive. One year later, we revisited those projections by reviewing updated economic analyses, federal implementation, and conversations with our partners across Illinois to understand what has changed and what challenges remain.
From Warning to Reality: One Year After the “Big Ugly Bill” Read More »
Every spring and summer, Chicago basements flood like clockwork, but this isn’t just bad luck with the weather. It is the direct collision of a 1930s sewer network, a rapidly shifting climate, and decades of systemic urban disinvestment. Chicago’s Deep Tunnel project can’t save us alone, we need to embrace water policy and nature-based climate resilience.
Why Does My Street Flood? Read More »
Rockford, Illinois – Today, The Workforce Connection, Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois (Goodwill), Think Big! Corporation, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), Illinois Environmental Council, and local partners hosted an exhibition of Rockford’s active workforce and business development ecosystem. The ecosystem is one of the “workforce hubs” made possible by the Climate and
For Metro-East residents, environmental justice is a daily fight against chronic flooding, sewage backups, and toxic air.
Fighting for a Clean Community through a Toxic Tour & Fireside Chat Read More »
A bill headed to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk will end Illinois’ automatic adoption of weakened federal environmental standards.
As Trump hacks away at environmental protections, Illinois strengthens them Read More »
