Beat the heat with less air conditioning

It doesn’t seem possible, but 60 years ago people survived without air conditioning. Not only did they survive, but they may have even enjoyed life more, since they actually went outside in summ

Be energywise and economize. Winterize.

A good place to start reducing your carbon footprint is at home. If you make a few tracks around the house in areas you rarely tread, you might be surprised at what you find and how much you can save

When Vladimir Nabokov came to Springfield

The great Russian novelist, author of Lolita, was taken aback by a flagpole enthusiast

When the great Russian novelist Vladimir Nabokov visited Springfield in 1942, he met a man who would become fodder for one of the most entertaining letters he wrote to his wife. It was excerpted last

Feeding the soil builds sustainable lawns

Spraying chemical fertilizers and pesticides on lawns is like giving kids junk food, says landscape designer Cathy Bilow. They’ll be invigorated for a while, but eventually they’ll crash a

A creative visit from Vachel Lindsay’s granddaughter

The spirit of Vachel Lindsay was alive and well in Springfield Nov. 5 in the form of his granddaughter, Louisa Lindsay-Sprouse. She was visiting from Eugene, Ore., to promote creative writing in Sprin

Renew your home with solar and wind

Now is the time to invest in renewables

If you’re considering adding solar energy to your home, now may be a good time to do it. Solar panel prices are low because demand slumped after the financial crisis of 2008, when the renewables

The greening of Springfield

LLCC leads the way to renewable energy

Welcome to the most eco-friendly home in Springfield. You’d never guess the carpeting is made of recycled plastic grocery bags, or the bathroom countertops come from recycled cardboard and paper

Yoga blossoms in Canton prison

Yoga is hardly the first thing that comes to mind as an activity for male prisoners. But two inmates who teach yoga classes at a state prison near Canton believe it is ideal for prison life.“Yog

Welcome to America

African immigrants at Cargill are the latest to see the underside of the American dream

Beardstown and surrounding communities in west-central Illinois have taken on a surreal international air of late. A community of African immigrants has quietly been building in the area for the past

Meet the monk

Springfield becomes new outpost for disciple of Burmese Buddhist master