Untitled Document There is so much waste in packaging — from water in self-serve bottles to all the foil and cardboard wrapping for new print cartridges. What is being done to make packaging more “green friendly,” including cutting out as much of it as possible? Thanks to forward-thinking action by the European Union, people around […]
Community & Lifestyle
Posted inArts & Culture
For the birds
Untitled Document Wind power turbines, some people say, pose a threat to birds, including migrating flocks. If this is true, what is being done about this? It is ironic that nonpolluting, renewable wind energy, long touted as a potential savior in the fight to stop global warming, is getting a bad rap for killing wildlife. […]
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Some annuals still at risk
Untitled Document Seesawing temperatures fool plants and gardeners and remind us that March and April weather is unpredictable. As temperatures get warmer, many gardeners want to start planting, but they need to understand their plants’ ability to withstand the cold. The average date of the last frost in central Illinois (Zone 5B) is April 15. […]
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Stepping up
Untitled Document Maybe you remember Michael Newman. For a few months, in the summer of 2005, he made news as the guy who wanted to be a Springfield firefighter but was disqualified by something hinkey in his background check. What set him apart from the scores of other would-be hosers who fell into that same […]
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Avoid catastrophe
Untitled Document What kinds of cat litters are kinder to the environment: traditional clay litters (so-called clumping litters) or other varieties? What about some of the new alternatives, such as those made out of wheat and corn? Traditional clay-based clumping cat litters are the most common and widely sold in supermarkets and pet supply stores. […]
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When grills kill
Untitled Document Warnings on bags of charcoal say carcinogens are released when the briquettes are burned. Is it safe to breathe in the smell of a charcoal grill? Barbecue grills can be problematic for two reasons. First, both charcoal and wood burn “dirty,” producing not only hydrocarbons but also tiny soot particles that pollute the air […]
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Legacy
Untitled Document Add President George Walker Bush to the list of top-tier U.S. politicians whose ancestors include slaveholders. U.S. Census records for 1790 to 1830 testify to the slaveholding past of some early Walker-family members. The many available Bush-Walker genealogies lead to the same people and places that are found in the U.S. Census. The […]
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Degrees of separation
Untitled Document The Bush side of the presidents’ family receives nearly all of the attention from historians; the Walker side, by comparison, is almost anonymous to history. But the mostly forgotten Walkers of central Illinois merit consideration if the heritage of the two-presidents Bush is to be more comprehensively assessed. George E. and Harriet Walker, […]
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Cheap solar
Untitled Document Solar power has not historically been very cost-effective. What will bring costs down to make solar competitive with other energy sources? The relatively low price of oil and the high cost of developing new technology have prevented the widespread adoption of solar power. At a current cost of 25 to 50 cents per […]
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Line in the sand
Untitled Document If you’ve ever lived in an actual city, you might not think of Springfield and the term “urban sprawl” in the same sentence. Or the same paragraph. Or even the same series of paperback mysteries. Springfield’s urban sprawl is like Springfield’s “rush hour” or its nightlife — it does exist but in a […]
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Kinderfingers
Untitled Document I’m not a fan of horror movies, but I think most of them start with a beautiful girl enjoying a carefree life, then suddenly being attacked by a monster. If you can adjust that scenario down to kindergarten age, I’ve got a gorefest for you. Our movie opens with young Sammi Rafferty trying […]
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Green boats
Untitled Document Are there efforts to design and manufacture environmentally friendly boats to replace gas-guzzlers? The United States has been regulating fuel economy and emissions in cars and trucks for decades but got a late start addressing similar issues with boats. In 1996, though, recognizing a growing problem of boat engine pollution, the Environmental Protection […]
