Forget about recycling for a minute. Being “green” is more than just keeping glass out of the landfill. That was one message of the 10th Annual Green Symposium, a conference held in Springfield last week to promote sustainable business practices. Hosted by the American Institute of Architects and Resource One office furnishings of Springfield, speakers […]
green
Posted inOpinion
Organic subsidiaries out parent conglomerates
One of the most important elections being held on Nov. 6 doesn’t even have a Democratic, Republican, Green, Libertarian or other partisan candidate on the ballot. Imagine! Yet, this statewide contest in California will likely have a huge impact on national policy and on grassroots efforts to rein in the arrogance of corporate power that’s […]
Posted inNews
Park district mulling Griffin Woods purchase
The warm summer breeze rushes through the dense underbrush of the second-growth forest known colloquially as Griffin Woods, filling the close space with the rustle and shimmer of thousands of leaves. A broken shoelace, a potato chip bag and a few empty beer bottles lie just inside the perimeter, a testament to careless trespassers who […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Over the rainbow
Grab your seats and tickets and get ready for a night somewhere over the rainbow as The Muni closes out its season with everyone’s favorite story and musical, The Wizard of Oz. Kara DeWall plays Dorothy alongside everyone’s favorite dog, Toto, performed by rescued dog Arlen, trained by Judy Williams. Matthew Vala directs and Elizabeth […]
Posted inNews
Bringing back MacArthur Blvd.
The plan is in place, a commission has been formed and an air of energy is all about, but it could be awhile before those driving up and down MacArthur Boulevard can actually see the fruits of a major collaborative redevelopment effort now underway. The MacArthur Boulevard Business Association (MBBA) last week unveiled the final […]
Posted inNews
CWLP readies for greener future
A contract requiring Springfield’s public utility to be more environmentally responsible doesn’t expire for another six years, but local activists are already urging the city and its residents to start thinking now about how today’s decisions can determine City, Water, Light and Power’s seemingly distant future. In 2006, the Sangamon Valley Group of the Sierra […]
Posted inNews
Getting bigger, going green
As St. John’s Hospital is preparing to renovate its downtown campus, the 135-year-old Springfield institution is paying special attention to minimizing the project’s environmental footprint and maximizing local economic benefits. On March 31, hospital officials announced a $162 million proposal to demolish certain old structures on the hospital’s campus and replace them with more modern […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Conservation Consumerism: Green Bags
I don’t make a lot of New Year’s resolutions, but I did stick to one this year: stop wasting food. As a busy undergrad sharing a refrigerator with four other people, I often bought produce and lunch meat and forgot about them, leaving my hard-earned money (OK not that hard-earned, I did data entry for […]
