An Illinois River Almanac

Winter in Illinois can be miserable, cold, frustrating or, as is the case this year, a little confusing. I do not know if it is spring, fall or winter right now. But despite all of the negative aspects of winter in Illinois, there are some positive aspects to winter for the nature lovers out there. There is plenty to do to enjoy nature throughout the winter months. Here are a few sugges...

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Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays.  I hope that your Christmas is filled with family friends and good cheer.  Make your Holidays green this year....

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There has been a lot of talk about climate change and its effect on the different weather patterns and how it is creating "super storms." Much of this talk is spurred from the Paris Climate Change Conference that was attended by many of the world leaders. This has also caused many public figures and politicians to weigh-in with their opinions. I have seen dozens of articles that have either sup...

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Nature has a way of continuing to surprise and intrigue us the more we explore.  Have you ever seen the amazing camouflage that octopi have?  Some species of octopus have the ability to change the color and texture of their skin to hide from predators and from prey.  Cuttlefish can also change their color by expanding and contracting cells of pigment in their skin.  This is not an involuntary r...

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For many people Christmas means food, family and gifts.  Have you ever thought about giving a green gift?  Do you even know what a green gift is?  Here are some tips to make your white Christmas a little greener. Think about the packaging.  Many companies have reduced the packaging that is on their products to reduce waste, but there is still...

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