Illinois was once home to ancient rainforests dominated by tall, asparagus-like trees and patrolled by 6-foot-long centipedes. Now, remains of that landscape can be seen in a massive new find by geologists downstate. more ›

Billboards posted on the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) near Maywood, Ill., liken those who believe in global warming to Ted "Unabomber" Kaczynski, Charles Manson and Fidel Castro. more ›

Apparently the recent separation of Al and Tipper Gore was what led Senator Mark Kirk to oppose climate change legislation, and not political or economic considerations. Kirk told the New York Times that his rationale for not supporting climate change legislation in Illinois is the result of Al Gores' personal life, not as a result of political or economic factors. "The consensus behind the climate change bill collapsed and then further deteriorated with the personal and political collapse of Vice President [Al] Gore," Kirk said in what was described as a "brief interview." more ›

Today at noon, two activists from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals will be handing out free Tofutti Cuties in front of Wrigley Field. Described as "delicious nondairy ice cream sandwiches," the free snacks will help Chicagoans cool off in the summer heat, even if the provocative, 1940's-inspired ice cream parlor outfits might heat a few spectators up. "We hope that these frozen treats will help folks who are feeling the heat in Chicago understand that it's never been easier to help prevent climate change and improve their health," PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman said in a statement. "Choosing healthy and delicious vegan foods is good for the planet and your waistline and helps prevent the suffering of countless animals on factory farms." more ›

In an effort to lower the city's carbon footprint, a new exhibit focusing on climate change has opened at the Field Museum and will run through Nov. 28. "The exhibit and the plan provide a call to action on climate change," said the Nature Conservancy's Bob Moseley via the Chicago Sun-Times, speaking Friday at a joint launch for the show and the Climate Action Plan for Nature he helped create. "But the impact of the many things we can and should do will not be felt for another 50 to 100 years." more ›

A new city ordinance, announced today, would limit the amount of pollution that Chicago's two coal-fired power plants can produce. The Clean Power Ordinance was sponsored by Alderman Joe Moore of the 49th Ward, co-sponsored by Aldermen Sandi Jackson (7th), Toni Preckwinkle (4th), and Gene Schulter (47th), and supported by more than 30 businesses and nonprofit groups. more ›

In light of the climate summit currently happening (or not, depending on your point of view) in Copenhagen, the BBC is visiting eight cities around the world to assess how governments and citizens are tackling climate change. Chicago is the only city in North America to have received a visit. The BBC Climate Connections team set out to find out whether we actually are one of the greenest cities in the country. Their findings are available in the form of a Newshour Live broadcast through WBEZ (embedded below) and coverage on the BBC website. more ›

A dozen protesters - 11 adults and one juvenile - were arrested this morning in the Loop. The group was part of a rally organized by Mobilization for Climate Justice. [FOX] more ›

Former Vice President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore was back in town today, stopping by a local Borders to promote his newest book, Our Choice: A Plan To Solve The Climate Crisis. But before he shook some hands, he made a stop by WBEZ where he talked with 848 about the book and his plan. It's all well and good and a cause we can get behind, but we still prefer the below call to action over either of those other options. more ›

Meet the Chicago Climate Action Plan: a fabulous, flexible, long-term plan unveiled by the Daley Administration last week that outlines how the city plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and prevent the onset of permanent climate change in Chicago. From the Climate Change 101 section of the website: more ›

Mark your calendars: For one hour on March 29th, Chicago will be in the dark. The City of Chicago and COM ED are asking businesses and residents to turn off their lights and unplug all electrical devices between 8 and 9pm on Saturday, March 29th to participate in Earth Hour, a global initiative organized by the World Wildlife Fund in which cities and communities turn out their lights to symbolize their commitment to finding climate change solutions. more ›

It's not just your friends from college: Lake Michigan is getting shallower, too. It's approaching record lows, and its water levels have been dropping since 1997. more ›

In a grand and futile gesture to halt the expansion of agricultural business into the world's remaining rainforests, several protesters scaled the Chicago Board of Trade building and unfurled a banner this morning. The result? A bit of publicity and a trip to the police station. Five protesters are being held for criminal trespassing, reckless conduct and criminal damage to property. By the time police and medics arrived on the scene to remove them... more ›

"Grinders" via pantagrapher. more ›

Chicagoist is grinning ear to ear after all the stunning news that hit us yesterday. In this most nationally-minded of elections, not only have the Democrats taken the House of Representitives, they have also taken control of the Senate, with the AP calling Virginia for Jim Webb last night. On top of that, Donald Rumsfeld has resigned (the day after the election!!!), and Dennis Hastert announced that he is stepping down from the GOP leadership in congress as well.
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