The Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) is a Chicago-centric “creative think-and-do tank” that works on issues including climate, energy , water , transportation and  community development  for Chicago and its environs. It was founded in 1978, and is a leader in promoting urban sustainability or “the more effective use of existing resources and community assets to improve...
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The Union for Concerned Scientists (UCS), an independent non-profit dedicated to scientific analysis, released a new report called A Bright Future for the Heartland that estimates that Illinois’ current energy policies will create 8,400 more new jobs in the state by 2030. This jobs estimate is in addition to jobs that have already been...
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Sitting, sweltering, or perhaps you’ve got the air-conditioner running, have you thought about your utility bill for this month? We can’t do much about the heat wave, but the Citizens Utility Board and the information on their website can help you lower and control your energy use and costs. The “Energy Saver” provides  free...
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Sal Thomas, writing for TheWeekBehind, provides some good advice for those of us who have over-extended our digital social selves. Summer pace is a bit slower than the rest of the year, so maybe you have time to read, consider and pare down your possibly bloated social network: It occurs to me that the...
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The Chicago Park District and Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd Ward) unveiled plans for a new Fosco Park at 1313 S. Throop St., but not all the residents at the May 2 meeting were pleased. The plans presented at the meeting for the revamped Fosco Park included a large green space, an assortment of trees and...
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It may not be rocket science, but it’s close. Fuel cells have been used to power spacecrafts for years and on Saturday, April 16, 2011, Chicago-area middle school students, including students from Altgeld Elementary School,  will use fuel cells to power model cars at equipment manufacturer Case New Holland (CNH) in Burr Ridge, Ill.,...
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Have you ever wondered how lightning works? Why the sky is blue? Maybe you just want see what a thermal imaging camera is all about? All these answers and many more await you in a new, permanent exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry titled “Science Storms.” Patrons can learn about the natural...
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Sharon Morgan sits at her desk surrounded by piles of paperwork and a cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee. As she shuffles through the paperwork, she marks her calendar on the day where she plans to speak to her 7th and 8th grade students about completing applications for the best high schools in the city....
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The local group OpenGovChicago is having a Hackathon on December 13 at Columbia College. The details are still being hammered out. To start with, “hackers” aren’t “bad guys or pirates. They’re passionate pragmatic craftspeople who relish doing interesting work and doing it with style,” writes Joe Germuska of the OpenGovChicago about the upcoming “Hackathon.” At...
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By John O’Neill, LISC Chicago’s New Communities Program Most of the year, Michael Harris Jr. is a mild-mannered student at Austin Polytechnical Academy on the West Side. But this summer, Harris was transformed into “Solar Mike” — thanks to Youth Ready Chicago at the Science Institute at Columbia College. Harris was one of 20...
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