Environment
The Long Tail of Indiana’s Oil and Gas Boom
The state’s early industry remade more than the landscape.
“A City Upon a Hill”
In 1993, the Mississippi River destroyed the town of Valmeyer, Illinois. So residents moved it a mile uphill.
From Wasteland to Wildlife Habitat
A former Chicago dumping ground finds new life with restoration efforts.
What the USDA Still Owes Farmers of Color
The American Rescue Plan offers debt relief for farmers of color, but structural factors have kept many from obtaining loans in the first place.
On the Ice in a Warming World
For ice fishermen on northern Michigan’s frozen lakes, it’s easy to feel like climate change is a world away. But it’s only a matter of time before a warming planet transforms the tradition.
The Rubber Industry’s Toxic Legacy in Akron
The stories of workers and their families reveal "unintended consequences" for life and health in the community.
Can a Community Water Lab Restore Trust in Flint?
The Mckenzie Patrice-Croom Water Lab, which opened to the public last year, wants to change the relationship between people and water in Flint.
How Racism Makes the Weather in Cleveland (and Elsewhere)
A 2020 study found that formerly redlined neighborhoods are hotter than other areas in the same city. Here’s why.
The Unfinished Business of Flint’s Water Crisis
Many of the most important reforms at the root of the city’s water crisis remain undone.
The Flooding of Beech Fork
In the twentieth century, dams transformed the landscape of Appalachia. What was lost in the process?
Midwest environment
Get the latest stories from around the region sent straight to your inbox.
Get the latest stories from around the region sent straight to your inbox.
Support independent, context-driven regional writing.