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Environmental Almanac

Weekly commentaries on the environment and appreciating the natural world, by Rob Kanter from the School of Earth, Society, and Environment at the University of Illinois.

Monarch Butterfly feeding on butterfly milkweed

Rob Kanter

Environmental Almanac - May 08, 2014

Support monarch butterflies by planting milkweed at home

Monarch Butterflies are declining rapidly as a species—by a staggering 90 percent in the past two decades. Butterfly milkweed, an easy-to-grow perennial characterized by attractive foliage and bright orange flowers; it is also the only plant fledgling Monarch caterpillars feed on. People can provide important habitat for them in home landscaping—just by cultivating some milkweed for the caterpillars to feed on.

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Doug Williams, Rev. Cindy Shepherd and Brian Sauder with Pastor Michael Crosby of the First Mennonite Church

Rob Kanter

Environmental Almanac - May 01, 2014

Faith in Place leader has been a catalyst for change

Brian Sauder is the executive director Faith in Place, a statewide nonprofit whose mission is “to help people of faith understand that issues of ecology and economy—of care for Creation—are at the forefront of social justice.”

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