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Ode to the Lime

Why the lemon and not the lime? Author Nick Bucciarelli discusses the under appreciated lime and why it is superior to the lemon.

Blue Jay

“It is rare I spot/ the bird, but the brief ecstasy/ of color nicks my heart/ just to see them fly.” This week on Emily Jahn’s Atmosphere, she describes the anticipated return of the blue jay after a long winter.

All Other Stories, AtmosphereEmily JahnMay 15, 2020atmosphere, poetry, nature, bird, blue jay

On a Walk Home

Winter is behind us, yet the feeling of walking home in the snow remain. Check out this beautiful poem by Emma Belanger in her new column, To Fly, To Swim, To Be.

All Other Stories, To Fly To Swim To BeEmma BelangerMay 13, 2020poetry, creative, nature, animals, walk, ducks

Quiet Sounds

A minute of quiet in a loud, shouting world. Check out ION’s newest poetry column,To Fly, To Swim, To Be, by Emma Belanger.

All Other Stories, To Fly To Swim To BeEmma BelangerApril 30, 2020poetry, creative, nature, animals, birds

River

Back again with Atmosphere, Emily Jahn writes the scene of a river, including some observations and introspection beside it. Check out this piece and the rest of her poetry column!

All Other Stories, AtmosphereEmily JahnApril 24, 2020atmosphere, poetry, nature, river

Exploring Nature in Your Own Backyard

In Our Nature’s Danielle Johnson participates in social distancing-friendly nature exploration in her neighborhood using flora and fauna identifying apps Seek and iNaturalist.

The Others: Sacred, Forgotten, Misunderstood

Do animals have moral standing? How do cultures around the world perceive animals differently and what implications does this have on the way we should be treating them? Find out in Emma Belanger’s eye-opening article.

Why the Coronavirus is NOT Healing Our Planet

Despite falling air pollution and carbon dioxide levels as millions across the world are placed under lockdown, our planet is hardly a beneficiary of the coronavirus outbreak, Ginny Ip explains. Read more to find out why.

Who Can We Thank For Clean Water in Evanston?

Who can we thank for clean water in Evanston? That would be Charles J. Gilbert, the Father of Evanston Water Works. Grace Eder tells the compelling story behind the humble brick building just north of campus that provides the people of Evanston with safe drinking water year after year.

All Other Stories, Creative WritingGrace EderMarch 11, 2020nature, creative writing, water quality, history

Simple Ways to Live Peacefully with the Earth this Summer

Where can you go to reconnect with nature and do more for the planet? What small changes can you make to drastically improve your own health as well as that of the environment? Emma Belanger has you covered.

The Womyn of Earth

What is the relationship between women and the natural world? Is there a connection between the exploitation and degradation of the environment and the subordination and oppression of women? In her fascinating article, Emma Belanger explores the intersections between gender and ecology, and what it means to be a female environmentalist today.

9 Places to Reconnect with Nature Around Campus

Have you spent all week inside studying and need to spend some time with plants? Are you suffering from nature withdrawals? Luckily for you, here is a nifty guide to places on or near campus to recharge and connect with nature this Spring, by Emma Belanger.

Big Posts, All Other Stories, FeaturesEmma BelangerMay 6, 2019nature, reconnect, campus, Evanston, chicago, placesComment

January Afternoons

This week on Atmosphere, Emily Jahn's poem "January Afternoons" transforms the natural world around us into powerful images that conjure up the metaphysical in the mundane, and project a dynamic inner world onto the simple and painfully beautiful scenes of everyday life.

All Other Stories, AtmosphereEmily JahnMarch 4, 2019atmosphere, poetry, nature, cataract, january afternoons

Those Who Came Before Us

What do meerkats, elephants, orang-utans and octopuses have in common? In Emma Belanger’s newest creative non-fiction piece, learn about what makes mothers - animal and human ones alike - so special, and why the maternal instinct is both so strong and universal.

Cataract

“The encyclopedia Britannica/ Defines a cataract as containing large volumes of water/ Rushing over a precipice/ If something so characterized/ By transition can be said/ To contain anything.” Emily Jahn’s latest edition of Atmosphere gets deep into the meaning of ‘cataract’, including a beautiful and flowing description of the medical condition that might even rival the flow of one of these waterfalls. Read more here.

All Other Stories, AtmosphereEmily JahnFebruary 18, 2019atmosphere, poetry, nature, cataract, yellowstone national park

Black Bear

This week, Emily Jahn’s column Atmosphere explores the fear yet unmistakable respect that black bears awaken inside of us. Read more about these majestic beings.

All Other Stories, AtmosphereIn Our Nature MagFebruary 4, 2019black bear, atmosphere, poetry, nature, water, fur, diamonds

Becoming One

Life is often busy and has the tendency to pass by without us realizing it. Once in a while, it’s important to slow down, fully engage in the present moment, and become one with nature. What better way to do that than to read Emma’s debut poem “Becoming One?”

Creative WritingEmma BelangerJanuary 31, 2019nature, becoming one, poetry, poem, wilderness, treesComment

Nature Withdrawals: The Link between Nature and Mental Health

Living in Chicagoland and submerged in the world of constant college activities, the great outdoors seem pretty far removed. Especially now, when leaving the building means exposure to numbing temps and piercing winds. However, exposure to nature—even just looking at it!—could have positive affects on your mental health, productivity and more. Read more in Emily Jahn’s Ecopinion.