Category Archives: Environment

Image

Height Of Valley Park Levee Makes Local Headlines

FB 3 LeveeThe Valley Park Levee height controversy, as reported by Don Corrigan here on August 18, has been drawing attention from local media.

The South County Times article “Critics Say Valley Park Levee Was Built Too High,” highlighted reports that the Valley Park levee was built above the maximum allowed height. Keep an eye on Environmental Echo for more breaking information about the Valley Park Levee issue.

Read Corrigan’s article, Aug. 18, 2016 – CLICK HERE.

Here is a look at the local news from this week about the Valley Park Levee.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Posted on September 2, 2016 in Environment

Image

Was The Valley Park Levee Built Too High?

 

FB 3 Levee

Local environmentalists say there are more sewage spills, property damage and flood cleanups in our future because of construction in floodplains, loss of wetlands and new levees. They say the Valley Park levee was built anywhere from five to eight feet higher than authorized and is the culprit in unprecedented flooding along the Meramec River in late 2015 and 2016 in Kirkwood, Sunset Hills, Fenton and farther downstream.

And now, after hiring a civil engineering firm to take measurements of the levee, they say they have proof that the levee was build beyond authorized specifications. They are sharing the latest findings about the levee with city officials and property owners who sustained flood damage, but say it is too early to speculate on what legal actions might result with the latest findings showing the levee height exceeds authorized levels.
Be sure to listen to a podcast interview from January of this year with Bob Criss at the end of this article. He explains why the continued development and levee construction could make flooding worse in the coming years.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Posted on August 18, 2016 in Environment, Home

Tagged , , , ,

Image

Urban Farming In St. Louis: More Than Veggies And Green Spaces

Dat Le and Joe Van Betuw harvest zucchini squash at Gateway Greening's urban farm at 2200 Pine St. in Downtown St. Louis. photo by Ursula Ruhl, Webster-Kirkwood Times.

Dat Le and Joe Van Betuw harvest zucchini squash at Gateway Greening’s urban farm. Photo by Ursula Ruhl, Webster-Kirkwood Times.

A new article from the West End Word newspaper shows how local farming in an urban area can offer more than just veggies to a few families.

Organizations involved with urban gardening in St. Louis, such as Gateway Greening, Global Farms, and the Sweet Potato Project, are providing social enterprise training to the underprivileged, as well as, fresh produce to local schools.

“The program serves the City Garden and Biome charter schools, Lafayette Preparatory School, and also provides after-school snacks for New City School – that’s breakfast, lunch and snacks for around 400 kids a day.”

To read the full story by Brian Ruth, Webster-Kirkwood Times Intern and Webster University Journalism student, CLICK HERE.

 

Leave a comment

Posted on August 13, 2016 in Environment

Image

“IS IT A SIN TO TRASH THE ENVIRONMENT AND IGNORE CLIMATE CHANGE?”

mitchThe Rev. Mitch Hescox, Presidnet and CEO of the Evangelical Environmental Network, is the guest with Don Corrigan’s podcast series this week.

Hescox explains what the Evangelical Environmental Network is all about and how evangelicals can help find conservative solutions to the pollution and environmental issues that harm God’s creation, the earth, and our children.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Posted on August 8, 2016 in Environment, Podcasts

Image

THE EVOLUTION OF ZOOS IN THE NEWS

Photo Courtesy Webster-Kirkwood Times.

Photo Courtesy Webster-Kirkwood Times.

by Don Corrigan  (Webster-Kirkwood Times)

I used to think that zoos were a place to get away from it all; a refuge from all the madness outside the zoo walls; a quiet place on a warm weekday afternoon to contemplate, while watching animals sun themselves.

Maybe this was actually in another lifetime, before my reincarnation as a news guy. Zoos seem to be in the middle of everything now — making headlines, filling the blogosphere.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Posted on August 5, 2016 in Environment

Tagged , , , , ,

Image

Opinion: How Can This Be?

Photo Courtesy Webster-Kirkwood Times.

Photo Courtesy Webster-Kirkwood Times.

By Don Corrigan (Webster-Kirkwood Times)

On the west side of Berry Road in Glendale, residents are anti-environment and not worried about climate change. On the east side of Berry Road in Webster Groves, residents are pro-environment and care about climate change and pollution.

How can this be? What explains these vast differences in people who actually live only a few doors down from each other? It’s mind-boggling.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Posted on July 22, 2016 in Environment

Image

Preserving The Crown Jewel Of St. Louis – Forest Park

Nature program at Forest Park Forever are teaching the kids about wildlife and sustainable nature practices. Photo courtesy Forest Park Forever/Cassi Lundeen.

Nature programs at Forest Park utilize the park’s many unique natural areas to help teach kids about wildlife and sustainable nature practices. Photo courtesy Forest Park Forever/Cassi Lundeen.

By Don Corrigan (West End Word)

Did you get a cupcake? I didn’t either, but it was my fault for showing up late at Forest Park’s 140th birthday party celebration. I promise to be on time for the sesquicentennial birthday slated for June 24, 2026.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Posted on July 14, 2016 in Environment, Home

Image

Valley Park’s Levee Facing New Height Of Criticism And Finger-Pointing

Bob Criss inside a flood gate at Valley Park. Outside the gate, MSD's sewage treatment plant was disabled by flood water. photo by Ursula Ruhl, Webster-Kirkwood Times.

Bob Criss inside a flood gate at Valley Park. Outside the gate, MSD’s sewage treatment plant was disabled by flood water. photos by Ursula Ruhl, Webster-Kirkwood Times.

Six months after a Meramec River flood left millions of dollars in damage to cities along its banks, the finger-pointing continues – with much of it directed at Valley Park’s levee.

Critics contend the levee is built beyond its authorized height. The extra height resulted in flood waters of unprecedented volume and speed, causing destruction in Fenton, Sunset Hills, Kirkwood, Arnold and more.

Continue reading →

3 Comments

Posted on July 1, 2016 in Environment, Outdoor/Nature

Image

Local Reverend Talks Climate Change and Religion

Pictured: Pamela Dolan, rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Town and Country.

Pictured: Rev. Dr. Pamela Dolan, rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Town and Country.

The Rev. Dr. Pamela Dolan, the rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Town and Country, talks to Don Corrigan about the idea that religion and science, specifically climate change science,  can coexist.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Posted on June 27, 2016 in Environment, Home, Podcasts

Image

Gateway Greening Has The “Perfect Picks” For Your Garden

 

PP_GreenscapeGateway Greening, St. Louis’ expert in community gardening, is helping backyard and community gardeners find the perfect vegetables and herbs for their gardens this season through the “Perfect Picks” program, a retail produce line that began in 2015 and features vegetables and herbs that are “Gateway Greening Approved.”

Find out where you can purchase Gateway Greening’s “Perfect Picks” and how to register for an upcoming Perfect Pick Autumn Garden Workshop at the Science Center’s GROW Exhibit below.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Posted on June 26, 2016 in Environment, Local Events