Category Archives: Environment

Photos curtesy the Humane Society.

by Don Corrigan

Aunt Em and Uncle Henry could have done a much better job protecting Dorothy and her little dog, Toto, when that terrible Kansas tornado hit in 1939. The infamous storm launched the beloved twosome to the Land of Oz.

Your little Toto could fare much better in 2023. That’s because today’s weather experts excel at predicting and tracking tornadic storms. Also, animal care experts now offer plenty of tips for protecting pets when storms hit.

A severe storm in April dropped several tornados in the St. Louis area, including one in Fenton that was briefly headed toward Kirkwood. The recent outbreak prompted the Humane Society of Missouri to issue a tip sheet on storms and pets.

“With the recent tornado warnings across the state, the Humane Society decided to take time to remind pet owners of several essential tips to ensure the safety of their furry friends, and all their pets, said veterinarian Nicole Fulcher, director of the Animal Medical Center of the Missouri Humane Society.

“Weather in Missouri can be frightening, but by taking steps for proper preparation, we can ensure our pets remain protected during tornadoes and extreme weather events,” said Fulcher.

Fulcher said a good first step would be to make sure your pet is microchipped and a visit to AMCMA.org to schedule an appointment can help get that accomplished.

“One thing we learned from the 2011 tornado in Joplin is that many, many pets will run away and be lost for days and even weeks after such a horrific event,” said veterinarian Jennifer Pearl of the Humane Society’s Animal Medical Center.

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Pictured: John Hickey

Tornadic storms, periodic droughts, flash floods, erratic temperature shifts and unprecedented windy conditions have left many Americans wondering whether climate change is to blame.

The scientific consensus is that human beings must cut carbon pollution in order to avoid even worse impacts from climate change.  The good news is that there is broad public support for climate action now and policies to address climate change.

What might those policies look like? Among the possibilities:

– Protecting more forests and prairies to sequester carbon from the air.

– Updating state policies in order to encourage solar panels on commercial rooftops.

– Adopting building codes that require the use of modern energy efficiency standards.

– Building an extensive charging network to support transition to electric vehicles.

– Restoring the tree canopy in urban parks and neighborhoods.

The practical measures required to address climate change are available to be implemented now. According to John Hickey, the missing ingredient is trained activists who can lead these policy efforts.

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In early March, a contractor demolishing a bridge over Deer Creek released polystyrene (Styrofoam) into the waterway. | photo by Roy Lohmann

Webster Groves resident documents debris being released into creek following the demolition of bridge located in Brentwood

By Colin Suchland (Story courtesy of the Webster-Kirkwood Times)

Demolition of a bridge spanning Deer Creek has incited the ire of watchful Webster Groves residents and resulted in violations from state authorities over foam-plastic pollution in the waterway.

Beginning in early March, a contractor working for the city of Brentwood, KCI Construction, began removing the bridge on Breckenridge Industrial Court, immediately south of Manchester Road and west of South Hanley Road. Deer Creek runs along the borders of Brentwood, Maplewood and Webster Groves where it abuts residential, commercial and recreational areas.

Deer Creek forms a natural corridor that includes parks and pedestrian greenways serving several communities as it flows toward the River Des Peres. The bridge replacement is part of a larger “Brentwood Bound” project that promises both commercial and recreational improvements. Flood mitigation along Deer Creek is also a goal of the project.

The large, scattered mass of polystyrene pollution, commonly known as Styrofoam, released into the waterway by the bridge demolition immediately drew the attention of Webster Groves resident Roy Lohmann.

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Pictured: Jake Ronecker at Powder Valley Conservation Area.

By Don Corrigan

Jake Ronecker of Webster Groves recalls a night sky full of twinkling stars when he was a youngster. Much of that twinkling has disappeared. The dedicated naturalist is working to bring some celestial beauty back for kids of the future.

Ronecker and other members of the Missouri chapter of International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) will tell you that working to reduce light pollution can bring back twinkling stars, but it’s also all about bringing back a healthier planet.

“It’s sad that more than 80% of Americans can no longer look up and see the Milky Way where they live,” said Ronecker. “What’s even more worrying, though, is what light pollution is doing to our health, and the well-being of other creatures on the planet.”

Consider the birds of the air, as a prophet of old once told us. Birds are having a tough time migrating and surviving. They no longer can see the stars that might guide them to where they need to fly, but they do see plenty of lights.

According to Ronecker, the Mississippi River Flyway is an important sky-high highway for birds. The lights of St. Louis and those on the Gateway Arch have disrupted the flight patterns and bird migrations for years.

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“We need not even make war; only by preparing, by playing with our new weapons, we poison the air, the water, the soil of our plants, damage the health of the living, and weaken the chances of the newborn.”   —  Martha Gellhorn, War Correspondent

By Don Corrigan

A new book published at the end of 2022 explains the complex and  traumatic legacy of the atomic age in the St. Louis region. Given the half-life of radioactive materials, it seems no book can ever be the last word on what is a continual crisis.

Many American baby boomers can recall their fathers explaining to them that the atomic bomb was necessary to end World War II; that the human loss would have been much worse without it; that the legacy of the bomb was likely a Pax Americana and a lasting peace.

The baby boomers’ fathers had it wrong. They did not realize how atomic weapons would proliferate; how they would become more lethal; and, how the contaminant byproducts of the first bombs would endlessly plague the “Gateway City” of the American Midwest.

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By Don Corrigan

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