Recently in Environment Category

Swami:

What's all this about Tempel Farms getting the equestrian site for the 2016 Olympics bid? Is this just a P.R. move to save the Lake County Forest Preserve District from the wrath of the Tree Huggers? And are the Olympics even coming to Chicago?

We Want Answers in Wadsworth

Dear Wad:

The Swami wondered and wondered why the Chicago Olympic wannabes didn't look at Lake County's Horse Country from the git-go. Wide open spaces already tailored for the horse culture ... easy access to and from the Tri-State Tollway ... Golden Corral right down Dilleys Road for all your strap-on-the-feedbag needs -- why was any other site in Lake County, much less the Chicago metropolitan area, even sniffed at?

Lakewood Forest Preserve in Wauconda was considered because ... let's see ... it has better hills? Maybe, but it was really about what could be controlled. If Chicago is to make this Olympic dream a reality, all the ducks have to be not only in a row, but also ready to be served hot. A public facility looked to be the safe bet until activists starting activating -- which is the last thing you need when you're up against Rio de Janeiro, not to mention Prague.

And now to your final query: Yes, the Olympics will be coming to Chicago. The rest of the world will find out on Oct. 2, 2009, but The Swami is giving this to you now so you can start making arrangements to rent out your Lake County domicile for three times the going rate.

Swami, what should we do about the Chinese selling us toys and other products that contain dangerous levels of lead which makes us all grow up to be like people from Albania or, worse, South Carolina? America doesn’t make many of these products anymore; so the Chinese are the only suppliers. What should we do? Signed: Zapped in Lake Zurich

Swami fears the city of Waukegan is going about the business of fixing the harbor in the wrong way. If you just bully everyone who disagrees with you, those folks aren’t likely to be your allies. Does Waukegan have any allies left? Not unless you count the ones they pay to be their shills. Read on, Gentle Readers ….

Hooray, sort of, for Illinois’ new ranking in the “Greenest State” contest from Forbes Magazine. We’re 27th best (or the 23rd worst if you're a glass half-full sort of person) which doesn’t sound so hot, but it could be worse. We could be Indiana.

Venerable, charming Swami: What’s the deal with Waukegan and dredging the harbor. Why is the EPA against us now? Yours truly, A PERSON OF INTEREST

Dear Swami, what should we make of the plans by the EPA to test for asbestos on the state park beach near Zion.?

Signed,
Beach bunny

You may wonder why Indiana thought dumping more refinery crud into Lake Michigan was a sweet idea. You do wonder, don’t you? How could they be so dumb? The News-Swami knows. Read on …