
Rivian hires its first chief sustainability officer
Rivian is turning to someone outside the automotive industry to become its first chief sustainability officer. Anisa Kamadoli Costa officially

After hiring spree, Rivian’s next challenges are employee retention and avoiding burnout
The nearly 4 million square feet of space at Rivian’s Normal plant is lined with some of the most advanced

Severe weather risk downgraded for this afternoon
Illinois Public Media News is monitoring a threat of severe storms on Wednesday that is forecasted by the National Weather
Environmentalists take aim at Pritzker campaign ad
ROCKFORD — A recent gubernatorial ad aimed at highlighting the growth at Chicago-Rockford International Airport touched the nerve of local environmental advocates fighting to preserve

Ford’s new electric F-150 could be ‘tipping point’ for electric vehicles to gain traction in Midwest
Ford is electrifying its best-selling F-150 pickup. The F-150 Lightning is a pitch to rural drivers that you don’t need to be an early adopter

The Midwest has lost 57 billion metric tons of topsoil over the last 160 years, new study finds
Farmers till their land to prepare soil for planting, but a new study published in the journal “Earth’s Future” found topsoil in the Midwest is

State Senate approves energy grid reliability task force
SPRINGFIELD – The state Senate on Thursday advanced a measure to create a task force to study electric grid reliability in light of the 2021

Maple syrup producers in the lower Midwest tap into small, local markets
AMES, Ia. — In recent weeks, producers and hobbyists across the Midwest have been tapping their trees and making maple syrup. They were waiting for

Light snow forecasted for late Thu-Fri AM
Illinois Public Media News is monitoring a winter storm that the National Weather Service in Central Illinois expects to bring light snow to East Central

This Midwest family lost their dog to toxic algae. So why aren’t states doing more testing?
CENTRALIA, Ill. — It was supposed to be a fun weekend getaway to celebrate Mandi Miller’s 30th birthday. She and her husband, Austin Elkins, chose

Illinois elementary schools had to test their water for lead. What happened if they found it?
Sycamore citizens filed a class-action lawsuit against the city in 2020 claiming city leaders ignored issues with the water system, leading to high levels of

It takes tons of water to put meat on Americans’ plates. But most meat companies don’t ensure conservation in their supply chains.
Water is critical to America’s meat habit. Cows, pigs and chickens drink it. Farmers clean barns and cool animals with it. Meatpackers sanitize plants and

‘A pretty big sea change’: EPA says it will consider endangered species when approving new pesticides — without the threat of lawsuits
Before approving new pesticides for use on crops or around homes, the Environmental Protection Agency is supposed to determine what impact they’ll have on endangered