There is a story capitalism tells about itself, and it goes something like this: work hard, stay disciplined, and the system will reward you. The planet is a resource. Progress is inevitable. Growth is good. For a long time, that story held. People believed it - or at least accepted it. But right now, in the middle of an accelerating ecological crisis, the story is visibly, undeniably falling apart. What replaces it matters enormously. And if this semester in the Ecology-Phil

Have you ever looked at someone's lawn and thought, "What's the point?” I am always struck by the stark difference between a forest preserve and the property that backs up to it. One is a complex living entity unto itself, the other is a green scar that dots the landscape. One holds the promise of a thriving ecosystem with plants, animals and fungi all interacting to keep the forest alive, the other mows, sprays pesticides, and pulls unwanted inhabitants in order to keep its

One meaningful experience I had from our learning community was participating in an outdoor lab where we tapped sugar maple trees for sap. Although the lab was to introduce us to our community’s sustainability efforts, I found an interest in the Indigenous traditions and their relationship with the land. Amanda Krause, Oakton’s Naturalist, shared with our class that the Indigenous people used the same seasonal techniques to gather sap. Their practice consisted of tapping mapl

The date was March 31st 2026, a damp Tuesday afternoon right after I had just finished my Ecology and Philosophy class. On my walk to my car I caught a glimpse of a weird little alien walking across the sidewalk. As one does after catching a glimpse of a weird little alien, I came closer to inspect what it was doing in the parking lot of our campus. Upon further inspection I discovered that it was not an alien, but a crayfish that was on a pleasant stroll that day. As I got i

Growing up in Pakistan and living in America for over a decade now, I have seen the place where capitalism benefits the few elites and the place where the labor force of many is used to extract and produce. I saw young kids in the global south busy with menial labor. Young girls sitting in one place for hours making hand-tied knots to produce the most exquisite carpets... When I asked, why are the laborers so young, the answer given to me, still echoes in my mind... And it w

Climate change is one of the biggest problems facing the world today. As years go by, the effects of climate change become more evident through stronger hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and rising sea levels. While climate change impacts the entire planet, its consequences are not distributed equally across the world. Poorer communities and developing countries often face much more severe environmental impacts, despite contributing the least to global carbon emissions. Understa

The Chicago Region is home to four native fully aquatic crayfish species, the calico ( Orconectes immunis ), virile ( Orconectes virilis...

We finished this blog post on May 1st, 2025, at 3:33pm. We have reached 4 years, 81 days, and 19 hours left before ever-growing...

As I walk across the farmland tended by an Anishinaabe tribe, I gaze upon the golden kernels of corn growing atop the tall, green stalk....

Nature is one of the most important aspects of our lives, and arguably the most important aspect in our lives. We cannot live without...

A new collaboration between Oakton's Naturalist, Biology Professor, and students is ready for 2025!