Latest news with #Illinois-IndianaSeaGrant
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Plastics are seeping into farm fields, food and eventually human bodies. Can they be stopped?
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — In Uganda's Mbale district, famous for its production of arabica coffee, a plague of plastic bags locally known as buveera is creeping beyond the city. It's a problem that has long littered the landscape in Kampala, the capital, where buveera are woven into the fabric of daily life. They show up in layers of excavated dirt roads and clog waterways. But now, they can be found in remote areas of farmland, too. Some of the debris includes the thick plastic bags used for planting coffee seeds in nurseries. Some farmers are complaining, said Wilson Watira, head of a cultural board for the coffee-growing Bamasaba people. 'They are concerned – those farmers who know the effects of buveera on the land,' he said. Around the world, plastics find their way into farm fields. Climate change makes agricultural plastic, already a necessity for many crops, even more unavoidable for some farmers. Meanwhile, research continues to show that itty-bitty microplastics alter ecosystems and end up in human bodies. Scientists, farmers and consumers all worry about how that's affecting human health, and many seek solutions. But industry experts say it's difficult to know where plastic ends up or get rid of it completely, even with the best intentions of reuse and recycling programs. According to a 2021 report on plastics in agriculture by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, soils are one of the main receptors of agricultural plastics. Some studies have estimated that soils are more polluted by microplastics than the oceans. 'These things are being released at such a huge, huge scale that it's going to require major engineering solutions,' said Sarah Zack, an Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Great Lakes Contaminant Specialist who communicates about microplastics to the public. Why researchers want to study plastics in farm fields Micro-particles of plastic that come from items like clothes, medications and beauty products sometimes appear in fertilizer made from the solid byproducts of wastewater treatment — called biosolids — which can also be smelly and toxic to nearby residents depending on the treatment process used. Some seeds are coated in plastic polymers designed to strategically disintegrate at the right time of the season, used in containers to hold pesticides or stretched over fields to lock in moisture. But the agriculture industry itself only accounts for a little over three percent of all plastics used globally. About 40% of all plastics are used in packaging, including single-use plastic food and beverage containers. Microplastics, which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines as being smaller than five millimeters long, are their largest at about the size of a pencil eraser. Some are much smaller. Studies have already shown that microplastics can be taken up by plants on land or plankton in the ocean and subsequently eaten by animals or humans. Scientists are still studying the long-term effects of the plastic that's been found in human organs, but early findings suggest possible links to a host of health conditions including heart disease and some cancers. Despite 'significant research gaps,' the evidence related to the land-based food chain 'is certainly raising alarm,' said Lev Neretin, environment lead at the FAO, which is currently working on another technical report looking deeper into the problem of microplastic pollution in soils and crops. A study out this month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that microplastics pollution can even impact plants' ability to photosynthesize, the process by which they turn light from the sun into energy. That doesn't 'justify excessive concern' but does 'underscore food security risks that necessitate scientific attention,' wrote Fei Dang, one of the study's authors. Climate change making matters worse The use of plastics has quadrupled over the past 30 years. Plastic is ubiquitous. And most of the world's plastic goes to landfills, pollutes the environment or is burned. Less than 10% of plastics are recycled. At the same time, some farmers are becoming more reliant on plastics to shelter crops from the effects of extreme weather. They're using tarps, hoop houses and other technology to try to control conditions for their crops. And they're depending more on chemicals like pesticides and fertilizers to buffer against unreliable weather and more pervasive pest issues. 'Through global warming, we have less and less arable land to make crops on. But we need more crops. So therefore the demand on agricultural chemicals is increasing,' said Ole Rosgaard, president and CEO of Greif, a company that makes packaging used for industrial agriculture products like pesticides and other chemicals. Extreme weather, fueled by climate change, also contributes to the breakdown and transport of agricultural plastics. Beating sun can wear on materials over time. And more frequent and intense rainfall events in some areas could drive more plastic particles running into fields and eventually waterways, said Maryam Salehi, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Missouri. Can agriculture escape the plastic problem? This past winter, leaders from around the world gathered in South Korea to produce the first legally binding global treaty on plastics pollution. They didn't reach an agreement, but the negotiations are scheduled to resume in August. Neretin said the FAO produced a provisional, voluntary code of conduct on sustainable management of plastics in agriculture. But without a formal treaty in place, most countries don't have a strong incentive to follow it. 'The mood is certainly not cheery, that's for sure,' he said, adding global cooperation 'takes time, but the problem does not disappear.' Without political will, much of the onus falls on companies. Rosgaard, of Greif, said that his company has worked to make their products recyclable, and that farmers have incentives to return them because they can get paid in exchange. But he added it's sometimes hard to prevent people from just burning the plastic or letting it end up in fields or waterways. 'We just don't know where they end up all the time,' he said. Some want to stop the flow of plastic and microplastic waste into ecosystems. Boluwatife Olubusoye, a PhD candidate at the University of Mississippi, is trying to see whether biochar, remains of organic matter and plant waste burned under controlled conditions, can filter out microplastics that run from farm fields into waterways. His early experiments have shown promise. He said he was motivated by the feeling that there was 'never any timely solution in terms of plastic waste" ending up in fields in the first place, especially in developing countries. Even for farmers who care about plastics in soils, it can be challenging for them to do anything about it. In Uganda, owners of nursery beds cannot afford proper seedling trays, so they resort to cheaply made plastic bags used to germinate seeds, said Jacob Ogola, an independent agronomist there. Farmers hardest hit by climate change are least able to reduce the presence of cheap plastic waste in soils. That frustrates Innocent Piloya, an agroecology entrepreneur who grows coffee in rural Uganda with her company Ribbo Coffee. "It's like little farmers fighting plastic manufacturers,' she said. ___ Walling reported from Chicago. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
The Independent
29-03-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Plastics are seeping into farm fields, food and eventually human bodies. Can they be stopped?
In Uganda's Mbale district, famous for its production of arabica coffee, a plague of plastic bags locally known as buveera is creeping beyond the city. It's a problem that has long littered the landscape in Kampala, the capital, where buveera are woven into the fabric of daily life. They show up in layers of excavated dirt roads and clog waterways. But now, they can be found in remote areas of farmland, too. Some of the debris includes the thick plastic bags used for planting coffee seeds in nurseries. Some farmers are complaining, said Wilson Watira, head of a cultural board for the coffee-growing Bamasaba people. 'They are concerned – those farmers who know the effects of buveera on the land,' he said. Around the world, plastics find their way into farm fields. Climate change makes agricultural plastic, already a necessity for many crops, even more unavoidable for some farmers. Meanwhile, research continues to show that itty-bitty microplastics alter ecosystems and end up in human bodies. Scientists, farmers and consumers all worry about how that's affecting human health, and many seek solutions. But industry experts say it's difficult to know where plastic ends up or get rid of it completely, even with the best intentions of reuse and recycling programs. According to a 2021 report on plastics in agriculture by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, soils are one of the main receptors of agricultural plastics. Some studies have estimated that soils are more polluted by microplastics than the oceans. 'These things are being released at such a huge, huge scale that it's going to require major engineering solutions,' said Sarah Zack, an Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Great Lakes Contaminant Specialist who communicates about microplastics to the public. Why researchers want to study plastics in farm fields Micro-particles of plastic that come from items like clothes, medications and beauty products sometimes appear in fertilizer made from the solid byproducts of wastewater treatment — called biosolids — which can also be smelly and toxic to nearby residents depending on the treatment process used. Some seeds are coated in plastic polymers designed to strategically disintegrate at the right time of the season, used in containers to hold pesticides or stretched over fields to lock in moisture. But the agriculture industry itself only accounts for a little over three percent of all plastics used globally. About 40% of all plastics are used in packaging, including single-use plastic food and beverage containers. Microplastics, which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines as being smaller than five millimeters long, are their largest at about the size of a pencil eraser. Some are much smaller. Studies have already shown that microplastics can be taken up by plants on land or plankton in the ocean and subsequently eaten by animals or humans. Scientists are still studying the long-term effects of the plastic that's been found in human organs, but early findings suggest possible links to a host of health conditions including heart disease and some cancers. Despite 'significant research gaps,' the evidence related to the land-based food chain 'is certainly raising alarm,' said Lev Neretin, environment lead at the FAO, which is currently working on another technical report looking deeper into the problem of microplastic pollution in soils and crops. A study out this month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that microplastics pollution can even impact plants' ability to photosynthesize, the process by which they turn light from the sun into energy. That doesn't 'justify excessive concern' but does 'underscore food security risks that necessitate scientific attention,' wrote Fei Dang, one of the study's authors. Climate change making matters worse The use of plastics has quadrupled over the past 30 years. Plastic is ubiquitous. And most of the world's plastic goes to landfills, pollutes the environment or is burned. Less than 10% of plastics are recycled. At the same time, some farmers are becoming more reliant on plastics to shelter crops from the effects of extreme weather. They're using tarps, hoop houses and other technology to try to control conditions for their crops. And they're depending more on chemicals like pesticides and fertilizers to buffer against unreliable weather and more pervasive pest issues. 'Through global warming, we have less and less arable land to make crops on. But we need more crops. So therefore the demand on agricultural chemicals is increasing,' said Ole Rosgaard, president and CEO of Greif, a company that makes packaging used for industrial agriculture products like pesticides and other chemicals. Extreme weather, fueled by climate change, also contributes to the breakdown and transport of agricultural plastics. Beating sun can wear on materials over time. And more frequent and intense rainfall events in some areas could drive more plastic particles running into fields and eventually waterways, said Maryam Salehi, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Missouri. Can agriculture escape the plastic problem? This past winter, leaders from around the world gathered in South Korea to produce the first legally binding global treaty on plastics pollution. They didn't reach an agreement, but the negotiations are scheduled to resume in August. Neretin said the FAO produced a provisional, voluntary code of conduct on sustainable management of plastics in agriculture. But without a formal treaty in place, most countries don't have a strong incentive to follow it. 'The mood is certainly not cheery, that's for sure,' he said, adding global cooperation 'takes time, but the problem does not disappear.' Without political will, much of the onus falls on companies. Rosgaard, of Greif, said that his company has worked to make their products recyclable, and that farmers have incentives to return them because they can get paid in exchange. But he added it's sometimes hard to prevent people from just burning the plastic or letting it end up in fields or waterways. 'We just don't know where they end up all the time,' he said. Some want to stop the flow of plastic and microplastic waste into ecosystems. Boluwatife Olubusoye, a PhD candidate at the University of Mississippi, is trying to see whether biochar, remains of organic matter and plant waste burned under controlled conditions, can filter out microplastics that run from farm fields into waterways. His early experiments have shown promise. He said he was motivated by the feeling that there was 'never any timely solution in terms of plastic waste" ending up in fields in the first place, especially in developing countries. Even for farmers who care about plastics in soils, it can be challenging for them to do anything about it. In Uganda, owners of nursery beds cannot afford proper seedling trays, so they resort to cheaply made plastic bags used to germinate seeds, said Jacob Ogola, an independent agronomist there. Farmers hardest hit by climate change are least able to reduce the presence of cheap plastic waste in soils. That frustrates Innocent Piloya, an agroecology entrepreneur who grows coffee in rural Uganda with her company Ribbo Coffee. "It's like little farmers fighting plastic manufacturers,' she said. ___ Walling reported from Chicago. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Associated Press
29-03-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
Plastics are seeping into farm fields, food and eventually human bodies. Can they be stopped?
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — In Uganda's Mbale district, famous for its production of arabica coffee, a plague of plastic bags locally known as buveera is creeping beyond the city. It's a problem that has long littered the landscape in Kampala, the capital, where buveera are woven into the fabric of daily life. They show up in layers of excavated dirt roads and clog waterways. But now, they can be found in remote areas of farmland, too. Some of the debris includes the thick plastic bags used for planting coffee seeds in nurseries. Some farmers are complaining, said Wilson Watira, head of a cultural board for the coffee-growing Bamasaba people. 'They are concerned – those farmers who know the effects of buveera on the land,' he said. Around the world, plastics find their way into farm fields. Climate change makes agricultural plastic, already a necessity for many crops, even more unavoidable for some farmers. Meanwhile, research continues to show that itty-bitty microplastics alter ecosystems and end up in human bodies. Scientists, farmers and consumers all worry about how that's affecting human health, and many seek solutions. But industry experts say it's difficult to know where plastic ends up or get rid of it completely, even with the best intentions of reuse and recycling programs. According to a 2021 report on plastics in agriculture by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, soils are one of the main receptors of agricultural plastics. Some studies have estimated that soils are more polluted by microplastics than the oceans. 'These things are being released at such a huge, huge scale that it's going to require major engineering solutions,' said Sarah Zack, an Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Great Lakes Contaminant Specialist who communicates about microplastics to the public. Why researchers want to study plastics in farm fields Micro-particles of plastic that come from items like clothes, medications and beauty products sometimes appear in fertilizer made from the solid byproducts of wastewater treatment — called biosolids — which can also be smelly and toxic to nearby residents depending on the treatment process used. Some seeds are coated in plastic polymers designed to strategically disintegrate at the right time of the season, used in containers to hold pesticides or stretched over fields to lock in moisture. But the agriculture industry itself only accounts for a little over three percent of all plastics used globally. About 40% of all plastics are used in packaging, including single-use plastic food and beverage containers. Microplastics, which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines as being smaller than five millimeters long, are their largest at about the size of a pencil eraser. Some are much smaller. Studies have already shown that microplastics can be taken up by plants on land or plankton in the ocean and subsequently eaten by animals or humans. Scientists are still studying the long-term effects of the plastic that's been found in human organs, but early findings suggest possible links to a host of health conditions including heart disease and some cancers. Despite 'significant research gaps,' the evidence related to the land-based food chain 'is certainly raising alarm,' said Lev Neretin, environment lead at the FAO, which is currently working on another technical report looking deeper into the problem of microplastic pollution in soils and crops. A study out this month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that microplastics pollution can even impact plants' ability to photosynthesize, the process by which they turn light from the sun into energy. That doesn't 'justify excessive concern' but does 'underscore food security risks that necessitate scientific attention,' wrote Fei Dang, one of the study's authors. Climate change making matters worse The use of plastics has quadrupled over the past 30 years. Plastic is ubiquitous. And most of the world's plastic goes to landfills, pollutes the environment or is burned. Less than 10% of plastics are recycled. At the same time, some farmers are becoming more reliant on plastics to shelter crops from the effects of extreme weather. They're using tarps, hoop houses and other technology to try to control conditions for their crops. And they're depending more on chemicals like pesticides and fertilizers to buffer against unreliable weather and more pervasive pest issues. 'Through global warming, we have less and less arable land to make crops on. But we need more crops. So therefore the demand on agricultural chemicals is increasing,' said Ole Rosgaard, president and CEO of Greif, a company that makes packaging used for industrial agriculture products like pesticides and other chemicals. Extreme weather, fueled by climate change, also contributes to the breakdown and transport of agricultural plastics. Beating sun can wear on materials over time. And more frequent and intense rainfall events in some areas could drive more plastic particles running into fields and eventually waterways, said Maryam Salehi, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Missouri. Can agriculture escape the plastic problem? This past winter, leaders from around the world gathered in South Korea to produce the first legally binding global treaty on plastics pollution. They didn't reach an agreement, but the negotiations are scheduled to resume in August. Neretin said the FAO produced a provisional, voluntary code of conduct on sustainable management of plastics in agriculture. But without a formal treaty in place, most countries don't have a strong incentive to follow it. 'The mood is certainly not cheery, that's for sure,' he said, adding global cooperation 'takes time, but the problem does not disappear.' Without political will, much of the onus falls on companies. Rosgaard, of Greif, said that his company has worked to make their products recyclable, and that farmers have incentives to return them because they can get paid in exchange. But he added it's sometimes hard to prevent people from just burning the plastic or letting it end up in fields or waterways. 'We just don't know where they end up all the time,' he said. Some want to stop the flow of plastic and microplastic waste into ecosystems. Boluwatife Olubusoye, a PhD candidate at the University of Mississippi, is trying to see whether biochar, remains of organic matter and plant waste burned under controlled conditions, can filter out microplastics that run from farm fields into waterways. His early experiments have shown promise. He said he was motivated by the feeling that there was 'never any timely solution in terms of plastic waste' ending up in fields in the first place, especially in developing countries. Even for farmers who care about plastics in soils, it can be challenging for them to do anything about it. In Uganda, owners of nursery beds cannot afford proper seedling trays, so they resort to cheaply made plastic bags used to germinate seeds, said Jacob Ogola, an independent agronomist there. Farmers hardest hit by climate change are least able to reduce the presence of cheap plastic waste in soils. That frustrates Innocent Piloya, an agroecology entrepreneur who grows coffee in rural Uganda with her company Ribbo Coffee. 'It's like little farmers fighting plastic manufacturers,' she said. ___ Walling reported from Chicago. ___
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists study fish behavior during dyeing of the Chicago River for St. Patrick's Day
Every year as part of the city's St. Patrick's Day celebrations, thousands of onlookers clad in green cheer on a boat crew sprinkling orange powder into the Chicago River to turn it a festive shade. But with the federal government considering sweeping rollbacks to environmental protections, this Saturday many may wonder: How will the bright green water affect the underwater denizens? Last year, an extensive scientific study of fish behavior in the Chicago River system led by researchers from the Shedd Aquarium, Purdue University and the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant offered a clue. In mid-March, as researchers studied aquatic activity they found a handful of the over 80 fish they were tracking were in the main branch downtown. On the day of the 2024 St. Patrick's parade, none of the tagged fish rushed to find shelter from their suddenly green surroundings. '(It) was the first time that we could actually track how individuals behave when the river is dyed green,' said Austin Happel, a research biologist at the Shedd. 'We didn't see changes in what they were doing that day, or even the next couple of days afterward, so it doesn't seem to be causing them to be agitated.' Since June 2023, the scientists have been following largemouth bass, common carp, bluegill, pumpkinseed, black crappies, walleyes and green sunfish, among others, with tags that ping every minute or so. These signals are picked up by acoustic receivers throughout the 'Wild Mile' in the North Branch, Bubbly Creek in the South Branch and by the Riverwalk downtown, letting the scientists know how the fish respond to habitat restoration initiatives, flooding and sewage overflows, as well as seasonal changes. St. Patrick's Day celebrations in 2024 gave scientists a peek into the tradition's impact on aquatic life, a matter that has concerned environmentalists since its origins in 1962. That first year, an oil-based Air Force dye kept the water green for nearly a month, which caused an outcry. A vegetable dye has been used ever since. While its ingredients are not public knowledge, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has previously said the dye has no toxic effect. Green is not the only color the river's main branch has been tinted: It was turned blue in 2016 to celebrate the World Series champion Cubs on the day of the team's victory parade and celebration. Happel contrasted the unbothered behavior of some of the study's aquatic participants during the river dispersal of dye last year to another event that made the fish they were tracking in Bubbly Creek swim for cover. Environment | 'You feel like you're king for a day:' How a family dyes the Chicago River green for St. Patrick's Day Environment | From homebodies to prolific swimmers, researchers track Chicago River fish to find out where they are going and why Environment | Court finds Trump Tower violated environmental laws and endangered fish in the Chicago River When the city of Chicago experiences very heavy rainfall, combined rain and untreated wastewater may overflow from sewage pipes and into local waterways. One such overflow happened during massive rains in early July 2023, a month into the study, and caused fish to swim to other areas where sewage had not depleted oxygen levels. If they are unable to leave the presence of a contaminant, the toxins can lead to a fish kill, or sudden death in large numbers in a specific area over a short period of time. 'A lot of our fish were moving long distances as if they were looking for a place to hide,' Happel said. 'So we can contrast those. With the river dyeing, we have yet to see a fish kill associated.' He hopes some of their tagged subjects will be in the river downtown for the Saturday celebration so the researchers can continue monitoring any possible effects of the dye on aquatic life. It would be ideal if it were the same five fish that were there last time, Happel said, because each fish, like humans, has their own personality and behavioral quirks. But it's unlikely since the scientists can't control where the animals decide to spend their time. 'At least, with the river dyeing, it's always the same event,' he said. The same kind and amount of dye offers a baseline for scientists to understand the fish's response. 'It's harder with the sewage when, each time, it's a different amount.' Even though vegetable dye may not have a negative impact underwater, environmentalists worry that putting a foreign substance in the river to tint it an unnatural color sends the wrong message about stewardship. Advocates say the Chicago River is healthier now than it has been in the past 150 years. It is home to all kinds of animals, including migratory birds, beavers and turtles, as well as 80 species of fish — up from fewer than 10 in the 1970s. The system has become a natural resource for local businesses and recreation. Environmental groups question whether dyeing is appropriate for a waterway that, despite a historical reputation of pollution, has come such a long way. Several advocacy nonprofits, including the Sierra Club Illinois Chapter, Friends of the Chicago River and Openlands, have spoken out against the tradition, arguing that the city must rethink how it interacts with the river as a signal to residents. For instance, in 2023, what began as a joke on social media became a trend that had people dumping Mountain Dew soda in the river to mess with out-of-towners and convince them it was how Chicago dyes the water. Rogue dyers have been a problem, too, with a few cases of unsanctioned dumping of colorants into the North Branch of the river despite the presence of conservation police patrols. 'If you see one person, say, throw a piece of trash down, you're more likely to throw a piece of trash down — or you're more likely to care less,' Happel said. 'While we like to say that the river has bigger issues to tackle before St. Paddy's Day, the general image of dumping stuff … is not the best image of how to care for the environment.' adperez@
Chicago Tribune
28-02-2025
- Science
- Chicago Tribune
Freshwater jellyfish in Wolf Lake focus of March Calumet Revisited forum
When the community has information about local scientific studies, it is better for everyone, said one professor at Wheaton College in Illinois. Nadine Folino-Rorem, professor of biology, investigated a freshwater jellyfish — Craspedacusta — that lives in Wolf Lake, which is located in the Hammond and Hegewisch communities on the Indiana-Illinois border. She received an Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant that helped look at the invasive jellyfish that originated in China. The Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Foundation helps fund programs that look at biology's response to climate change and is focused on the southern Lake Michigan region, according to its website. On March 4, Folino-Rorem is going to share her findings in a Zoom presentation with Calumet Revisited Forums, a program created by the Association for the Wolf Lake Initiative. 'The purpose is to make people aware of the fact that they have this invasive jellyfish,' Folino-Rorem said. 'When people hear the word 'invasive,' they get kind of nervous, but it's not always a harmful organism in the system.' The study's findings were published in 2024. Folino-Rorem's study looked at the biology of the freshwater jellyfish, allowing researchers to better predict its ecological impact in response to climate change. In Wolf Lake, Folino-Rorem found the freshwater jellyfish in the polyp stage, which is its primary stage and present throughout the year. The polyp stage is a precursor to the medusa stage, Folino-Rorem said, when jellyfish are more visible. Through the Indiana-Illinois Sea Grant, they had to determine where the jellyfish were found, which brought them to Wolf Lake. Folino-Rorem believes that speaking at Calumet Revisited Forums will encourage people to keep an eye out for the freshwater jellyfish when they're on Wolf Lake, she said. 'A lot of people don't realize there are freshwater jellyfish,' Folino-Rorem said. 'That makes it fun because there's a little bit of charisma about this little beast, and then it gets people interested.' If people find jellyfish at Wolf Lake, they could help aid Folino-Rorem in her study. 'If they're out on that body of water, they might (see) the jellyfish versus another stage of the invasive hydrozoan and help us understand some of the dynamics of the life cycle from that stage,' Folino-Rorem said. Emiliano Aguilar, professor of history at the University of Notre Dame, was recently named head of an advisory committee to recruit future speakers for the forums. As head of the advisory committee, Aguilar will look to find others to join and speakers that can be spotlighted during a discussion. Since Aguilar is new to the role, he didn't help pick Folino-Rorem as the March speaker, but he's excited for her talk. 'I am very much looking forward to it,' he said. 'I'm a historian, so I don't think I've given a wealth of appreciation to the more STEM, scientific-focused material, so I'm excited to learn more.' Calumet Revisited helps connect people who might not have crossed paths in their work, such as those who work at universities or in nonprofits, Aguilar said. He believes it can start more collaborations and discussions that can help Northwest Indiana. Aguilar grew up in East Chicago and lived in the Whiting-Robertsdale community before moving to South Bend. He's attended the Calumet Revisited series and has been interested in studies about the region. Aguilar is working on a manuscript titled, 'Build a Latino Machine: Caught Between Good Government Reform and Corrupt Political Machines,' which looks into how machine politics impacted East Chicago in the 20th and 21st centuries. Calumet Revisited is an important program because it connects residents with stories that they otherwise might not have heard, such as Folino-Rorem's study, Aguilar said. 'It's all about reconnecting with the stories of so many things that have been done,' he said. 'While there might have been residents that recognized how important they were in the moment, that sort of recognition has dulled over time.' Those interested in tuning into the Zoom presentation should email booscommunications@ for a link.
