Down to Earth Tours study state’s northwest
One of the first things Dave Thorson does, when he stops his 14-passenger bus, is take out a pouch of tobacco and talk about a […]
Eco Efforts
Green Leaf Inn, Delavan, sets eco-bar high
If you presume that sustainable living requires a high degree of personal sacrifice, listen to the developers of eco-serious lodging near the tourism-rich Lake Geneva […]
Milwaukee: Lakefront Brewery makes history
Russ Klisch decided to ferment beer after brother Jim gave home brewing a try. “It wasn’t the worst thing I ever had,” Russ deadpans, but […]
Lurie Garden, in Chicago’s Millennium Park
I did not expect much when meeting Jennifer Davit, to take a look at her garden. Spring had barely arrived, and the last snow had […]
L’Etoile, Madison, expands ‘go local’ mission
Chef Tory Miller buys not steaks and chops but whole cows and pigs from local farms, using as much of the animals as possible in […]
Wellspring: farm hostel, retreat center, CSA
When I met Jeff Schreiber, he was taking a break from the vegetable harvest to prepare lunch for his work crew. That meant roasting Brussels […]
Sea otters, belugas at Chicago’s Shedd
Rain tends to drive tourists indoors, but that’s not entirely why the soggy line to enter Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium was a block long on a […]
Photographer captures Ice Age Trail’s beauty
When I talked to Bart Smith this month, it wasn’t all that long after he had finished a hike that took him at least 15,000 […]
LEED leaders in Michigan: Hotels, museums
Before George Heartwell’s 2004 election as mayor of Grand Rapids, Mich., he was a preacher for the United Church of Christ. Evangelizing continues, but the […]
Inside UP’s remote Isle Royale National Park
Our 100-passenger ferry is rocking me like a drunken, slapdash sailor, so my eyes stay closed during most of this three-hour ride. I am a […]
Rock Island: least-visited state park in Wis.
The handwritten sign says “Rock Island Café,” and the only thing on the menu is fresh berries during this time of year. The sequence begins […]
Artha Center leads Travel Green Wisconsin
The number of eco-friendly tourism businesses that qualify for Travel Green Wisconsin certification has tripled since one year ago, to 160 as Earth Day approaches. […]