Earth Day Cruise on Chicago River Channels Good Vibes: PHOTOS
More than 100 friends of Friends climbed aboard our inaugural Original #EarthDay Chicago River Cruise Monday led by Friends’ Joanne So Young Dill to celebrate the river on this special day. "When Margaret Frisbie calls you and says, 'You want to go on a boat ride?' you can't say no,'" said Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago commissioner Mariyana Spyropoulos.
Michael Borgstrom of Wendella explained how he participated in the very first Earth Day in 1970 and "it made a real impact on me."
Friends' Maggie Jones talked about the improving wildlife situation on the river (70 species of fish now!) and our Mark Hauser explained the river's improving water quality.
Become a Friend of the Chicago River: Join Today!
We journeyed through the main stem to the North Branch to hear about the planned Wild Mile Eco-Park from Nelson Cheung of City of Chicago Department of Planning & Development and Rachel Momenee of Skidmore Owings & Merrill. Friends' John Quail answered questions about how the river's levels are maintained (through locks operated by the MWRD) and what causes combined sewage overflows into the river during storms.
Maggie summed it up best when it comes to the Chicago River system on Earth Day 2019: "Now that we know better, we do better."
Check out some photos from the cruise.
