The average Canada goose produces 1.8 pounds of droppings per day - more than the weight of two unopened soda cans.

That piles up to more than 650 pounds per year. Multiply that by the booming goose population in Chicago parks, and you have a mess.

A bunch of environmentalists went fishing in the Skokie Lagoons and brought in a catch that included a cellphone, an empty wallet and a chair.

They also hauled in beer cans, paper scraps and plastic wrappers.

The goal of the kayakers, boaters and anglers lining the shore was not to catch fish--it was to help clean up the lagoons.

Grocery and drug stores in Chicago will soon be required to recycle plastic bags under an ordinance that passed the City Council Wednesday. 

Shoppers can expect to see plastic bag recycling bins at retailers within the next six to nine months. Stores are responsible for making sure the plastic doesn't end up in landfills. Noncompliance can result in a daily fine of $500.

Bathsheba Birman relocates worms from the sidewalk after a storm in her Sauganash neighborhood. She flips over bugs that are stranded on their backs.

But she says saving creepy-crawlies and other assorted creatures does not mean stepping on humans or being an extremist.

“I’m not interested in flinging paint on people or certainly not stripping naked,” said the 37-year-old founder of the Urban Wildlife Coalition.