Vote for Daniel Pogorzelski for Re-election to the Board of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND”

What is the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) of Greater Chicago, and why should it matter to you?

The MWRD plays a major role in treating wastewater, reducing flooding (increasingly important as Illinois’ climate becomes wetter due to global climate change), and reducing the amount of stormwater (which collects and transports animal waste, garbage, pesticides, fertilizers, oil, road salt, oil, grease, and other potential pollutants) into Lake Michigan. The district serves an area of 872 square miles, which includes the city of Chicago and 128 suburban communities. Because of the importance of clean water and the protection of our beautiful lake and all the Great Lakes, residents of our area deserve board members who are strong advocates for environmental protection and water management in the Chicago area.

Daniel Pogorzelski has been just that type of advocate since he was elected in 2022 to fill an open seat for a two-year term on the MWRD board (completing outgoing Commissioner Deborah Shore’s term). If Pogorzelski is re-elected, he will serve a six-year term. The election will be held on March 19, 2024; early voting has started.

In addition to his work on the board, Pogorzelski is also the co-author of four books about Chicago’s neighborhoods, vice president of the Northwest Chicago Historical Society, and a writer and editor at the excellent website ForgottenChicago.

I’ve only met Daniel once (at a block party last summer in Jefferson Park). He was talking to constituents and helping a local Democratic organization pass out snow cones. I was impressed by his energetic personality, curiosity about the world, and fun spirit. In a matter of 10 minutes, we briefly discussed important environmental issues for people who live in the Chicago area, his work on the board, ancient gingko trees (which existed on Earth before the dinosaurs), and other topics. What I took away from the conversation is that Daniel is a committed environmentalist who truly wants to make Chicagoland better for its residents.

Daniel was kind enough to talk with me about his proudest achievements thus far on the board, environmental issues that are affecting residents in the Chicago area, and what the average person can do to protect the environment.

Q. What have been your proudest achievements at the MWRD since you were first elected?

A. While I’ve only served on the board since December of 2022, I’m happy to say that I’m excited about multiple projects. We’re doing incredible work to help ever more residents who are suffering from flooding issues, an issue which is becoming more severe because of climate change. The achievement I’m most proud of is the board’s successful effort in lobbying the Illinois State Legislature to allow for the implementation of both solar and wind power generators on MWRD property. I believe it is our board’s responsibility to promote environmentally friendly practices. Our implementation of solar and wind power generators has allowed us to back our words with action that sets a precedent in support of the environment. I’d also like to draw attention to the increased outreach we’ve made to communities in Cook County whose primary language is not English. The MWRD serves over 5 million people, with over a third of its residents speaking a language other than English at home. As the son of Polish immigrants, I’ve made it a priority for us to look at new ways to make us accessible to everyone.

Q. Can you identify any process/system/etc. at the MWRD that’s currently not effective/working well? If so, what is it and what will you do to improve it?

A. As a below-the-radar unit of the government dealing with incredibly serious issues, it’s always a challenge to communicate with and to get people’s attention in a county of over 5 million people. I’d like to see us increase the influence of our work because promoting our environment needs to be a contagious effort. Maximizing our outreach means minimizing the Chicagoland area’s impact on the environment, and this is a top priority of the MWRD. As a large organization with massive infrastructure, we are on our way to becoming a leader when it comes to renewable energy. While we only recently won the right to build wind and solar installations on our land as a result of lobbying the Illinois Legislature, our emphasis on clean power goes back to our construction of Illinois’ first hydroelectric plant in Lockport, Illinois. I’m also keen on expanding our global links to learn from others, such as signing memoranda of understanding with countries such as India and Denmark. I would like to expand these international partnerships with more jurisdictions to not only have the MWRD be able to draw from the experience of others where it can be of benefit to us, but to also share our innovations with others so they can improve as well. 

Q. What are some emerging environmental issues in Chicagoland that the MWRD and other agencies will need to prepare for/address in the next decade?

A. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago plays a crucial role in managing water resources in the Chicago metropolitan area, including addressing challenges associated with toxic microplastics. These pollutants enter our water systems in various ways, including runoff from urban areas and the decomposition of the many items around us made from plastic. As the MWRD manages water treatment for almost all residents of Cook County, we have to play a key role in addressing the presence of microplastics and other impurities in our water. This is why we’ve continued to improve our wastewater treatment methods, advocated for reduced plastic usage, and amped up our research and educational efforts. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District is positioned to be a key player in managing and mitigating the impact of microplastics on water quality in Cook County. In fact, thanks in part to the MWRD, the Chicago-based innovation hub “Current” was recently awarded a $160 million grant towards their ReNEW pilot program, that aims to remove contaminants like microplastics from the Great Lakes and the Cook County water system. I highly encourage your readers to check out this recent article highlighting one of our pilot programs to remove these toxins from the water we treat.

Q. Many people realize that global climate change, pollution from manufacturing, microplastics, etc. are causing serious damage to the environment and healthy living, but they feel helpless to make a difference. What are a few simple and more involved ways to make a difference regarding the environment?

A. Addressing environmental challenges can seem overwhelming, but individuals hold the power to make a positive impact. Simple actions–such as eliminating single-use plastics where possible, recycling diligently, and conserving energy–impact the world around us. Consistent efforts in water conservation, sustainable transportation choices, and supporting eco-friendly products amplify individual contributions. If we change our habits in the right way, we will undoubtedly see an improvement in the health of our surroundings. I try to encourage folks to reflect on their own environmental footprint, because as a wiser soul than I famously said, it is we who must be the motors of the change we wish to see.

In 2022, I interviewed Daniel during his first campaign to be elected to the MWRD. Here are HIS RESPONSES from that interview. You can read the complete interview by clicking here.

Q. Looking back at your life, what made you interested in protecting the environment? 

A. My father was a farm boy from rural Poland. His reverence for the natural world is a value instilled in me and all of my siblings from a young age. He hailed from eastern Poland, a region not too far from the Białowieża Forest, one of the last remnants of the immense primeval woodlands that once stretched across the European Plain and was home to 800 European bison. My father would share with us the story of how this magnificent animal almost went extinct. This made us keenly aware of how we humans as a species can threaten the natural world but also how we can protect it when we make it a priority.

Q. What are a few of your favorite nature destinations in the area, and why? 

A. The Forest Preserve District of Cook County is an underappreciated oasis of the natural world in the Chicago metropolitan area. Often overlooked when our neighbors in the region look to reconnect with nature, its variety of forests, prairies, and wetlands is really breathtaking in scope once you do a deep dive into the topic. I love taking hikes along the Des Plaines River in Schiller Woods near my house or on the hillier paths in the Palos area. With an open mind and a willingness to learn, a trip to our local forest preserves can refresh one’s soul. I also have a soft spot for the Dunning-Read Conservation Area on the city’s Northwest Side. I’m proud to say that I have been part of the team helping to lead the efforts that will revitalize this space and even hope that we can reintroduce a grove of paw-paw trees here, which although native to our part of the U.S., are largely absent from the Chicago metropolitan area.

Q. Do you have a favorite environmentalist or environmental-related book, movie, or artistic creation that has inspired you?

A. I’m a fan of almost anything connected to Dr. Sylvia Earle. While she is an advocate of the marine world and not our sweetwater sea, there is a strong poetic bent to her prose when she speaks. I’m certainly not alone in finding her style so captivating, as she’s helped inspire people the world over to recognize the wonders of our oceans and their vital importance to the health of our planet.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Daniel Pogorzelski has been a strong advocate for water quality and environmental issues that affect Chicagoland in his short time on the board of the MWRD, and I look forward to seeing his future accomplishments. I offer my enthusiastic endorsement of Daniel for re-election to the MWRD board. I’ll be voting for him, and I hope that you’ll consider doing so, too.

Copyright (my text) Andrew Morkes; Daniel Pogorzelski holds the copyright to his interview responses

Copyright (photos) Daniel Pogorzelski (except photo of Stickney Water Reclamation Plant, copyright MWRD

Right main photo: Daniel cleaning up buckthorn at Canal Shores along the North Shore Channel in Evanston at an Earth Day cleanup. 

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Looking for some great nature destinations in Chicagoland? If so, check out my book, Nature in Chicagoland: More Than 120 Fantastic Nature Destinations That You Must Visit. It features amazing destinations in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Click on the title to learn more. The book has 306 pages and 210+ photos and is only $18.99. Nature in Chicagoland received great reviews in the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, Daily Southtown, This Week in Birding blog, and Beverly Review.

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ABOUT ANDREW MORKES

I have been a writer and editor for nearly 30 years. I’m the founder of College & Career Press (2002); the author and publisher of “The Morkes Report: College and Career Planning Trends” blog; and the author and publisher of Hot Health Care Careers: 30 Occupations With Fast Growth and Many New Job Openings; Nontraditional Careers for Women and Men: More Than 30 Great Jobs for Women and Men With Apprenticeships Through PhDs; They Teach That in College!?: A Resource Guide to More Than 100 Interesting College Majors, which was selected as one of the best books of the year by the library journal Voice of Youth Advocates; and other titles. They Teach That in College!? provides more information on environmental- and sustainability-related majors such as Ecotourism, Range Management, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Built Environment, Sustainability Studies, and Sustainable Agriculture/Organic Farming. I’m also a member of the parent advisory board at my son’s school. 

In addition to these publications, I’ve written more than 60 books about careers for other publishing and media companies including Infobase (such as the venerable Encyclopedia of Careers & Vocational Guidance, the Vault Career Guide to Accounting, and many volumes in the Careers in Focus, Discovering Careers, What Can I Do Now?!, and Career Skills Library series) and Mason Crest (including those in the Careers in the Building Trades and Cool Careers in Science series).

Here’s a list of the environmental-focused titles that I’ve written:

• Nature in Chicagoland: More Than 120 Fantastic Nature Destinations That You Must Visit
• Wind Turbine Technicians (Great Careers Without a Bachelor’s Degree series)
• Environmental Scientists (Cool Careers in Science series)
• Renewable Energy Careers (Cool Careers in Science series)
• Environment (Getting Started series)
• Solar Power Technicians (Careers in Infrastructure series)