Not your great-grandma’s garbage

“Compared to a century ago, garbage not only differs in generation rate, but also in composition. Intuitively, the amount of garbage increases along with economic growth.”

Ning Ai, assistant professor of urban planning and policy, on Chicago garbage collection over the last century, Aug. 28 WBEZ-FM

“Our thought was that since we’ve known for about 35 years that a great principal could improve student learning in schools, that we ought to try to produce such principals instead of wait for them to come along.”

Steve Tozer, head of the Urban Education Leadership program and professor of educational policy studies, on UIC’s program to train school principals, Aug. 29 PBS News Hour

“This is supposed to be the place that defied aristocracy, that gave the ordinary person a chance, so you would think that would also work in favor of a labor movement to bring the bottom up. But it has always been contested, always a matter of struggle, and in recent years the balance has shifted even more toward the forces of finance and business power.”

Leon Fink, professor of history, on the connection between civil rights and labor rights, Sept. 1 Chicago Tribune