Solutions for a Planet on the Brink

November 6, 2021November 8, 2021 Mike Nowak Bell Bowl Prairie, climate change, COP26, Dr. Allan Armitage, eco-influencer, environment, gardening, GreenTown Rockford, Peggy Malecki, Sustain Rockford, sustainability, The Mike Nowak Show

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(November 7, 2021) Today, as usual, we bring you environmental news. ICYMI, the planet is in trouble. Just sayin’. That means talking about the current COP26 Conference in Glasgow, Scotland. We also look nearby for solutions. You’ll get a preview of next week’s GreenTown Rockford and the work of Sustain Rockford. Yes, that involves an update on Bell Bowl Prairie. So, we look at solutions for a planet on the brink. But we also take a side trip to visit with a friend to talk about his new book. It has nothing to do with climate change. Whew.

Who’s “Big Jon”?

Dr. Allan Armitage is a serious horticulturist. Allow me to rephrase that. His books are about serious horticulture. Take, for example, Herbaceous Perennial Plants, 4th Edition. We talked about that book the last time he joined us. However, Armitage would never describe himself as serious. His latest book proves that.

It’s called Tales of Big Jon and Other Creatures. You probably can’t tell from the title, but it’s about his family. Big Jon is his son. He also writes about daughters Laura and Heather and his wife Susan. And their various pets. And the mishaps of all of them. If you’ve ever lived in a family (most of us have), you’ll recognize the characters. Of course, it’s done in Armitage’s most casual style, which you can even find in his most serious books. You’ll quite possibly see yourself and your own family in his recounting of life’s most embarrassing moments.

Basically, it’s a love note to his family and to being a parent. Having never been a parent (except to the wonderful La Gata the Cat), I’ll take his word that this is how parenting works. At least in his family. But, as we get to the holiday season, you might consider putting it on your shopping list. By the way, we will not let this world-renowned horticulturist go without talking about growing things. I will ask him about winter gardening in exotic places like Georgia. And I’m sure he’ll have some advice for those of us stuck in the cold–but inexorably warming–northern climes.

GreenTown Rockford in the thick of it

Speaking of solutions for a planet, almost exactly two weeks after Bell Bowl Prairie’s death sentence was put on hold, GreenTown comes to Rockford. It’s a little unfair to juxtapose those events. Obviously, this conference was scheduled a while ago. However, things change. Events happen. We’re now in the middle of an Illinois environmental controversy. Which means that Bell Bowl Prairie will be among the items discussed at GreenTown Rockford on Friday, November 12 from 8:30am to 4:00pm at the Embassy Suites in Downtown Rockford. You can register here.

To begin, GreenTown strives to create healthy, sustainable communities. That has been their mission since 2007. GreenTown teams with cities across the Midwest to tackle the challenge of sustainability. Co-produced by a5 Branding & Digital and Seven Generations Ahead, GreenTown has worked with municipalities in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.

The GreenTown Rockford agenda features sessions about opportunities for the Rockford area to move toward net zero missions. You can go on a tour of sustainable projects. You’ll find discussions about groundwater, food waste and greenhouse gas emissions. But Bell Bowl Prairie is a recent addition to the list of topics. Kerry Leigh, executive director of the Natural Land Institute, will speak on a panel called “Preserving Land and Water for Future Generations.“

Brad Roos, a founding partner of Sustain Rockford, joins us this morning. I will ask him to preview next Friday’s event. He also promises to have an update regarding Bell Bowl Prairie. Can it be saved? Well, now it’s on a lot of radar screens. Sometimes, events come together in just the right way.

Solutions for a planet: COP26 101

Finally, if you follow the news, you’re hearing about COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland. This is where real solutions for a planet should be crafted. The official name is the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties. Which means that the world has been trying to solve the climate crisis for 26 years. Good for us. But we’ve been miserable failures at it for most of that time. Shame on us. Today, Peggy and I will discuss some of the stories that are making headlines. We can’t possibly explain everything. But we’ll touch on some key issues. Meteorologist Rick DiMaio will have some opinions, too. Meanwhile, here are some articles that will help you understand what’s going on.

What Is COP26 and Why Does It Matter? (Sierra Club)
At COP26, 100,000 march for climate justice (Washington Post)
The Urgency of Awe: 10 striking photos of nature as the world faces climate crises (Washington Post)
Over 100 Nations at COP26 Pledge to Cut Global Methane Emissions by 30 Percent in Less Than a Decade (Inside Climate News)
New Report Expects Global Emissions of Carbon Dioxde to Rebound to Pre-Pandemic High This Year (Inside Climate News)
Cop26 will be whitest and most privileged ever, warn campaigners (The Guardian)
COP26 is bringing many calls for action. Some are already taking action. (Washington Post)
COP26 coalition worth $130 trillion vows to put climate at heart of finance (Reuters)
Investors promise action in climate fight but activists question motives (PBS News Hour)

Ultimately, it’s up to you to form your own opinions. But you have to read to do that. This issue is complex. (Ya think?) And the health of our planet is in the balance. We’re just trying to help. See you on Sunday morning.