Blog Posts

Clean water Environment Environmental justice

Get Yer (Coal) Ash Out of the Vermillion River!

July 31, 2021August 2, 2021 Mike Nowak America's Most Endangered Rivers, American Rivers, Andrew Rehn, coal ash contamination, Earthjustice, Eco-Justice Collaborative, Jennfer Cassel, Middle Fork Vermillion River, Pam Richart, Peggy Malecki, Prairie Rivers Network, The Mike Nowak Show, water quality

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:02:15 — 58.4MB)

In a victory for clean water, Dynegy recently agreed to remove toxic coal ash from the floodplain of the Middle Fork of the Vermillion River in east central Illinois. Pam Richart from Eco-Justice Collaborative, Jenny Cassel of Earthjustice, and Andrew Rehn from Prairie Rivers Network explain how that happened only after years of work from a broad coalition of concerned groups and citizens.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:04:25 — 59.4MB)

Where local food is concerned, it was a good spring session in the Illinois General Assembly in 2021. Molly Gleason from the Illinois Stewardship Alliance talks about the various local food and conservation programs that were passed by the Illinois General Assembly. Bob Benenson joins the conversation and promotes National Farmers Market Week. Edith Makra and Geneva, Illinois Mayor Kevin Burns from the Metropolitan Mayors Council discuss the roll out of the Climate Action Plan for the Chicago Region.

Clean water Climate change Environment Water conservation

Climate Change and Chicago’s Water

July 17, 2021August 12, 2021 Mike Nowak Chicago River, clean water, climate change, drought, Justin Hart, Lake Michigan, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, MWRD Commissioner Debra Shore, Peggy Malecki, stormwater management, The Mike Nowak Show, urban flooding

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:04:26 — 60.0MB)

Commissioner Debra Shore of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago explains the connections involving climate change, extreme weather events and clean water. She and science and policy advisor Justin Hart talk about the ongoing battle to keep the water supply in Chicago safe as well as its historical back and forth battles with Lake Michigan and the swamp land on which it was established.

Birding Conservation Information from Past Shows Tree Care

How to Rescue Storm Damaged Trees

July 3, 2021July 8, 2021 Mike Nowak Bartlett Tree Experts, Chicago Park District, herbicide damage to plants, how to water trees, Julie Janoski from The Morton Arboretum, Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary, Monty & Rose, paving at the Magic Hedge, Peggy Malecki, Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum, Skeet from Bartlett Tree Experts, storm damage to trees, The Mike Nowak Show

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:03:35 — 58.5MB)

Following a June 2021 that featured drought, excessive rain and destructive storms, homeowners and municipalities are assessing the damage done to their trees. Skeet from Bartlett Tree Experts and Julie Janoski, Plant Clinic Manager at The Morton Arboretum, offer advice on how to cope with severely compromised trees. Bob Dolgan from This Week in Birding reports on construction work at Chicago’s famed Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary and why it has some conservationists perplexed.

Birding Conservation Environment Gardening Monarch butterflies

Create Sanctuary for Wildlife in your Garden

June 26, 2021June 29, 2021 Mike Nowak Creating sanctuary for wildlife, fighting HOAs, invasive plants, Janet Crouch, lawns v gardens, Nancy Lawson, native plants in the garden, Peggy Malecki, pokeweed as garden plant, The Humane Gardener, The Mike Nowak Show

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:02:15 — 57.3MB)

Nancy Lawson has written an exceptional book called The Humane Gardener. On today’s show, she talks about strategies for encouraging critters of all types, whether they are reviled or not, to become part of your local ecosystem. Her sister, Janet Crouch, then reports on how she took on her HOA to protect her native plant garden, and not only won the case, but got state law in Maryland changed.

Climate change Environment Gardening Tomatoes

Tomatomania III: The Looming Drought

June 19, 2021June 23, 2021 Mike Nowak Craig LeHoullier, KC Tomato, Keith Mueller, Meteorologist Rick DiMaio, Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative, Organic Seed Alliance, Peggy Malecki, The Mike Nowak Show, Tomatomania, U.S. drought 2021, watering tomatoes

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:01:20 — 57.5MB)

Tomato experts Craig LeHoullier and Keith Mueller (KC Tomato) return to celebrate Tomatomania III: The Looming Drought. They talk about their work growing and breeding tomatoes and offer tips for backyard gardeners during dry conditions. Meteorologist Rick DiMaio then continues the conversation about the 2021 U.S. drought across most of the West and some of the Midwest.

Environment Factory farms Local food Tree Care

Survival Tips; Confronting Aldi; Saving Blue Ash

June 5, 2021June 10, 2021 Mike Nowak Aldi USA, blue ash trees, Bob Benenson, Crate Free USA, emerald ash borer, factory farms, gestation crates, Guy Sternberg, Jessica Chipkin, Local Food Forum, Peggy Malecki, Starhill Forest Arboretum, The Mike Nowak Show

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:03:45 — 59.6MB)

Bob Beneson from Local Food Forum stops by to talk about the explosion of farmers markets in Illinois, and offers some tips for shopping in hot weather. Jessica Chipkin from Crate Free USA attempts to explain why Aldi USA continues to resist attempts to forego sourcing of meat from factory farms that use gestation crates. Guy Sternbergs say there might be hope for blue ash trees in central Illinois in the battle against emerald ash borer.

On the Road at The Growing Place

Get Yer (Coal) Ash Out of the Vermillion River!

Local Food Is Getting Better In Illinois

Climate Change and Chicago’s Water

Return of the Butterfly Whisperer

How to Rescue Storm Damaged Trees

Create Sanctuary for Wildlife in your Garden

Tomatomania III: The Looming Drought

Talking Chicago Environmental Smack with the Experts

Survival Tips; Confronting Aldi; Saving Blue Ash