Climate change Archives

Doug Tallamy on Saving Nature and Ourselves

January 22, 2022January 24, 2022 Mike Nowak Bell Bowl Prairie, Bringing Nature Home, climate change, Doug Tallamy, gardening, Mounds View Grasslands Preserve, native plants, Natural Land Institute, Peggy Malecki, sustainability, The Mike Nowak Show, The Nature of Oaks, The Prairie Enthusiasts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:06:05 — 59.1MB)

Entomologist, ecologist and author Doug Tallamy returns to the show. He discusses his latest book, The Nature of Oaks and his work to create Homegrown National Park. But he will also talk with Kerry Leigh, executive director of the Natural Land Institute about the continuing threat to Bell Bowl Prairie in Rockford. On the good news front, we’ll chat with Debra Behrens from The Prairie Enthusiasts about a grant they just received to expand Mounds View Grasslands Preserve near Madison, Wisconsin.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:08:38 — 115.1MB)

The 2020 Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival is coming to Chicago this week. We talk to its founder, Blair Thomas, and to artist Robin Frohardt, who has created an installation called The Plastic Bag Store. It is stocked with food-like items that are handcrafted from discarded, single-use NYC plastic trash. Marta Keane from the Illinois Recycling Foundation joins the conversation to talk about how we deal with what is a world-wide plastic crisis. Meteorologist Rick DiMaio reports on snowstorms in America and exploding volcanoes in the Pacific Ocean.

Climate change Composting Environment Gardening Information from Past Shows Insects Lawn Care Local food Monarch butterflies Native plants Natural sciences Recycling soil health

How to Create The Healthy Garden

January 8, 2022January 11, 2022 Mike Nowak environment, gardening, Gathering of Gardeners, green living, healthy world, healthy you, Kathleen Norris Brenzel, native plants, Peggy Malecki, Sunset Magazine, sustainability, The Healthy Garden, The Mike Nowak Show

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:03:32 — 58.8MB)

We start a brand new year with a brand new book. The Healthy Garden: Simple Steps for a Greener World is written by a couple of gardening pros–Kathleen Norris Brenzel and Mary-Kate Mackey. We’ll talk about how and especially why you should become a friend of the earth. Then Mike and Peggy talk about some of the environmental stories making headlines. And meteorologist Rick DiMaio has his first report of the year, following Chicago’s first snow of the year.

Biology Climate change Conservation Environment Environmental justice Gardening Holiday Insects Native plants Natural sciences

Prairie Uprising on the Horizon

November 20, 2021November 22, 2021 Mike Nowak Chicago Rockford International Airport, Christmas cactus, climate change, Dan Kosta, environment, Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves, gardening, Hippeastrum v. Amaryllis, keeping holiday plants alive, native plants, Peggy Malecki, Save Bell Bowl Prairie, The Mike Nowak Show

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:03:08 — 58.1MB)

Two months ago, not many folks had ever heard of Bell Bowl Prairie in Rockford, Illinois. Now, it is at the forefront of a prairie uprising. Amy Doll from Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves and Chris Benda, the Illinois Botanizer, bring us up to speed on the latest developments to save this valuable remnant prairie. Dan Kosta from Vern Goers Greenhouse in Hinsdale, Illinois, has advice on which holiday plants to buy and how to keep them healthy.

Climate change Environment Environmental justice Gardening

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:04:51 — 60.2MB)

Horticulturist Allan Armitage stops by to talk about his latest book, which isn’t about gardening at all. The latest attempt to stem the tide of climate change is happening at the COP26 Conference in Glasgow, Scotland. Mike, Peggy and Rick DiMaio will attempt to make sense of the proceedings, not that anyone can. GreenTown Rockford happens next week, and we’ll preview it with Brad Roos from Sustain Rockford.

Climate change Gardening Information from Past Shows soil health Tomatoes

Tomatomania IV: Attack of the Nasty Shorts

August 14, 2021August 14, 2021 Mike Nowak "code red" from IPCC, Craig LeHoullier, Epic Tomatoes, gardening, KC Tomato, Keith Mueller, nasty shorts, Peggy Malecki, The Mike Nowak Show, tomato diseases, tomatoes in hot weather, U.S. wildfires

The tomato guys are back! Keith Mueller (aka KC Tomato) and Craig LeHoullier (author of “Epic Tomatoes”) return for Tomatomania IV: Attack of the Nasty Shorts. They talk about late season tomato issues and offer expert advice. Meteorologist Rick DiMaio also returns to report on wildfires, hurricanes and the “code red” about climate change from the IPCC.

Climate change

Doug Tallamy on Saving Nature and Ourselves

Puppets Pick Apart Plastic Myths

How to Create The Healthy Garden

It’s a Wonderful Slice 2021!

And Now for Something Completely Different

Prairie Uprising on the Horizon

Solutions for a Planet on the Brink

Melinda Myers Reveals Fall Gardening Secrets

Last Chance for a Clean Energy Deal in Illinois?

Tomatomania IV: Attack of the Nasty Shorts