Climate change Archives

Good Food - Andy Hazzard of Hazzard Free Farms

Local Food Is Getting Better In Illinois

July 24, 2021July 29, 2021 Mike Nowak Bob Benenson, Climate Action Plan for the Chicago Region, cottage food laws, Edith Makra, Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns, Illinois General Assembly, Illinois Stewardship Alliance, Local Food Forum, Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, Molly Gleason, National Farmers Market Week, Peggy Malecki, The Mike Nowak Show

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.

Climate Change - Lake Michigan (photo by Peggy Malecki)

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.

Climate change Conservation Environment Gardening Insects Monarch butterflies

Return of the Butterfly Whisperer

July 10, 2021July 12, 2021 Mike Nowak Chicago Academy of Sciences, climate change, Doug Taron, estivating butterflies, Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network, insect decline, monarch butterfly, Peggy Malecki, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, pesticides, regal fritillary, squash vine borer, The Mike Nowak Show

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:04:35 — 59.4MB)

Doug Taron is a PhD, Chief Curator of the Chicago Academy of Sciences at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, director of the Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network and much more. But we prefer to call him The Butterfly Whisperer. At least this week. He joins us on the show to talk monarchs, regal fritillaries, insect decline, and whatever else comes up in the realm of entomology.

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.