Podcast Archives

Snakes, Forest Preserves and Green Divas

October 17, 2020November 2, 2020 Mike Nowak Cassandra West, eco-influencer, environmental politics, Forest Preserve Foundation, Grace Wu, Green New Deal, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, Peggy Malecki, Racial Equity and Access to Nature, snakes of the upper Midwest, The Green Divas, The Mike Nowak Show

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:56:47 — 53.5MB)

Herpetologist Grace Wu talks about the snakes of Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. Cassandra West previews the Forest Preserve Foundation 2020 Symposium, A conversation about Racial Equity and Access to Nature. Green Diva Meg and Green Diva Lisa talk environmental politics and make an announcement about a collaboration with The Mike Nowak Show with Peggy Malecki.

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Having a Virtual IMPACT on Landscapes

October 10, 2020November 2, 2020 Mike Nowak climate change, eco-influencer, EcoBeneficial, Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, IMPACT conference, Jack Pizzo, Kim Eierman, native plants, Nicole Virgil, Peggy Malecki, Right to Garden Act, suburban hoop houses, The Mike Nowak Show

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:43:05 — 47.2MB)

The Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA) annual IMPACT Conference will be virtual this year. Mike and Peggy talk to presenters Jack Pizzo of Pizzon & Associates and Kim Eierman from EcoBeneficial. The sad saga of Nicole Virgil and her fight to be able to have a hoop house in suburban Elmhurst continues. She returns to talk about the latest developments

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Walk Like an Agrarian

October 3, 2020November 2, 2020 Mike Nowak Center for Agrarian Learning, eco-influencer, fall gardening, Forefront Speaker Series, Lisa Kivirist, local food, McHenry County College, Melinda Myers, Peggy Malecki, planting spring bulbs, Sheri Doyel, Soil Sisters, The Mike Nowak Show

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:55:52 — 53.0MB)

Sheri Doyel, director of McHenry County College’s new Center for Agrarian Learning Center (CAL) is joined by farmer and activistt Lisa Kivirist to promote the upcoming Forefront Speaker Series, which has free online events planned the second Sunday of each month between now and December. Horticultural expert Melinda Myers returns to the show to offer fall gardening tips.

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The New Sustainable Reality

September 26, 2020November 2, 2020 Mike Nowak Alaina Harkness, Chicago Water Week, Current Chicago, eco-influencer, fall tree care, Great Lakes, Peggy Malecki, Skeet from Bartlett Tree Experts, The Mike Nowak Show, trees under drought stress

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:27:21 — 40.0MB)

The New Sustainable Reality refers not only to trees and water, but Mike and Peggy’s new Internet-only show. They talk to Skeet from Bartlett Tree Experts about fall tree care. Alaina Harkness is executive director of Current, which calls itself a “water innovation hub.” She talks about the first ever Chicago Water Week, taking place virtually from September 28 to October 2.

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Racist Pandemics and How to Recover

September 5, 2020November 2, 2020 Mike Nowak A Just Recovery, Alec McClennan, Dr. Jalees Rehman, eco-influencer, Faith in Place, fall is lawn care season, Good Nature Organic Lawn Care, Green Team Summit 2020, Peggy Malecki, racist pandemic, Rev. Brian Sauder, the dangers of lawn chemicals, The Mike Nowak Show

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:33:09 — 43.1MB)

In Hour 2, Rev. Brian Sauder from Faith in Place reports on the upcoming online Green Team Summit 2020 from September 13-17. We talk to Dr. Jalees Rehman, who will be hosting a workshop called COVID-19 and A Just Recovery. In Hour 1, we chat with Alec McClennan, founder and owner of Good Nature Organic Lawn Care in Ohio. He’ll explain why fall is the best time to work on your lawn and why using most lawn chemicals is a bad idea.

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Toxic Donuts and Food Deserts

August 29, 2020November 2, 2020 Mike Nowak Austin Harvest, By the Hand Kids Club, Chicago south side toxic donuts, Down at the Farms, eco-influencer, Marty Travis, Matt Wechsler, Natural Resources Defense Council, Peggy Malecki, Southeast Environmental Task Force, The Mike Nowak Show, toxic dump on Lake Michigan, Village Farmstand

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:14:27 — 33.8MB)

Marty Travis from Spencer Farm and filmmaker Matt Wechsler report on the opening of Village Farmstand, a way to keep farmers in business and give consumers access to local food. Rodney Williams Sr., Azariah Baker and Keith Tankson explain how the Austin Harvest pop up store will provide fresh food to their neighborhood. NRDC’s Gina Ramirez and Peggy Salazar of the Southeast Environmental Task Force are fighting for environmental justice on Chicago’s southeast side.

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Midwest Derecho Aftermath

August 22, 2020November 2, 2020 Mike Nowak Chicago Alderman Scott Waguespack, Daniella Pereira, Diane Blazek, eco-influencer, Lyz Lenz, Meteorologist Rick DiMaio, Midwest derecho aftermath, Midwest Grows Green, National Garden Bureau, Openlands, Peggy Malecki, The Mike Nowak Show, Urban Forestry Advisory Board

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:30:52 — 41.4MB)

Meteorologist Rick DiMaio, journalist Lyz Lenz, Daniella Pereira of Openlands and Alder Scott Waguespack report on the Midwest Derecho Aftermath in Chicago and the rest of the Midwest. Diane Blazek, Executive Director of the National Garden Bureau, talks about their 100th anniversary and what the future has to offer. Ryan Anderson from Midwest Grows Green joins Alec McClennan of Good Nature Organic Lawn Care to explain why fall is lawn care season and how your community might get free advice on how to create two naturally treated fields.

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Chicago’s War on Community Gardens

August 1, 2020November 2, 2020 Mike Nowak Advocates for urban Agriculture, Chicago Department of Water Management, Chicago’s war on community gardens, community gardens and urban farms, eco-influencer, Illinois Farmers Market Association, National Farmers Market Week, Peggy Malecki, Plant Chicago, Sean Ruane, The Mike Nowak Show

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:35:18 — 43.5MB)

In Hour 2, we look at what we are calling the “Chicago’s War on Community Gardens.” Why in the world would the City spring new regulations on urban farms and community gardens that call for huge fees for accessing water? And then barely back off of those demands during the COVID pandemic? We’ll talk Sean Ruane, Executive Director of Advocates for Urban Agriculture, as well as representatives of a couple of community gardens. Hour 1 features a look at National Farmers Market Week with Janie Maxwell from the Illinois Farmers Market Association, Jonathan Pereira of Plant Chicago and Nebraska farmer Gary Fehr.

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Food Scrap Composting Queen

July 25, 2020November 2, 2020 Mike Nowak Collective Resource Compost, Craig LeHoullier, eco-influencer, Erlene Howard, food scrap recycling, Headline Solar, historical tomato varieties, Illinois Solar Energy Association, Mark Burger, Peggy Malecki, Seven Generations Ahead, The Mike Nowak Show, Tomato Joe

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:33:59 — 43.0MB)

Erlene Howard returns to the show to celebrate ten years of Collective Resource Compost. Mike and Peggy welcome “Tomato Joe,” who reports on historically interesting tomatoes. Jared McKenzie from Headline Solar and renewable energy consultant Mark Burger discuss the future of solar energy in Illinois.

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Busting Insulation Myths with Ron Cowgill

July 18, 2020November 2, 2020 Mike Nowak air changes per hour, Alderman Roberto Maldonado, Bartlett Tree Experts, blower door test, busting insulation myths, Chad Rigsby, eco-influencer, Mighty House Home Improvement Radio, Peggy Malecki, Ron Cowgill, summer tree care, The 606 Bloomingdale Trail Neighborhood Home Improvement Program, The Mike Nowak Show

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:34:13 — 42.4MB)

Ron Cowgill from Mighty House Home Improvement Radio stops by to talk about how he helped Mike radically improve his energy conservation by adding insulation and new windows. Chad Rigsby from Bartlett Tree Experts has advice on how to keep your trees healthy in summer heat, following a cool, rainy spring.