Podcasts Archives

October 14, 2017 – Bring Guns, Oaks and Art

October 13, 2017October 27, 2017 Mike Nowak environment, gardening, green living, Homan Grown, Homan Square Campus, Oaks of North Lawndale, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, sustainability, The Mike Nowak Show, tree canopy

Paul Coffey from the Art Institute of Chicago and Jeff Levrant of Homan Grown explain how the Oaks of North Lawndale project will bring trees and art to that west side Chicago community.

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October 8, 2017 – Start the Garden Revolution

October 7, 2017October 12, 2017 Mike Nowak A Just Harvest, Chicago Excellence in Gardening Awards, economic opportunity, environment, Gale Community Academy, gardening, mass extinction, native plants, sustainability, The Mike Nowak Show, urban agriculture

Author and native plant landscaper Benjamin Vogt talks about his new book, A New Garden Ethic: Cultivating Defiant Compassion for an Uncertain Future. Gale Community Academy Principal Augustine “Augie” Emuwa and A Just Harvest’s Rev. Marilyn Pagán-Banks and Tonia Andreina are teaching students about growing food.

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October 7, 2017 – Temple of Bloom

October 6, 2017October 12, 2017 Mike Nowak Baha'i Temple, Carol Yetken, Chicago Architecture Foundation, drought, environment, evergeen shrubs, gardening, Nature's Perspective Landscaping, Open House Chicago, perennials, pruning, The Mike Nowak Show

Landscape architect Carol Yetlen talks about managing the gardens surrounding the Baha’i Temple in Wilmette and promotes the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s Open House Chicago next week. Tom Klitzkie from Nature’s Perspective Landscaping has advice on keeping your plants well-watered in a dry spell.

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October 1, 2017 – Seeds, Giant Pumpkins and Solar Panels

September 30, 2017October 12, 2017 Mike Nowak clean energy, environment, Future Energy Jobs Act, gardening, giant pumpkins, Openlands, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Seeds, Sharon Bladholm, The Mike Nowak Show, Windfree Solar

Sharon Bladholm returns to the show to talk about her latest nature-focused art exhibit. Mike and Peggy talk to a man who grew a 1,852 pound pumpkin this year. Erik Carlberg and Doug Snower from Windfree Solar explain why this is a good time for clean energy in Illinois.

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September 30, 2017 – LIVE from the SCARCE Green Fair!

September 29, 2017October 12, 2017 Mike Nowak environment, gardening, Illinois Environmental Council, Kay McKeen, Kimmer's Ice Cream, Prairie Food Co-op, recycling, reduce, reuse, SCARCE, The Mike Nowak Show, Three Plaid Farmers

Peggy and Mike broadcast live from the SCARCE Green Fair at the DuPage County Fairgrounds, where reduce, reuse and recycle are the words of the day.

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September 24, 2017 – Toxic Environments

September 23, 2017September 29, 2017 Mike Nowak environment, gardening, Hurricane Harvey, Kay McKeen, Mike Mikulka, mosquito spraying, recycling, SCARCE, science, The Mike Nowak Show, USEPA Region 5

Toxicologist David J. Zaber comments on the efficacy of spraying mosquitoes and the use of pesticides in general. Kay McKeen from SCARCE promotes their Green Fair. Mike Mikulka from EPA Region 5 visits the Science Desk with Michele Hoffman and reports on efforts to gut the federal agency.

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September 23, 2017 – A Couple of PhDs Talking Tree Extinction

September 22, 2017September 29, 2017 Mike Nowak ash trees, biodiversity, Davey Tree Expert Company, emerald ash borer, environment, extinction, gardening, Murphy Westwood, oak trees, Rex Bastian, The Mike Nowak Show, The Morton Arboretum

Some of our iconic ash and oak species are on the brink of extinction. Dr. Murphy Westwood from The Morton Arboretum and Dr. Rex Bastian from Davey Tree Experts talk about why that has happened and what we do to save them.

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September 17, 2017 – Wildcrafting, Tracking Monarchs

September 17, 2017September 28, 2017 Mike Nowak Doug Taron, endangered species, environment, gardening, herbalist, Lisa M. Rose, Midwest Medicinal Plants, monarch butterfly, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, The Mike Nowak Show, wildcrafting

Lisa M. Rose talks about her book Midwest Medicinal Plants and how you can forage for those plants in your own yard. A group called Mighty House announces an effort to reduce nutrient pollutants by targeting big meat producers. Doug Taron from the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum reports on Midwest monarch populations as they begin their migration to Mexico.

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September 16, 2017 – Remaking Plans to Remake Jackson Park

September 15, 2017September 28, 2017 Mike Nowak Chicago south side, community benefit agreement, environment, Friends of the Parks, gardening, Jackson Park, Juanita Irizarry, Obama Library, Rahm Emanuel, The Mike Nowak Show, transparency

Friends of the Parks Executive Director Juanita Irizarry returns to the show to discuss the latest developments surrounding the proposed Obama Presidential Center in Chicago’s Jackson Park.

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September 10, 2017 – Reclaiming Plastics and Toxics

September 9, 2017September 28, 2017 Mike Nowak construction and demolition, environment, gardening, Illinois Recycling Association, ISTC, National Recycling Coalition, petroleum, plastics recovery, pyrolysis, The Mike Nowak Show, toxic storm debris

BK Sharma from the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center explains how scientists are using pyrolysis to convert plastic bag back into petroleum products. Stephen M. Bantillo of the National Recycling Coalition and William Turley from the Construction & Demolition Recycling Association explore the possibilities of reclaiming household storm debris. Mike and Peggy highlight a series of Northern Illinois Farm Strolls.