eco-influencer Archives

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.

Podcast

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.

This Week's Show

Plover Summer on Lake Michigan

August 8, 2020November 2, 2020 Mike Nowak Bob Dolgan, Douglas Stotz, eco-influencer, Fruition Seeds, Henry Brockman, Ines Sommer, Monty and Rose, Peggy Malecki, Seasons of Change on Henry’s Farm, short season vegetable planting, Terra Brockman, The Field Museum, The Mike Nowak Show

“Seasons of Change on Henry’s Farm” filmmaker Ines Sommer and producer Terra Brockman talk about farming in the age of climate change and global pandemic. Petra Page-Mann, co-founder of Fruition Seeds, offers advice for mid-summer planting in Zones 4-6 (yes, that’s us in Chicago). Filmmaker Bob Dolgan and conservation ecologist Douglas Stotz from the Field Museam reflect on a summer without people at the lakefront, which might have made the return of a pair of piping plover much easier in 2020.

Podcast

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.

Podcast

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.

Podcast

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.

Podcasts

Extreme Permaculture Primer

July 11, 2020November 2, 2020 Mike Nowak Building a Better World in Your Backyard, COVID-19 and gardening, eco-influencer, gardening expert Melinda Myers, home energy use, incandescent v. LED light bulbs, Midwest gardening, Paul Wheaton, Peggy Malecki, permaculture, The Mike Nowak Show

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:32:39 — 42.1MB)

Paul Wheaton and Shawn Klassen-Koop are the authors of Building a Better World in Your Backyard Instead of Being Angry at Bad Guys. It might be called an essential extreme permaculture primer. Garden expert Melinda Myers returns to the show to talk about keeping your plants healthy in summer, and to promote the lesson of patience in the garden.

Podcast

Black Gardeners Matter, Too

July 4, 2020November 2, 2020 Mike Nowak Dr. Doug Taron, eco-influencer, firefly habitat, Illinois Park and Recreation Association, Nicole Virgil, Peggy Malecki, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, social and food justice, suburban hoop houses, summer vegetable watering, The Mike Nowak Show, The Wisconsin Vegetable Gardener, Unplug Illinois Day

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:32:57 — 40.9MB)

Nicole Virgil returns to the show as she continues her fight to grow vegetables in a hoop house in her own, Elmhurst, Illinois backyard. Debbie Trueblood from the Illinois Park and Recreation Association reports on their second annual Unplug Illinois Day. Holly and Joey Baird, The Wisconsin Vegetable Gardener, have advice on mid-season veggie crops. Doug Taron, PhD of the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum says it’s a great year for fireflies and reports on raising Baltimore Checkerspots on his porch during the pandemic.

Podcast

High Noon in the Straits of Mackinac

June 27, 2020November 2, 2020 Mike Nowak 60-Second Garden Video Challenge, Backyard Bumble Bee Count, eco-influencer, Enbridge Line 5, For Love of Water (FLOW), Garden for Wildlife, National Wildlife Federation, Oil & Water Don’t Mix, Peggy Malecki, Straits of Mackinac, Surfrider Foundation, The Mike Nowak Show, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:35:04 — 43.2MB)

Liz Kirkwood from For Love of Water (FLOW) and Mitch McNeil of Surfrider Chicago talk about shutting down the Enbridge 5 oil pipeline, which runs under the Straits of Mackinac in Michigan. Mary Phillips, Senior Director of Conservation for the National Wildlife Federation Garden for Wildlife program, and Jill Utrup from Region 3 of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Bloomington, Minnesota talk about how to make your garden pollinator friendly.

Podcast

Insect Apocalypse on Main Street?

June 20, 2020November 2, 2020 Mike Nowak climate change, Diveheart, Dr. May Berenbaum, eco-influencer, habitat loss, insect apocalypse, Jim Elliott, National Mosquito Control Awareness Week, National Pollinator Week, Peggy Malecki, scuba diving and physical disabilities, Summit Responsible Solutions, The Mike Nowak Show

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:34:40 — 42.7MB)

Entomologist Dr. May Berenbaum from the University of Illinois explores the question of an insect apocalypse on our planet. Bill Stengel of Summit Responsible solutions has answers for your mosquito, flea and tick problems. Jim Elliott and Tinamarie Hernandez from Diveheart explain how they make the lives of veterans and the disabled richer via scuba diving.