gardening Archives

February 4, 2018 – Saving the Monarch, Round 2: Pessimists v. Optimists

February 3, 2018February 9, 2018 Mike Nowak environment, extinction, gardening, green living, habitat loss, Kylee Baumlee, milkweed, monarch butterfly, seed germination, sustainability, The Mike Nowak Show, The Seed Keeper Company

Kylee Baumlee, author of The Monarch: Saving Our Most-Loved Butterfly, visits the WCGO studios, along with Carol Niec and Kerrie Rosenthal from The Seed Keeper Company. On a snowy day, Pat Skach fills in for meteorologist Rick DiMaio.

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January 28, 2018 – Solar Speed Bump, Healthy Parks

January 27, 2018February 9, 2018 Mike Nowak Dig Right In Landscaping, environment, gardening, green living, Lisa Albrecht, Logic Lawn Care, pesticides, soil food web, solar energy, sustainability, The Mike Nowak Show

Solar energy expert Lisa Albrecht comments on the decision to slap a tariff on imported solar panels to the U.S. Steve Neumann of Logic Lawn Care and Jeff Swano of Dig Right In Landscaping explain how they promoting natural lawn care to Illinois park districts.

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January 21, 2018 – Soil Secrets, Flowertales

January 20, 2018February 9, 2018 Mike Nowak Chicago Flower and Garden Show, environment, gardening, green living, Loyola University Chicago, snow cover, soil science, SSSA, sustainability, The Mike Nowak Show, Tony Abruscato

Soil scientist Mary Tiedeman explains what’s happening in your soil beneath the snow (when there is any), and Zhenwei Zhu talks about how to get it tested at the new Loyola Environmental Testing Laboratory (LETL). Tony Abruscato previews the 2018 Chicago Flower & Garden Show.

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January 14, 2018 – The Threat to Organics

January 13, 2018February 9, 2018 Mike Nowak Charlie Nardozzi, Chicago Flower and Garden Show, container gardening, environment, Francis Thicke, fresh food, gardening, green living, Illinois Farmers Market Association, NOSB, organic standards, sustainability, The Mike Nowak Show

Janie Maxwell of the Illinois Farmers Market Association (ILFMA) talks winter farmers markets. Gardening expert Charlie Nardozzi talks containers, foodscapes and more. Former National Organic Standards Board member Francis Thicke explains why he thinks the organic label is at risk.

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January 7, 2018 – Happy Solar Energy and Food Justice!

January 6, 2018January 11, 2018 Mike Nowak Barack Obama, clean energy, environment, gardening, green living, Hyde Park, KAM Isaiah Israel, MREA, Robert Nevel, solar energy, sustainability, The Mike Nowak Show

The Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) wants to teach you how to install solar energy systems. Find out how on today’s show, which also features Robert Nevel and Crystal Johnson from the 9th Annual MLK Food Justice and Sustainability Weekend at KAM Isaiah Israel Congregation in Hyde Park.

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December 31, 2017 – See Ya, Wouldn’t Wanna Be Ya

December 30, 2017January 3, 2018 Mike Nowak California wildfires, Christmas tree recycling, climate change, environment, gardening, green living, Jennifer Molski, Kay McKeen, polar vortex, SCARCE, sustainability, The Mike Nowak Show

Jennifer Molski of HF Christmas Tree Recycling and Kay McKeen of SCARCE explain to recycle trees, lights and other holiday jetsum. Then Mike, Peggy and Rick DiMaio discuss the environmental stories of 2017.

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December 24, 2017 – It’s a Wonderful Slice!

December 24, 2017December 29, 2017 Mike Nowak Audubon Society, Christmas bird count, environment, gardening, green living, It's a Wonderful Slice, Judy Pollock, Ron Cowgill, sustainability, The Mike Nowak Show, William Turck

It’s a Wonderful Slice of It’s a Wonderful Life makes its return to the airwaves featuring the Not Even Ready for Weekend Smart Talk Players, after bird conservationist Judy Pollock reports on the annual Christmas Bird Count.

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December 17, 2017 – The Gutting of America’s Natural Areas

December 17, 2017January 3, 2018 Mike Nowak Bears Ears National Monument, Beth Vercolio-Osmund, Bureau of Land Management, environment, fossil fuels, gardening, green living, Illinois Congress, sustainability, The Kitchen Community Chicago, The Mike Nowak Show, The Nation Magazine

Adam Federman of The Nation Magazine talks about his investigative series, The Plot to Loot America’s Wilderness, Beth Vercolio-Osmund explains why she’s running for the Illinois 16th District Congressional seat, and Whitney Richardson reports on the progress of The Kitchen Community and the Logan Square Winter Farmers Market.

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December 10, 2017 – Snow Leaves and Ponzetters

December 9, 2017December 16, 2017 Mike Nowak California wildfires, climate change, Doris Taylor, environment, fall leaf drop, gardening, green living, Lurvey Garden Center, poinsettias, Rick DiMaio, sustainability, The Mike Nowak Show, The Morton Arboretum

Doris Taylor from the Morton Arboretum Plant Clinic talks about why trees have been reluctant to drop their leaves this fall, Kate Green from Lurvey Garden Center has information on holiday plants, and meteorologist Rick DiMaio reports on California wildfires and the year in climate change.

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December 3, 2017 – Glyphosate: Why the Controversy Won’t Die

December 3, 2017December 16, 2017 Mike Nowak Carey Gillam, Chris VanCleave, environment, gardening, glyphosate, green living, Monsanto, rose cones, Roundup, sustainability, The Mike Nowak Show, winter rose care

Chris VanCleave, “The Redneck Rosarian,” is back to make sure your roses are ready to survive whatever winter Chicago decides to have this year. Carey Gillam talks about her important new book, Whitewash, about why the weed killer glyphosate (in Roundup) is still controversial.