Mike Nowak Show Podcasts

Gary Oppenheimer from AmpleHarvest.org returns to the show to talk about his organization has teamed with Bonnie Plants to provide fresh produce to food pantries across the country. Architect Nate Kipnis talks about what a healthy home means in the time of COVID-19 and into the future.

Debra Shore, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, returns to talk about the importance of keeping our water systems functional during a time of pandemic. Nic Mink, founder and CEO of Sitka Salmon Shares, reports on the disruption to fisheries during the COVID-19 crisis.

With COVID-19 as a backdrop, Kim Eierman discusses her new book, The Pollinator Victory Garden: Win the War on Pollinator Decline with Ecological Gardening. Ty Benefiel from Hero Power talks about how clean energy programs might be affected by the pandemic. Joel Barczak of Blumen Gardens in Sycamore, Illinois explains why he thinks garden centers need a little more consideration during the the stay at home order. Sean Ruane, new executive director of Advocates for Urban Agriculture, has information about the COVID-19 Farmer Support Grant. Tom Szaky from Terracycle and Marta Keane, Will County Recycling Program Specialist, talk about the difficulties of continuing recycling and reuse programs during the COVID-19 outbreak.

What's Easter Sunday in the Church of Green? It's a visit with garden expert and author Dr. Allan Armitage to talk about how COVID-19 has changed the way we grow things. Then it's a visit from J.C. Kibbey and Mark Nabong from the NRDC, who report on the ways that our own government has forsaken the environmental health of its own lands, water and air for...what?

Lisa Hilgenberg from the Regenstein Fruit and Vegetable Garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden explains how 50,000 plants get maintained during a coronavirus outbreak. Scott Jamieson from Bartlett Tree Experts reports on the kind of essential tree care work that can still be done during a stay-at-home order. Jody Osmund from Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm CSA, Leslie Cooperband and Wes Jarrell from Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery, and Melissa Flynn of the Chicago Green City Market are all working to keep local farmers in business during this crisis.

Pandemic or no pandemic, spring is here. Gardening expert Melinda Myers returns to the show to talk about how to get your garden ready. B.J. Miller from Happy Leaf explains why modern LED technology beats the pants off of growing your seedlings under florescent tubes. Lisa Haderlein talks about how oaks in McHenry County can be protected with the help of The 5,000 Acre Challenge.

The Virtual Chicago Flower & Garden Show comes to The Mike Nowak Show. With the cancellation of the event at Navy Pier, Mike and Peggy invite Show Director Tony Abruscato and scheduled presenters to share their horticultural knowledge safely on the radio. Liz Moran Stelk and Jen and Jeff Miller of Prairie Wind Family Farm talk about the near-term future of local food. Sarah Anderson from the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum explains how they're bringing the museum into people's homes.

Mike and Peggy explore ways to connect with nature during a worldwide pandemic. Benjamin Futa, Jennifer Jewell and Rebecca McMackin from the canceled Spring Symposium at Allen Centennial Garden in Madison, Wisconsin talk about the refuge of your backyard in this crisis. Dr. Teresa Horton of the Nature, Culture, and Human Health Network explains how social distancing can affect communities. On a different note, Jodie Wiederkehr from the Chicago Alliance for Animals explains how carriage horses might be on verge of disappearing from Chicago, and why that's a good thing.

Nicole Virgil has taken her battle to construct a hoop house in her suburban Elmhurst yard to the Illinois General Assembly. She joins us, along with State Representative Sonya Harper, primary sponsor of the "Right to Garden" bill, and Eliot Clay from the Illinois Environmental Council. Jessica Chipkin from Crate Free Illinois previews Chicago's first Factory Farmed Animal Welfare Town Hall, along with Tyler Lobdell from Food and Water Watch and Erin Kwiatkowski from Mercy for Animals.

The theme of the 9th Annual One Earth Film Festival is The Power of We. Mike and Peggy welcome three filmmakers from the event, which runs March 6-15. Dan Gibbs, the Chicago Backyard Farmer, returns to talk about preparing for (very) early spring crops.

Michelle Hoffman Trotter, educator and director of the film Microcosm, promotes next week's Wave Film Fest, which celebrates our oceans and lakes through film and visual arts. MWRD Commissioner Cam Davis returns to the show to talk about the myriad issues surrounding that little appreciated and even less understood regional agency.

William Moss The Garden Boss returns to the show to talk about the challenges, horticultural and legal, of growing Cannabis in Illinois. Dr. Matthew Goldberg reports on the mission of Yale Climate Connections, a new addition to The Mike Nowak Show with Peggy Malecki. "Leap Year" has more than one meaning, as Trevor Edmonson from The Wetlands Initiative explains about his work with frogs at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.

Doug Tallamy returns to the show to discuss his new book, "Nature's Best Hope," about how our planet's salvation will be via native plants and the insects they support. The Chicago Botanic Garden's Jim Ault talks about Brilliance: The Orchid Show, which runs through March 22.

Scott Jamieson from Bartlett Tree Experts returns to the show to talk about winter tree care and, yes, even how arborists are sometimes called upon to rescue cats from trees. Robert Grillo from Slaughter Free Chicago and Balaji Venkatesan from Slaughter Free Milwaukee explain why they are fighting to stop slaughterhouses across the nation.

Justin Fluck was a winner in the 2019 Chicago Excellence in Gardening Awards for the work at his Fluck Farms Chicago. He stops by to talk about his plans for 2020 and how the award affected him. Dr. Nicolaas Mink, CEO and founder of Sitka Salmon Shares, returns to talk about the future of sustainable fishing in our oceans.

Meteorologists Rick DiMaio and John Lee examine social and legal issues of last year's weather and climate events. Curtis Leopaldo, from Leopardo Energy division, has a plan for funding green municipal infrastructure upgrades. Ryan Anderson says Midwest Grows Green is about to unveil a tookit for municipalities who want to switch to natural lawn care.

Daniella Pereira from Openlands talks TreeKeepers, green infrastructure and jobs. Robert Nevel previews the MLK Food Justice & Sustainability Weekend at KAM Isaiah Israel. Elysabeth Alfano talks about the premiere of her new show on WCGO Radio, Sundays at 3pm.

One year after hemp production was allowed in Illinois, Mike and Peggy talk to Liz Rupel from the Illinois Stewardship Alliance and hemp advocate Rachel Berry about the state of the industry. Ty Benefiel from Hero Power explains how you can purchase clean energy for a reasonable rate in Illinois.

Mike and Peggy welcome Scott Jones and Megan Wells back to the show. They are the director and actor, respectively, for the play, Turn Here Sweet Corn, which will run through January in Chicago. Atina Diffley, who wrote the book on which the play is based, is part of the conversation, too.

Since 1988, Mike has presented a truncated version of the Hollywood holiday classic, "It's a Wonderful Life" in one form or another. "It's a Wonderful Slice" is back, with help from Peggy Malecki, the WCGO shows Gabby Road and Playtime with Bill Turck & Kerrie Kendall, and staff members Ellie Sanchez and Andrew Moerschel. You'll never again view the movie the same way.