The Mike Nowak Show

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April 30, 2017 – A Sunday Kind of Show May 06, 2017

Show notes

Steve Neumann from Logic Lawn Care offers advice about how to practice natural lawn care. Dan Egan, author of The Death and Life of the Great Lakes, explains how opening up those bodies of fresh water to the world have also opened them up to attack by invasive species. Marc Ayres, Illinois State Director for the Humane Society of the United States, reports on unethical coyote hunting contests in Illinois, and promotes a bill to protect bobcats from certain kinds of traps.

April 29, 2017 – Up on the Roof May 05, 2017

Show notes

Photographer Brad Temkin and Michael Bryson, professor and director of Sustainability Studies at Roosevelt University talk about their collaboration on Brad's exhibit, Rooftop: Second Nature, which just closed at the university's Gage Gallery.

April 22, 2017 – Earth Day! Apr 28, 2017

Show notes

Show contributor Kathleen Thompson and meteorologist Rick DiMaio report from different parts of the March for Science Chicago on Earth Day 2017. Joe Lamp'l, creator and host of Growing a Greener World, offers some backyard water conservation tips and promotes a the Rain Bird Rain Delay Sweepstakes.

April 15, 2017 – Wha’d Life Be Without Homegrown Tomatoes? Apr 18, 2017

Show notes

Craig LeHoullier is a gardener, educator and author of Epic Tomatoes: How to Select & Grow the Best Varieties of All Time. (Not too much pressure to get it right, eh?) He joins Mike and Peggy to just scratch the skin, so to speak, of the fruit that is most Americans' favorite vegetable. Kay McKeen from SCARCE reports on big plans for Earth Day and for the Focus on Energy Film Festival, which Mike will be emceeing on April 23.

April 8, 2017 – Siting compost, sighting endangered species Apr 09, 2017

Show notes

John Lardner is co-owner of a company called Patriot Acres that wants to establish a composting operation on what is now a closed landfill in unincoporated Cook County bordering on Des Plaines, Illinois. The proposal has sparked a backlash in the community from people who fear that the facility will be a source of odors, vermin, and environmental contamination. Then, Carol Freeman talks about The Endangered Species Photography Project, which is an effort to photograph all 483 threatened and endangered species in Illinois, and then to use the photographs to help save these species.

March 25, 2017 – LIVE from the Chicago Flower & Garden Show Mar 27, 2017

Show notes

Mike and Peggy are on the road again, this time at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show at Navy Pier. Among their guests are Tony Abruscato, President and Director of the Flower Show; Chris Van Cleave, The Redneck Rosarian, Nathaniel Miller, Director of Conservation for Audubon Great Lakes (AGL) and our buddy, Nick Fuller of Natural Communities Native Plants; Ahmed Hassan from the DIY Network; Brian Helfrich of Aquascape, Inc, and more, including an extra segment with Meteorologist Rick DiMaio.

March 18, 2017–Live from the Good Food Festival and Conference Mar 23, 2017

Show notes

Mike and Peggy take The Mike Nowak Show to the 13th Annual Good Food Festival and Conference at the UIC Forum in Chicago. Their guests include Nic Mink from Sitka Salmon Shares and Amber Petersen of The Fishmongers Wife, who talk about sustainabile seafood; Jennifer Filipiak from American Farmland Trust and Barry Fischer of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services, who report on how scientists and farmers are working to make our soils healthy; Billy Burdett from Chicago-based Advocates for Urban Agriculture, with an update on composting laws in Chicago; and Jen Miller and Chris Trogg from Band of Farmers, which has just released a terrific list of CSAs. And listen for a cameo from Rodlene Paul of Hellshire Foods.

March 11, 2017 – Countdown to Good Food Mar 13, 2017

Show notes

Jim Slama is founder and president of FamilyFarmed, and he created the Good Food Festival and Conference in 2004. He previews this year's conference at the UIC Forum in Chicago, where The Mike Nowak Show will be broadcasting Saturday, March 18 at 10am. Mike and Peggy also discuss a number of environmental issues, including proposed cuts to the EPA, which could endanger the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

March 4, 2017 – Good Food, Good Gardening Mar 08, 2017

Show notes

Mike and Peggy talk to the winners of the Good Food Chef of the Year award, Christine Cikowski and Josh Kulp of Chicago’s Honey Butter Fried Chicken. Their food — much of it locally and sustainably sourced — comes with a large side of social conscience, which is why they are receiving the award at the Good Food Festival and Conference. Then, Tony Abruscato, director of the Chicago Flower and Garden Show stops by to promote a Chicago tradition dating back to 1847. The Mike Nowak Show will be broadcasting live from each event on consecutive Saturdays--March 18 and March 25 at 10am on 1590 WCGO.

February 25, 2017 – Keeping Seeds and Making Films Mar 01, 2017

Show notes

Carol Niec and Kerrie Rosenthal are the founders and owners of The Seed Keeper Company. They drop by the WCGO studios to talk about their annual event, The Seed Keeper Project, which recognizes school gardens across the country. The One Earth Film Festival returns for its sixth year, expanding to two weeks with showings all over the Chicago area. Mike and Peggy talk to two of the filmmakers for this environmental event--Catherine Zimmerman, director of a film called Hometown Habitat, and Gwendolen Cates, who directed The Good Mind.

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