Forward Radio podcasts

This week on Sustainability Now!, your host, Justin Mog, floats down the river with The Ohio River Way's New Deputy Director, Molly Pope! Molly paddled her way into this new role back in February 2026, after working at Thomas More University’s Ohio River Biology Field Station, where she led outreach, supported research and operations, and helped bring big community events to life (including “Raisin’ Hellbenders on the River”).

With a strong background in freshwater science and leadership, and a deep love for the Ohio River Basin, Molly has been a fantastic addition to the team. She is an avid swimmer in the Ohio River and is especially excited to help grow adventure tourism and outdoor recreation opportunities throughout the region. As Deputy Director, Molly plays a key role in supporting organizational growth, strengthening partnerships, and advancing the Ohio River Way’s mission to connect people, places, and experiences along the river.

Read more about Molly at https://www.ohioriverway.org/news/welcome-molly.

Learn more about Raisin’ Hellbenders on the River: Concert for Conservation coming up on Saturday, July 25, 2026, 3-9 p.m. at the Thomas More University Biology Field Station and get tickets at https://www.thomasmore.edu/academics/explore-campus/biology-field-station/concert-for-conservation/

Tune in for stories from the sixth annual Ohio River Way Challenge - their longest route yet - which had to postpone the third week due to heavy rain, but was still able to significantly expand their floating lab program and student internships, and it was first thru-paddle since designation as a National Water Trail (NWT). Learn about this designation, which was years in the making, and recognizes recreational assets of the river, and puts the river on the map nationally as a destination. We also talk about overcoming the river's dirty reputation and getting people to see the Ohio River as a tourist destination, with lots of great opportunities in Louisville to engage with river recreation - sailing, rowing, paddling, etc.

We also get an update on progress around The Ohio River Basin Restoration Program Act in Congress, and some exciting planning work around the ultimate vision for a greenway along the entire river connecting cultural, land, and water trails. Several planning studies are underway to analyze recreational access gaps, potential land conservation opportunities, and ways to link existing bike routes and trails

Get involved in YOUR Ohio River Way at the upcoming summit in Ironton, Ohio Sept. 30-Oct. 2, or join coalition meetings, or a committee! Molly also recommends these resources: 
1. Ohio River Way website: https://www.ohioriverway.org/

2. TMU Biology Field Station Concert for Conservation Tickets: https://form.jotform.com/240215276736153

3. NOAA River Level Gauges: https://water.noaa.gov/gauges/MLPK2

4. ORSANCO Weekly Water Quality Report: https://www.orsanco.org/data/weekly-ohio-river-water-quality-report/

5. Ohio River Visitor's Guide Ad Sales: https://form.jotform.com/260354900967058

6. Ohio River Way Summit Webpage: https://www.ohioriverway.org/2026-summit

As always, our feature is followed by your community action calendar for the week, so get your calendars out and get ready to take action for sustainability NOW!

Sustainability Now! is hosted by Dr. Justin Mog and airs on Forward Radio, 106.5fm, WFMP-LP Louisville, every Monday at 6pm and repeats Tuesdays at 12am and 10am. Find us at https://forwardradio.org

The music in this podcast is courtesy of the local band Appalatin and is used by permission. Explore their delightful music at https://appalatin.com

K.A. Owens interviews Andi Veach- writer and commentator. They discuss immigration, Israel and Iran.

Recorded Saturday June 20, 2026, 3PM.

A great discussion with Texas Christian University Economics Professor John T. Harvey on his latest book, US Business Cycles, 1954-2020, Sources, Symptoms, Solutions. Dr. Harvey outlines how and why recessions almost always occur and how they can be avoided. He also talks about a guaranteed jobs program which offers a way to fight unemployment and recessions.

This week on Truth to Power, we bring you a community conversation about the perils of modern day "conveniences" that was originally broadcast on WNYC's program "Theater of War - On the Radio" back on April 30, 2026. We are thrilled to share this recording of the third installment of the Theater of War's new live call-in radio series. In the show, two actors, Adepero Oduye and Jumaane Williams, offer a sensitive and poetic performance of a new essay written by Hanif Abdurraqib for The New Yorker entitled “Our Longing for Inconvenience.” The performance sparked an intimate and moving conversation with listeners about the ephemerality of connection and memory in our digital era. We heard about many strategies for cultivating patience and consciousness in order to stay present with ourselves and others in a world of constant distractions. Learn more at https://theaterofwarproductions.substack.com/p/our-longing-for-inconvenience-listen

Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 7pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org

An enjoyable conversation with John Bellamy Foster on his recent book "Breaking the Bonds Fate: Epicurus and Marx." Dr. Foster discusses the strong philosophical connections between the ancient Greek philosopher and Marx's thinking which go back to Marx's dissertation.

One of the hottest conspiracy theories this year has been about the 15 dead or missing 'scientists' who worked in the areas of physics, space exploration, or UFO's. On today's show we discuss conspiracy theories in general, and then dive into this particular example. Should we be concerned about the purported rash of deaths, suicides, and disappearances in the space-travel community?

‘Bench Talk: The Week in Science’ is a weekly program that airs on WFMP Louisville FORward Radio 106.5 FM (forwardradio.org) every Monday at 7:30 pm, Tuesday at 11:30 am, and Wednesday at 7:30 am.

Visit our Facebook page for links to the articles discussed in this episode: https://www.facebook.com/BenchTalkRadio

This week on Sustainability Now!, your host, Justin Mog, is thrilled to welcome back to the program Emily Kicklighter in her new role as the Louisville Rhizome Coordinator for the Kentucky Rural Urban Exchange (https://www.kyrux.org)! This is a perfect fit with Emily’s own heart and healing and initiative because of its broad focus on NARRATIVE as a community asset and relationship-builder. Tune in to learn what the Rural Urban Exchange is all about, and consider joining a local “Rhizome” experience such as coffee meetups, picnics, local walks or hikes, museum tours, community events, and more.

Upcoming Rhizome events in Louisville include:

• The SouthEnd Market/Iroquois Park Story Circle Event: Saturday, June 27th @11am

• West End Women's Collab "My Granny is a Genius" Workshop: Saturday, July 18th @ 2pm

• Maybe It's Fate "Appalachian Transplant - house plant exchange" on a Sunday in August

• Valaterra Healing Story Hike and Concert Event: Sunday, October 18th 3-8pm

All of the RUX events will be posted on their website (and links will manifest if registration is necessary) at https://www.kyrux.org/rhizomes

Additionally, Emily is offering a "One Bite At a Time" 90-Day Empowerment Course for cancer patients as part of her Radical Remission work. Learn more at https://go.emilykicklighter.org and get in touch at [email protected]

As always, our feature is followed by your community action calendar for the week, so get your calendars out and get ready to take action for sustainability NOW!

Sustainability Now! is hosted by Dr. Justin Mog and airs on Forward Radio, 106.5fm, WFMP-LP Louisville, every Monday at 6pm and repeats Tuesdays at 12am and 10am. Find us at https://forwardradio.org

The music in this podcast is courtesy of the local band Appalatin and is used by permission. Explore their delightful music at https://appalatin.com

This week on Truth to Power, we bring you a community conversation about the scourge of plastics, the impacts of micorplastics on our health, and how you can get involved locally in addressing the issue! The special guest at the last meeting of Beyond Plastics Louisville on May 21, 2026, was Dr. Timothy O'Toole, associate professor at UofL's Division of Environmental Medicine, speaking about his research into how microplastics affect cardiovascular health. Dr. O'Toole shared research findings showing that mice exposed to microplastics in their drinking water developed obesity, diabetes, and atherosclerosis. The presentation includes detailed explanations of how microplastics contribute to inflammation and white blood cell adhesion in blood vessels.

Following the scientific presentation, the group discussed their new "Bring Your Own Coffee Cup" campaign, which aims to partner with local coffee shops to reduce single-use plastic waste. The campaign involves placing promotional stickers in coffee shops and encouraging customers to bring reusable cups, with plans to create a "coffee shop street team" to help contact and recruit participating businesses.

Learn more about Beyond Plastics Louisville: https://www.facebook.com/groups/beyondplasticslouky

Watch a recording of the meeting at https://youtu.be/6aPXi6bozic

Follow up Action: If you would like to learn more about ways to minimize your personal microplastic exposure, you can check some new resources on the National Resources Defense Council’s (NRDC) Microplastics are Micromonsters website at https://www.nrdc.org/stopmicromonsters

You might notice that the NRDC’s list of ten “Science-backed steps for avoiding microplastic exposure” includes “Bring your own nonplastic to-go cup”. This is the focus for the Plastic Reduction Project - Louisville “Bring Your Own Coffee Cup” campaign. Learn more at https://www.plasticreductionproject.org/louisville

Volunteers are needed to help visit coffee shops, deliver stickers, and ensure they are displayed prominently. If you can help, please contact [email protected]. You can also pick up stickers at The Refillery on the Douglass Loop (2200 Dundee Road). This is a list of local shops we hope to recruit for participation in the program: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1L9icLR_ubHj8EViTUa_ImyzCoXUw-k__C8Pt8UzmUPY/edit?gid=0#gid=0

If you visit a shop, you can report the results with this online form: https://forms.gle/gJNgnAFTFjec5vmY6

Next meeting: Next month on Thursday, June 18, Beyond Plastics Louisville will meet again via Zoom at 7:00 pm. The meeting will be an opportunity to develop plans for Plastic Free July and to report on progress with our Bring Your Own Coffee Cup campaign. You can use this link to register for the meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ggqzqjMdTJid4DzbCDyNpw#/registration

Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 7pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org

Patty and Brian discuss many ways that vacations might be good for you, and they share some thinking around vacationing.

A conversation with Jon Wisman on his latest book "Why We Must Work: Economic Freedom, Fulfilling Work, and Workplace Democracy." We talk about the history of work, worker fulfillment and creativity, and a guaranteed jobs program to end unemployment.