Steve Bailey of the Illinois Natural History Survey explains why 30,000 sandhill cranes flew directly over Chicago during their migration this fall. Jean Bragdon, operations manager at Lurvey Garden Center in Des Plaines, talks about the expansion of the business and gives some tips for winter plant care. Karen Hudson of Illinois Citizens for Clean Air and Water (ICCAW) and the Socially Responsible Agricultural Project (SRAP) and attorney Kevin Sullivan tell the story of how bullying tactics by the factory farm industry resulted in a lawsuit against Hudson that was recently dismissed by an Illinois appellate court.

Steve Bailey of the Illinois Natural History Survey explains why 30,000 sandhill cranes flew directly over Chicago during their migration this fall. Jean Bragdon, operations manager at Lurvey Garden Center in Des Plaines, talks about the expansion of the business and gives some tips for winter plant care. Karen Hudson of Illinois Citizens for Clean Air and Water (ICCAW) and the Socially Responsible Agricultural Project (SRAP) and attorney Kevin Sullivan tell the story of how bullying tactics by the factory farm industry resulted in a lawsuit against Hudson that was recently dismissed by an Illinois appellate court.

On The Mike Nowak Show this week we try to connect the environmental dots–to see how the Future Energy Jobs Bill, which was passed by the Illinois General Assembly this week, ties in to contamination in Chicago’s recycling blue carts and the recently passed plastic bag fee in Chicago. Mel Nickerson from the Illinois Recycling Association and Melanie Eckner from the Chicago Sustainability Leaders Network join us to add some clarity to these issues. Then friend of the show Michele Hoffman Trotter explains why the microuniverse of our oceans holds the key to life on this planet and how she is creating a ninety-minute film to present this story to the world.

On The Mike Nowak Show this week we try to connect the environmental dots–to see how the Future Energy Jobs Bill, which was passed by the Illinois General Assembly this week, ties in to contamination in Chicago’s recycling blue carts and the recently passed plastic bag fee in Chicago. Mel Nickerson from the Illinois Recycling Association and Melanie Eckner from the Chicago Sustainability Leaders Network join us to add some clarity to these issues. Then friend of the show Michele Hoffman Trotter explains why the microuniverse of our oceans holds the key to life on this planet and how she is creating a ninety-minute film to present this story to the world.

Michelle Byrne Walsh from Chicagoland Gardening Magazine and State by State Gardening helps Mike and Peggy come up with green holiday gifts that are good, bad and just plain weird. Scott Stewart, director of the Lurie Garden in Millennium Park, waxes poetic on the fall/winter garden and explains how just five acres of land has transformed Chicago's lakefront. Sarah Surroz is the new executive director of Conserve Lake County and she explains her vision for utilizing both public and private lands in the service of nature.

Michelle Byrne Walsh from Chicagoland Gardening Magazine and State by State Gardening helps Mike and Peggy come up with green holiday gifts that are good, bad and just plain weird. Scott Stewart, director of the Lurie Garden in Millennium Park, waxes poetic on the fall/winter garden and explains how just five acres of land has transformed Chicago's lakefront. Sarah Surroz is the new executive director of Conserve Lake County and she explains her vision for utilizing both public and private lands in the service of nature.

Mike MacDonald is photographer and author of My Journey into the Wilds of Chicago: A Celebration of Chicagoland’s Startling Natural Wonders. He talks about how, by by picture, prose and poetry, he wants others to share his passion for Chicago's natural areas. Liz Lyon, manager of the Plant Chicago Farmer’s Market, Alex Poltorak, founder of The Urban Canopy, and Corey Chatman, project manager at the Experimental Station, discuss why running a successful farmers market can be so difficult.

Mike MacDonald is photographer and author of My Journey into the Wilds of Chicago: A Celebration of Chicagoland’s Startling Natural Wonders. He talks about how, by by picture, prose and poetry, he wants others to share his passion for Chicago's natural areas. Liz Lyon, manager of the Plant Chicago Farmer’s Market, Alex Poltorak, founder of The Urban Canopy, and Corey Chatman, project manager at the Experimental Station, discuss why running a successful farmers market can be so difficult.

"Artist and agitator" Mary Ellen Croteau , who creates works from unused and discarded plastic bags and bottle caps, talks about why she is driven to create art with those items.  FoodTank President and Founder Danielle Nierenberg, and Roger Thurow, Senior Fellow of Global Food and Agriculture at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. discuss the 2016 Food Tank Summit that happened on Wednesday, November 16. Kay McKeen from SCARCE, and Erlene Howard of Collective Resource, Inc., explain their similar missions to reclaim the value of manufactured items and food once they has been used.

"Artist and agitator" Mary Ellen Croteau , who creates works from unused and discarded plastic bags and bottle caps, talks about why she is driven to create art with those items.  FoodTank President and Founder Danielle Nierenberg, and Roger Thurow, Senior Fellow of Global Food and Agriculture at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. discuss the 2016 Food Tank Summit that happened on Wednesday, November 16. Kay McKeen from SCARCE, and Erlene Howard of Collective Resource, Inc., explain their similar missions to reclaim the value of manufactured items and food once they has been used.