TV Show - The Green Room

2021 TV Shows

• December 7, 2021 (108) - National Wildlife Federation's Vanishing Seasons Campaign

Our guest in the Green Room this month is Dr. Mike Shriberg, Executive Director of the National Wildlife Federation's Great Lakes Regional Center. He will be discussing NWF’s Vanishing Seasons campaign, which focuses on climate change impacts to hunting and angling.

• November 9, 2021 (107) - Washtenaw Zero Waste Coalition (Part 2 of 2)

In this Green Room segment, we continue our conversation with Dan Ezekiel, of the Washtenaw Zero Waste Coalition, about reducing waste.

• October 12, 2021 (106) - Washtenaw Zero Waste Coalition (Part 1 of 2)

Dan Ezekiel of the Washtenaw Zero Waste Coalition discusses waste: why we throw away so much, and what we can do to reverse this escalating trend—from local educational efforts like the recent “Trash Talk Tour,” to governmental policies. This is the first half of a two-part interview.

• September 14, 2021 (105) - Bird Identification Tips

In today's Green Room segment we talk with Juliet Berger, City of Ann Arbor ornithologist and president of the Washington Audubon Society, about tips on bird identification.  Click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_Dfi_3ftYo for our previous conversation with Juliet about common birds in our area.

• August 10, 2021 (104) - Ann Arbor's New Transportation Plan

Molly Kleinman of the University of Michigan Ford School of Public Policy serves as chair of the Ann Arbor Transportation Commission.  In this Green Room episode, Molly discusses Ann Arbor's new transportation plan and efforts in the city to reduce reliance on cars with host Barbara Lucas, who shares some of her experiences and perspectives as a bicyclist in Ann Arbor.

• July 13, 2021 (103) - Land Preservation - Why It's Important & How We Can Do It

Kris Olsson, biologist with the Huron River Watershed Council, discusses land preservation--how we can do it, and why it’s important.

• June 8, 2021 (102) - Climate Change & Washtenaw County's Carbon Emission Reduction Strategy

Sue Shink, Chair of the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners, will discuss the impacts of climate change in the county and what strategies are being employed to reduce the county’s carbon emissions.

• May 11, 2021 (101) - ReUse Programs Benefit the Homeless

Peggy Ferrell of HouseN2Home and Olivia Henz of TheDotOrg discuss how their programs are benefiting both our human and natural environment, by distributing “not new, but perfectly good” items to people experiencing homelessness.

• April 14, 2021 (100) - Climate Change

John Mirsky, chair of the City of Ann Arbor Energy Commission, discusses local developments in the fight to address climate change.

• March 9, 2021 (99) - Environmental Justice, Locally

Crystal Campbell of the Washtenaw County Racial Equity Office discusses the concept of environmental justice as it relates to potential challenges and opportunities in our local area.

• February 10, 2021 (98) - Programs Supporting Planting of Native Trees & Plants

Doug Reith, Resource Coordinator at the Washtenaw County Conservation District, discusses programs which support the planting of native trees and plants, in order to protect our county’s natural resources.

• January 12, 2021 (97) - Trees Protect Our Natural Resources

Megan DeLeeuw, Executive Director of the Washtenaw County Conservation District, discusses the many ways planting trees can protect our natural resources.

2020 TV Shows

• December 8, 2020 (96) - 50 Years of Environmental Activism in Michigan

In this segment, we continue our conversation with Michael Garfield, executive director of the Ecology Center, which turned fifty in 2020. We discuss the past five decades of environmental activism in Michigan, as seen through the lens of the Ecology Center’s growth.

• November 23, 2020 (95) - Environmental Activism in Michigan

Michael Garfield is executive director of the Ecology Center.  The Center was founded in 1970, a result of the first Earth Day Teach-In, held in Ann Arbor.  Michael discusses these past five decades of environmental activism in Michigan, as seen through the lens of the Ecology Center’s growth.

• October 13, 2020 (94) - Issues of the Environment - a 25-Year Collaboration with Washtenaw County

Mary Mathias Lappe discusses her work as content liaison for the WEMU News weekly radio program called “Issues of the Environment,” a collaboration with Washtenaw County.  This award-winning program, hosted by David Fair, has been running for over 25 years.

• September 15, 2020 (93) - Washtenaw Regional Resource Management Authority

Theo Eggermont, Washtenaw County Public Works Director, discusses the new Washtenaw Regional Resource Management Authority.

• August 11, 2020 (92) - Microplastics In Our Waters

Rebecca Esselman, executive director of the Huron River Watershed Council, discusses microplastic pollution in our waterways.

For more information on microplastics - visit the Huron River Watershed Council’s page: https://www.hrwc.org/our-watershed/threats/microplastics-pollution/ 

• July 14, 2020 (91) - Ann Arbor's Greenbelt Program

Remy Long, Manager of the City of Ann Arbor’s Greenbelt Program, discusses the preservation of agricultural land and open space in the Ann Arbor area.

• June 9, 2020 (90) - Recycling Challenges & Opportunities

Marc Williams of Western Washtenaw Recycling Authority discusses current challenges and opportunities in the recycling world.

• May 12, 2020 (89) - Climate Change - Impacts to Michigan

Craig Stephan discusses impacts to Michigan from climate change.

• March 10, 2020 (88) - A2 Zero - Carbon-Neutrality Campaign

Green Room this month features Missy Stults who is the Sustainability and Innovations Manager for the City of Ann Arbor.  Dr. Stults discusses the city’s A2 Zero campaign, which aims for community-wide carbon-neutrality by 2030.

• February 10, 2020 (87) - Climate Change - The Science of Extreme Weather - Part 4

Kris Olsson discusses the science of extreme weather.  Kris is a watershed ecologist with the Huron River Watershed Council who volunteers with the Climate Reality Project and the Citizens’ Climate Lobby, giving presentations on this topic.

• January 14, 2020 (86) - Climate Change - Part 3 - Insurance

Steven Kolk, an insurance actuary, discusses the financial repercussions of climate change and how the insurance industry is being affected.

2019 TV Shows

• September 6, 2019 (85) - Climate Change - Part 2

Timothy Arvan, University of Michigan student delegate to the 2018 Conference of Parties in Katowice, Poland talks about the conference and what he learned and discussed there. 

• July 5, 2019 (84)- Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (TV)                                          

Marlotte DeJong discusses the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which she attended in Poland last December.

• June 7, 2019 (83)- Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions (TV)                                          

Timothy Arvan, University of Michigan student delegate to the 2018 Conference of Parties in Katowice, Poland.  Timothy discusses carbon pricing, a proposal to help bring down greenhouse gas emissions by making fossil fuels more costly than cleaner forms of energy.

• May 15, 2019 (82)- Recycling Challenges & Opportunities (TV)                                          

Marc Williams of the Western Washtenaw Recycling Authority discusses challenges and opportunities in the world of recycling.

• April 9, 2019 (81)- Environmental Programs - A Retrospective (TV)                                       

Matt Naud, former City of Ann Arbor Environmental Coordinator, discusses some of the many environmental programs he has been involved with over the years.

• March 13, 2019 (80) PFAS - Emerging As A Worldwide Problem. (TV) 

PFAS:  Brian Stieglitz, Water Treatment Manager for the City of Ann Arbor, discusses Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of man-made chemicals that is emerging as a problem not only in the Huron River but worldwide.

2018 TV Shows

• October 9, 2018 (79)  Water Quality Plan for Southeast Michigan. (TV) 
  Kelly Karll of the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments discusses plans for protecting water quality in our area.
• September 10, 2018 (78)  Birds of Washtenaw County. (TV) 
  Juliet Berger, the City of Ann Arbor’s ornithologist, discusses some of the birds seen in our local area and how to identify them.
• August 14, 2018 (77)  Vermiculture - Composting Food Waste With Worms. (TV) 
  Our guests are Jesse Raudenbush of Starr Valley Farms, and Noelle Bowman of the Washtenaw County Public Works Department.
• July 9, 2018: (76)  Native Landscaping for Birds. (TV) 
  Dr. Cathy Theisen of Washtenaw Audubon discusses native landscaping and other practices that will make your yard a healthy and safe haven for the many bird species of our local area. Photo By: Pslawinski from Wikimedia Commons
• June 15, 2018 (75)
  Environmental Benefits of Farmers Markets.  The guest is Growing Hope’s Dayna Sprentall, registered dietician and manager of the Ypsilanti Farmers Market. 
• May 14, 2018 (74)
  Gardening Amidst Urban Wildlife. Organic Gardener Barb Scholz shares how she raises vegetables, honeybees and chickens amidst urban wildlife.
• April 10, 2018 (73)
  Invasive Plants. Bernd Blossey of Cornell University discusses his research on invasive plant species, and how non-native earthworms and deer can contribute to their spread.
• March 13, 2018 (72)
  The Benefits of Trees. Michael Kost, Curator of Native Plants at the University of Michigan’s Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum, discusses the benefits of trees and how we can help them grow.
• February 13, 2018 (71)
  Sustainability Practices at Arbor Teas. "Arbor Teas" is a local small business and a member of the Washtenaw County Environmental Excellence Partnership Program.  Owners Aubrey and Jeremy Lopatin describe their company's sustainability practices.

2017 TV Shows

• December 11, 2017 (70)
  Smart Water. Harry Sheehan of Washtenaw County and Branko Kerkez of the University of Michigan discuss “Smart Water” technology to help cities control stormwater. 
• October 10, 2017 (69)
  Light Pollution. Dr. Sally Oey from the University of Michigan Department of Astronomy discusses “light pollution,” and what we can do about it. 
• September 15, 2017 (68)
  Onsite Well and Septic Systems. Dave Dean from Washtenaw County Public Health's Environmental Health Division discusses how to keep drinking water wells and septic systems functioning properly to prevent water pollution.
• August 7, 2017
  Composting. "Master Composter" instructor Nancy Stone discusses the hows and whys of backyard composting.
• July 12, 2017
  Green Burial. Green Burial Expert Merilynne Rush provides an update on what’s happened locally in the last five years regarding natural end-of-life options.
• June 13, 2017
  Single-use Plastic Bags. Noelle Bowman from the Washtenaw County Public Works Division discusses single-use plastic bag waste and what can be done to reduce it.
• May 9, 2017
  Citizen Science. George Hammond from Ann Arbor’s Natural Area Preservation and Roger Rayle from Scio Residents for Safe Water discuss Citizen Science, where non-scientists contribute to scientific knowledge.
• April 12, 2017
  Ann Arbor's 1,4-dioxane Plume. Dan Hamel of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality discusses recent and potential future developments regarding the plume of dioxane that is contaminating Ann Arbor’s groundwater.
• March 17, 2017
  Revisiting the 3Rs. Bryan Weinert, Recycle Ann Arbor, and Jim Frey, Resource Recycling Systems, discuss Washtenaw County’s Solid Waste Management Plan and how it helps us to throw away less.

2016 TV Shows

• September 13, 2016
  Bee Safe. Eileen Dickinson and Rita Mitchell discuss the local Bee Safe Neighborhood campaign, which promotes reducing pesticides in our yards to combat the plummeting numbers of honeybees and native pollinators.
• July 15, 2016
  Lake Management. Jeff Krcmarik, Environmental Supervisor with the Office of the Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner, and Lon Nordeen, with Michigan Lake and Stream Associations, discuss lake management for invasive species.
• June 6, 2016
  Lake Management. Douglas Pullman, limnologist and owner of Aquest Corp, discusses lake management for invasive species.
• April 12, 2016
  Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control. Katie Lee from the Office of the Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner discusses soil erosion - why we don’t want it, and how it can be controlled.
• March 8, 2016
  Safely Sharing the Roads. Nate Phipps from Common Cycle discusses safety for all users of the roadways: drivers, cyclists and walkers.
• February 9, 2016
  Environmental Excellence Program - "E2P2." Noelle Bowman and Catherine Wytychak from the Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner's Office discuss programs for helping local businesses prevent pollution and reduce waste.
• January 12, 2016
  Bicycling Safety. Bob Krzewinski and Larry Deck from the Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition discuss bicycle infrastructure.

2015 TV Shows

• December 8, 2015
  Vision Zero. Erica Briggs discusses the Vision Zero campaign and its goal to create a transportation system without fatalities for bikers, walkers, or drivers.
• November 10, 2015
  School Recycling. Katy Adams and MacKenzie Maxwell from the Ecology Center discuss recycling in our schools.
• July 14, 2015
  A Price on Carbon. Ginny Rogers and Dr. Louis Merlin from the Citizens' Climate Lobby discuss the carbon fee and dividend proposal for combating climate change.
• June 9, 2015
  Baby's First Year. Jennifer Canvasser from the Ecology Center of Ann Arbor discusses ways to reduce the environmental impact of a baby's first year.
• May 12, 2015
  Healthy Hospitals. Nicki Milgrom of the Ecology Center and Dan Bair of St. Joseph Mercy Hospital discuss how hospitals impact environmental health and what can be done to minimize those impacts.
• April 14, 2015
  Rain Gardens. Susan Bryan, Rain Garden Coordinator for the Washtenaw County Water Resources Office, and Roger Moon, Master Rain Gardener, discuss what can be done in our yards to reduce storm water runoff and wet basements.
• March 10, 2015
  Bats. Rob Mies, Executive Director of the Organization for Bat Conservation, discusses the serious threats to Michigan's bat species and what we can do to help them.
• February 10, 2015
  Campus Waste Reduction. University of Michigan students Kayla Ulrich and Natalie Stevenson discuss efforts to reduce waste on college campuses.
• January 13, 2015
  Outdoor Play-based Education. Tara Habeck of Florecita Forest Kindergarten discusses the benefits of learning while playing outside in nature.

2014 TV Shows

• December 9, 2014
  "Green" Restaurants. Rodger Bowser of Zingerman's Deli discusses ways restaurants can reduce their environmental impact by cutting down on waste.
• November 14, 2014
  Urban deer. Bernie Banet, a member of Washtenaw Citizens for Ecological Balance, discusses options and attitudes regarding the increasing number of White-tailed deer in southern Lower Michigan.
• October 14, 2014
  The Carbon Footprint of Water. Pamela Labadie and Rebecca Esselman from the Huron River Watershed Council discuss how saving water saves energy.
• September 9, 2014
  River Through Time. Interview with Brenda Bentley, author of River Walks Ann Arbor, about the natural and cultural history of the Argo section of the Huron River.
• May 13, 2014
  Backyard Wildlife Habitat. Interview with Mary Mathias, founder of Washtenaw Wilderness, about creating healthy habitats in our yards to support declining native species and promote a balanced ecosystem.
• April 8, 2014
  Motor Vehicle Speeds. Interview with Norm Cox, president of the Greenway Collaborative, about how car speeds affect the quality of life in a community and what factors influence them.
• March 11, 2014
  Green Grocery Shopping. Interview with Kevin Sharp, Manager at People's Food Co-op Ann Arbor, about the environmental impact of our grocery shopping and how the stores are run.
• February 11, 2014
  Bird-friendly Coffee. Interview with Julie Craves of the UM Rouge River Bird Observatory, about coffee agriculture and the effect on birds that migrate to Michigan.
• January 14, 2014
  Bicycle Repair. Interview with Jayanthi Reddy and Jonny Lennon of Common Cycle, a local volunteer organization which helps kids and adults to repair their bikes.

2013 TV Shows

• December 10, 2013
  Preventing Food Waste. Interview with Miriam Akervall, Washtenaw County Environmental Health Division intern. 
• November 13, 2013
  The Sharing Economy. Interview with Ryan Gourley, founder of A2Share.org, about local opportunities for sharing skills, tools, food, housing, etc.
• October 8, 2013
  Spiders in our Local Ecosystem. Interview with Dr. Cara Shillington, Eastern Michigan University professor and researcher.
• June 11, 2013
  Engine Idling in School Parking Lots. Interviews with Susan Hutton, Sheetal Patcheak, and Grace Lafreniere: citizens working to reduce unnecessary engine idling.
• May 14, 2013
  Butterfly Gardening. Interview with butterfly expert Brenda Dzeidzic on using native plants to attract butterflies.
• April 9, 2013
  Hand Papermaking. Interview with papermaker Timothy Barrett, the Center for the Book.
• March 5, 2013
  Art Inspired by Nature, Part 3. Interview with poet Keith Taylor, the University of Michigan.
• February 5, 2013
  Art Inspired by Nature, Part 2. Interviews with composer Evan Chambers and choreographer Jessica Fogel, the University of Michigan.
• January 1, 2013
  Art Inspired by Nature, Part 1. Interview with visual artist Sara Adlerstein, who is also a biologist at the University of Michigan.

2012 TV Shows

• October 2, 2012 (26)
  Bird Conservation. Interview with Will Weber, Hawk Migration Association of North America.
• September 4, 2012 (25)
  Birding for youth. Interview with Sarah Toner, Washtenaw Audubon Society.
• August 7, 2012 (24)
  LEED Certification. Interview with John Beeson, of Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design.
• June 5, 2012 (23)
  Reskilling. Interview with Laura Smith, doctoral student at the University of Michigan.
• May 1, 2012 (22)
  Engine Idling. Interviews with Dr. Sara Adar, of the UM School of Public Health, and John German, of the International Council on Clean Transportation. 
• April 3, 2012 (21)
  Great Lakes Islands. Interview with Dr. Karen Vigmostad, of the U.S./Canada Great Lakes Islands Project. View more resources on this topic.
• March 6, 2012 (20)
  Natural Burials. Interview with Merilynne Rush, of After Death Home Care. Find home funeral information resources on this topic.
• February 7, 2012 (19)
  The Ecological Effects of Deer. Interview with Randy Baker of Naturalist Endeavors. Click here for additional resources on this topic.
• January 3, 2012 (18)
  Locally-grown Food. Interview with Jill Sweetman and Nathan Lada of Green Things Farm. 

2011 TV Shows

• December 6, 2011
  Non-native Invasive Plants. Interview with Doug Tallamy, the University of Delaware. Click here for additional resources on this topic.
• November 8, 2011
  Energy Efficient Heating / Cooling and Appliances. Interview with Nick Helmholdt, Clean Energy Coalition.
• October 4, 2011
  Water Quality: It's in Our Hands. Interview with Janis Bobrin, Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner.
  Palm Oil and Rainforest Deforestation. Interview with Madi Vorva and Rhiannon Tomtishen, Greenhills School. View additional resources on this topic.
• August 2, 2011
  Shoreline Landscaping. Interview with Julia Kirkwood, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. 
• July 5, 2011
  Beekeeping as an Educational Tool. Interview with Jane Levy, environmental educator. 
• June 7, 2011
  Toxins in Toys. Interview with Jennifer Canvasser, the Ecology Center.
• May 3, 2011
  Outdoor Play. Interview with Elizabeth Goodenough, the University of Michigan.
• April 5, 2011
  Invasive Garlic mustard. Interview with Lisa Brush, the Stewardship Council. 
• March 1, 2011
  Building Near Water. Interview with Elizabeth Riggs, Huron River Watershed Council. 
• February 1, 2011
  Pesticides and Pollinators. Interview with Richard Mendell, Beekeeper and Educator.  Click here for additional resources on this topic.
• January 4, 2011
  Mercury. Interview with Jeff Krcmarik, Washtenaw County Environmental Health Division Supervisor. 

2010 TV Shows

• December 7, 2010
  Invasive Phragmites. Interview with Gary Crawford, aquatic biologist.
• November 2, 2010
  Weatherization. Interview with Aaron Kraft, Weatherization Program Coordinator for Washtenaw County.
• October 5, 2010
  Green Roofs. Interview with Dan Jacobs, A3C Collaborative Architecture.
• September 7, 2010
  Landscaping for Insects. Interview with Doug Tallamy, Author of "Bringing Nature Home."
• August 1, 2010
  Energy Efficient Lighting. Interview with Deb Heed of the Clean Energy Coalition's Energy Outlet.