Everyday Environment Podcast

Winter is near. Duane talks about the dangers of cold weather, both for people and their homes.

With the nearby New Madrid fault line, Illinois has a higher than average risk of earthquakes. In this podcast, Duane Friend, Natural Resource Educator for University of Illinois Extension talks about Illinois' history of siesmic activity and our outlook for the future.

The wet summer in 2015 can have a lasting effect on out trees. This podcast talks about recognizing these problems and what can be done about it.

2015 is the Year of the Soil. Life on earth depends on soils. Extension Educator Duane Friend discusses how soils are improved or diminished by our use of it.

In this podcast, Educator Duane Friend describes what people can expect from 2015's Midwest Compost School. This annual event will take place this year on June 2-4 in Lake County and is for mid to large scale composters.

Extension Educator Duane Friend brings you up to date on Christmas tree trivia.

Medical waste contaminating our ground water is a growing problem. Duane Friend, Extension Educator in Illinois, describes some of the causes and solutions to the problem.

It may be tempting to clear a pond of all weeds at once, but it could have devistating results for the fish population in a pond. Listen to this podcast for more information.

Extension Educator Duane Friend describes the importance of having your furnace regularly inspected and what you need to do to keep your furnace operating at peak efficiency.

LED Christmas lights can save a tremendous amount of energy compared to the old style bulbs. In this podcast Extension Educator Duane Friend explains how much money can be saved by updating your lights.

In this podcast Extension Educator Duane Friend describes how to recognize properly dried firewood and important safety tips for burning wood safely.

Heavy rains can contaminate well water. This podcast talks about testing and techniques for decontaminating water systems.

March 3-9, 2013 is Severe Weather Preparedness Week. This podcast describes the types of thunderstorms that are common in the midwest and the ones most likely to spawn tornadoes.

In this podcast, Natural Resources educator Duane Friend explains how the drought or near drought conditions of 2012 will affect planting dates and what parts of Illinois have been most affected by the rainfall shortage.

It is especially critical to check your furnace filters and humidifier this time of year. Duane explains the various types of filters and humidifiers.

Heat Indexs can help you decide what activities to plan for the day. Duane Friend explains what factors go into the heat index and what you should do with the information it gives you.

In this podcast, Duane Friend, University of Illinois Extension Educator in Natural Resources talks about how the move to Compact Fluorescent Bulbs will save you time and money. Picking the correct bulb for your needs can be as easy as reading the labels on the box.

In this podcast, Extension Educator John Church, explains how Ground Water Awareness Week affects nearly everyone.

In this podcast, Extension Educator John Church, talks about four websites; http://www.isws.illinois.edu , www.isws.illinois.edu/atmos/statecli/ , http://mrcc.isws.illinois.edu and http://www.cocorahs.org that can be used to research climate information in Illinois. Church also describes an opportunity for amateurs to collect weather information and record it for other's use.

In this podcast, Educator Duane Friend explains that maintenance of septic systems is important if the people that own them want to avoid high cost repairs.

In this podcast, Extension Educator John Church explains what Rain Gardens are and the basics on their construction.

Gypsy Moth can pose a threat for Oak and other tree species, but there are things that can be done to control them. John Church talks about control and the results of an outbreak.

Weed control in ponds can be accomplished through both prevention and with herbicides. Duane Friend, Extension Educator for the University of Illinois Extension, talks about what steps to take to keep your pond clean and still healthy for fish.

Winter damage to trees can come in a number of forms. This podcast describes how to prevent it and how to deal with it if you have damage to your trees.

Every spring birds "attack" windows. In this edition of Spotlight on Natural Resources, Duane Friend explains why birds have trouble with windows and what can be done about it.