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August 2019 | Visit us online at www.icgov.org/sustainability. 

Ten years ago this month, in August 2009, Iowa City completed its first community-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory—the first city in Iowa to do so. It was an early step in Iowa City's climate action efforts. Read on for news about the most recent climate actions taken by the City Council.

City Council names "climate crisis"; details targets

At its August 6 meeting, the Iowa City Council adopted a formal climate resolution “declaring a climate crisis and requesting immediate and accelerated action to address the climate crisis and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.”

Here are the key highlights of the resolution:

• The resolution applies the term “crisis” to the state of the climate, given that climate change poses a “serious and urgent threat” to Iowa City.
• It increases the reduction targets for citywide carbon emissions to match those of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Those targets are to reduce human-caused emissions by 45% by 2030 using 2010 levels as a baseline, and to reach “net zero” in emissions by 2050. (By comparison, the previous targets were to reduce emissions by 26-28% by 2025 and 80% by 2050, with 2005 emissions levels used as a baseline.)
• It directs the development of additional reporting and new accelerated climate actions.
• It resolves that Iowa City will continue to coordinate its greenhouse gas reduction efforts with local municipalities, energy utilities, educational institutions and other entities.

Watch for more news as the City’s current Climate Action and Adaptation Plan is updated with these new targets and actions.

"How can I take climate action at home?"

Plant trees, especially where they’ll provide shade for your house.

This aligns with the City’s goal of increasing the local tree canopy, one of 35 actions detailed in the City’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.

Trees help fight climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, storing the carbon and then emitting oxygen. By shading your home, they help cool it and reduce energy needs. And healthy trees can add value to your property.

But what kind of trees should you plant and where? The City’s Parks and Recreation Department provides this advice:

• Think diversity. Ash trees are threatened by the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), and the City already has an abundance of maple trees. But there are many other trees suitable for this area.
• Consider the nature of your site—like the soil and the moisture available—and choose a tree that can thrive in those conditions.
• Plant your new trees in the cooler weather of autumn or in the spring. Hot midsummer weather is hard on young trees.

Purple martins make good neighbors

Summer brings many purple martins to Iowa City. Members of the swallow family, these birds migrate from South America, nest and breed in much of North America and head south again in late summer. Purple martins are unique in that don’t create nests of their own; they rely on people to provide their housing. This practice may date back to certain Native American tribes, who reportedly used hollow gourds to attract martins.

Iowa City maintains three purple martin houses: at the Waste Water Treatment Plant on the south side of town, Waterworks Prairie Park just north of I-80 and the East Side Recycling Center on Scott Blvd. Volunteers assist by doing periodic nest checks.

According to the Audubon Society, purple martins are declining in much of the U.S. The reasons are not well understood, but may involve competition for nesting sites. This makes purple martin housing doubly important.

It is claimed that a purple martin eats 2,000 mosquitoes a day. While there is no basis in fact for this, martins do feast on a variety of flying insects.

Solar bus stops shine at night

Solar energy is being used to light new Iowa City bus shelters when it’s dark outside. A small solar panel on the roof of each shelter provides the power to an LED light fixture inside. The lighting makes the shelters safer and allows bus drivers to see more easily when riders are waiting. Customer feedback has been very positive.

The City has installed nine of these new shelters since April, with eight more planned this year and more in the spring of 2020. 

"Wow, I didn't know that!"

Shredded paper can be placed in your yellow-lidded organics cart (95 or 25 gallon size), along with yard waste and food waste. So if you use a paper shredder at home, you can empty it right into your City-provided cart.

To see the full list of acceptable items, see the City's Yard Waste and Food Waste brochure.

Eco Film: "Living the Change"

Eco Film Festival, AugustThis free film series concludes at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 8,with the documentary, “Living the Change,” showing at the Iowa City Public Library, meeting room A. The film shares inspiring stories of people pioneering change in their own homes and in their communities in order to live in sustainable ways. Popcorn is provided; personal snacks and non-alcoholic beverages are welcome.

More information: Eco Film Festival,  August

Farmers Markets

You can shop sustainably every week at the Iowa City Farmers Market—which is bursting with local produce, dairy and meat products, prepared foods, handcrafts and more. The markets take place in the Chauncey Swan parking ramp on Wednesdays, 5 to 7 p.m., and Saturdays, 7:30 a.m. to noon. Payment options are available, including Double Up Food Bucks for people eligible for EBT/SNAP cards.

More information: Farmers Market

Taste of Iowa City

The 12^th Annual Taste of Iowa City returns on Wednesday, Aug. 28, from 4 to 8 p.m. Enjoy the culinary variety of downtown and northside restaurants with sample portions from more than 40 menus! Tickets are $1 each, sold in strips of five. They are on sale now at the MidWest One location downtown and will be available at ticket booths during the event.

More information: Taste of Iowa City

Monarch Festival

Come celebrate the beautiful Monarch butterfly at the 4^th annual Iowa City Monarch Festival on Sunday, Aug. 25, from 10 a.m. to noon. New location this year: Iowa City Municipal Airport, Hangar L72, at 1801 Riverside Drive.

At this free event you can view monarchs at various stages of their lifecycle. Craft activities, snacks, photo booth, exhibits and much more will be part of the fun. Dr. Steve Hendricks, UI Professor Emeritus in Biology, will be on hand to talk about Monarchs, bees and other pollinators.

More information: Monarch Festival

Sustainability Spotlight

Architect Matt Krieger is pictured in front of the UI boathouse, which he helped design. The initial design was modified in response to the 2008 flood..

Matt Krieger, Architect

What do you do for climate action?

As an architect at Neumann Monson Architects, I work with our clients on their new building and renovation projects to improve building performance and achieve overall sustainability while helping them realize their dreams. I also serve on the Iowa City Climate Action Advisory Board, assisting city staff with implementation of the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan that we helped develop. 

What can others do to take climate action?

I get this question a lot, and it’s a challenging one because it’s a big issue that can feel overwhelming.  There are small things and big things you can do to impact climate action. You can start by taking the community climate action pledge found on the City of Iowa City’s website (and while you’re there check out the Climate Action Toolkit). The pledge lists a number of items for you to consider and implement.  The areas with greatest potential impact are in existing buildings and transportation – improving energy efficiency in your home and business and swapping out your gas guzzler for a hybrid or electric vehicle.

The other big thing you can do is to build awareness, educate and influence those around you to take action. We can’t do it by ourselves, but together we can make a big impact.

Why does climate action matter to you?

As an architect, I’ve seen the impact on our built and natural environments. I’ve seen our climate change over the relatively short time I’ve been practicing and have realized we HAVE to make changes to the way we live and operate. As a father, I can’t leave a big mess for my children and grandchildren and expect them and others to manage it. That’s irresponsible and unacceptable. I want to leave the world better than I found it.

4-STAR: In March 2016, Iowa City was awarded a 4-STAR Community Rating for sustainability excellence, by being formally certified in the STAR Community Rating System. STAR offers the nation's leading certification program in evaluating local sustainability, encompassing social, economic and environmental performance measures. More info: www.STARcommunities.org.

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