 Johnson County residents are invited to attend an online panel discussion on “Plastic Waste: Impacts and Ideas” that will take place from 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday, October 7.
Area waste and sustainability experts will discuss environmental impacts, how and where plastics are processed, and what residents can do to have a positive impact at the local level. A question-and-answer session will follow the panelists’ presentations.
Panelists include Jane Wilch, Recycling Coordinator for the City of Iowa, Blake Rupe and Beth McKenzie, both Sustainability Program Managers for the University of Iowa Office of Sustainability and the Environment.
Advanced registration is required at this web page. This event will use automated English-language captioning.
For more information, or to request disability-related accommodations, please contact the Johnson County Green Team by email greenteam@johnsoncountyiowia.gov or at 319-356-6083. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet access needs.
Iowa City’s Climate Action Commission meets monthly
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Access upcoming and past meeting packets here. |
 The second annual “Root for Trees” program kicked off Sept. 15. This opportunity allows residents to apply for a voucher that subsidizes the cost of a tree planted on residential property. Learn more and apply for a voucher on the City's web site.
Vouchers cover 50% of the cost of the retail purchase price of one tree, up to $125 (a $250 tree).
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Vouchers for 90% of the retail price are available for income-eligible households. |
Congratulations, Climate Action at Work Awardees!
  The Climate Action at Work Awards program is intended to raise awareness about climate change while recognizing businesses that are helping our City reach carbon emission reduction goals.
Winners from each category received $500 and were recognized in a video released during Climate Fest highlighting their climate actions.
Congratulations to all five awardees!
The Office of Climate Action and Outreach thanks Wendy Ford for upcycling the certificate frames out of magazines.
 Daniel Bissel, Climate Action Analyst
 What do you do to take climate action?
I have ensured that my home has sufficient insulation and has an efficient air-source heat pump HVAC system. I have installed solar panels on my home that feed the grid if I am producing more power than I am using. I drive a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) car. That combined with my driving habits require that I only purchase gasoline on a quarterly basis.
I am in the process of consciously reducing the amount of meat in my diet, particularly beef. I see a meat-centric plate as a special occasion, rather than an every day meal. My family composts our food scraps utilizing the City’s municipal organic waste program, preventing methane from being produced in the landfill. Whenever possible I buy local products, particularly food products, reducing the food miles traveled. This has the added benefit of supporting the local economy.
Why do you take climate action?
I think vulnerable people are important, and as recent local events have taught us, a lot more of us are vulnerable to extreme weather events than we may have thought before. As the latest IPCC report stated, even if we bring emissions down to zero today, there is already enough excess carbon in the system to bring about damaging effects. The Earth provides humanity with all we need to survive and thrive. We know what actions we need to take, we just need the collective will on the micro and macro scale to get it done.
What can other people do to take climate action?
Several small actions can really add up!
Change your home lighting to LEDs. You’ll save energy, and they last significantly longer than traditional bulbs. Increasing the insulation in your attic doesn’t sound exciting, but it’s the most impactful action one can take to increase the energy efficiency of one’s home.
Get a programmable thermostat, and learn how to use it. Programmable thermostats can actually waste energy if not used properly. Some HVAC systems, particularly ground-source heat pumps, are more efficient when maintaining the same temperature all day. When replacing your HVAC and water heater, get the most efficient model you can afford (look at heat pump options for both).
When buying a vehicle, look objectively at what functionality you actually need, instead of features that may be more of a want. Instead of buying a truck, why not rent one for the 2-3 days a year you may actually need that functionality? Consider driving electric. There is now a plug-in vehicle, either battery electric (BEV) or Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) in every vehicle segment. If you don’t have a vehicle that plugs in, you are paying too much for transportation!
Also, plant a tree! A tree will remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for decades to come.
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