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 Congratulations to the 2024 recipients of Climate Action Grants: Habitat For Humanity, Oaknoll Retirement Residence, Antelope Lending Library, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Plated Table, Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County, Trinity Episcopal Church, Nomadic Foods, and Bur Oak Land Trust!
Grants this year will be used to improve insulation and air sealing, fund reusable container systems, and more. Stay tuned for updates in future newsletters!
 In partnership with the Home Builders Association (HBA), the City of Iowa City launched a new incentive program this year to encourage builders to get Home Energy Rating System (HERS) ratings for new residences.
HERS ratings help home buyers compare the future costs to heat, cool, and light a home when choosing where to live. The lower the score, the lower the energy costs.
In May, Advantage Custom Builders was the first to submit a HERS rating for the program, earning an $1,800 award. The home scored a HERS rating of 43, making it more than 30% more efficient than a home built to Iowa code, which typically score in the mid-70s.
Congratulations to Advantage Custom Builders! Residents can tour this high performing home as part of the HBA Parade of Homes, June 8-16, 2024.
 Green Iowa AmeriCorps is hiring for the upcoming eleven-month service term starting in September 2023. Benefits include federal loan deferment, healthcare coverage, childcare coverage, training and certification, individualized professional development opportunities, Segal Education Award upon successful completion, monthly living stipend distributed by UNI, leadership experience, Public Service Loan Forgiveness Qualification, and interest accrual repayment. Find more information and apply on the website greeniowaamericorps.org.
Fourteen years ago, a group of Iowa City residents launched the development of a co‐housing community: 37 eco‐friendly residences clustered around a common house. Community gardens are located on the crest of the hill overlooking the shortgrass prairie, homes and orchard trees. The project was completed last year, and 30 homes are LEED Gold Certified.
Those interested in attending the Prairie Hill Co-Housing LEED Celebration can register here. A community open house will also be held at a later date.
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Find more climate hope on the Project 51 web page. |
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 Amateur scientists are needed for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHs)! Climate change is impacting rainfall in Iowa City. Join a corps of volunteers working to collect precipitation data that can be used by local, state, and federal agencies to document changing weather patterns and their impact to the local community. Training will be offered by Iowa City Climate Action and Outreach Division and facilitated by a Meteorologist from NOAA/National Weather Service (NWS).
- Monday, July 15, 4:30-6:00
- Senior Center Assembly Room
For more information, email Climate Engagement Specialist Megan Hill, visit icgov.org/CAevents, or register online.
 In May, Iowa City welcomed public procurement staff from communities across Iowa to Terry Trueblood lodge for a day of discussion about strategies to incorporate sustainability principals into purchasing practices.
The wide ranging discussion touched on many topics, including electric fleet vehicles, total cost of ownership analysis, and lower-carbon concrete mixes. Speakers provided examples of practices used in other cities and the challenges and successes they had along the way.
In the spirit of the event, Iowa City staff even crafted upcycled floral arrangements made from discarded paper, cans, leather scraps, coffee filters, and packing material to make material reuse a literal centerpiece at every table.
Banana peels, watermelon rinds, corncobs, eggshells, coffee grounds – what can we do with these non-edible scraps? Compost them! Enjoy this month's Love Food Fight Waste video from Table to Table and Iowa City Resource Management.
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 T'Shailyn Harrington
Neighborhood Outreach and Engagement Specialist
 How do you take climate action?
I am mindful of my shopping habits and strive to reduce my use of single-use plastics. I prefer shopping at thrift or consignment stores for clothing and household items rather than at big retail stores. To cut down on plastic waste, I carry reusable water bottles, bring fabric bags when grocery shopping, and use glass airtight containers in my kitchen.
Why is it important to take climate action?
For me, climate action is important because we experience the negative effects of a damaged planet - such as unseasonably warm days and threats of extreme natural disasters - too often. It is not enough to simply discuss the issue; we must take steps to address it. We need doers! This is about action.
What can others do to take climate action?
As a passionate world traveler, I have found joy in exploring walkable cities. I am always impressed that other parts of the world are not car-dependent as we are here. Everyone can take climate action by considering alternative forms of transportation such as walking, biking, or using city transit instead of driving solo in a car.
Iowa City’s Climate Action Commission meets monthly
The public is invited to attend monthly Climate Action Commission meetings. The next meeting is July 1, 2024. Access upcoming and past meeting packets at the Climate Action Commission web page.
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More events from around the community:
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Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #SustainableIC.
Subscribe to this and other news at icgov.org/subscribe.
This newsletter is published by the City of Iowa City Climate Action and Outreach Division. For more information, or if you will need disability-related accommodations in order to participate in any Climate Action programming, contact Sarah Gardner at 319-887-6162 or Sarah-Gardner@Iowa-City.org
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