 Did you know the Barbie movie passes the Bechdel test for climate? See if you can spot the (admittedly brief) reference during the screening on July 13 at the Iowa City Municipal Airport, part of the Summer of the Arts free outdoor movie series!
- Saturday, July 13, 9 p.m.
- 1801 S. Riverside Dr.
While at the airport, take a moment to appreciate the trees in the area. A recent shift of one of the runways managed to spare over 100 trees after a 2018 study identified those trees as obstructions to the visual approach zone against FAA regulations. Rather than chop down the trees, many of which belonged to Iowa City homeowners, airport staff came up with a plan to change the runway instead. Where trees still had to be removed, the Airport worked with residents to replant a new, height-compliant tree instead.
From movie makers to municipal planners, climate action takes all of us, making a difference where we can!
 Notice a change in summer rain storms in recent years? It's not just you. Climate change is altering how often and how heavily it rains.
Local data can help us better understand the impacts to Iowa City and plan adaptation measures like improvements to storm sewers and retention basins.
Join a corps of volunteers working to document daily rainfall and other precipitation through the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS). The volunteer training session will be facilitated by a meteorologist from NOAA/National Weather Service.
- Monday, July 15, 4:30-6:00
- Senior Center Assembly Room
CoCoRaHS data is a key resource used by local, state, and federal agencies to document changing weather patterns. For more information, email Climate Engagement Specialist Megan Hill, visit icgov.org/CAevents, or register online.
 In collaboration with Iowa City Parks and Rec and the Johnson County Master Gardeners, Green Iowa AmeriCorps will be hosting a week's worth of butterfly events July 22-27! From the Johnson County Fairgrounds to the Robert A Lee Discovery Garden to Wetherby and Cardigan Parks, find fun activities inspired by these beautiful insects. Details are available at www.icgov.org/greeniowa.
 Matisse Arnone
Green Iowa AmeriCorps Member
 How do you take climate action?
My favorite way to take climate action is by getting involved in climate programs in my community. National movements and policy changes are really exciting for the future and the direction that we are moving towards a better world, but I feel like personal impact can go further at a local level. I love volunteering for local organizations with environmentally-friendly missions or attending local sustainability events. When you volunteer in ways that give back to your community, it is easy to see the direct impact your actions are having on other people’s lives. Working with other people, especially kids, is also really inspiring because it shows how an individual can have their own ripple effect. Other people witnessing your environmental work and activism can motivate them to take steps of their own, and suddenly you magnify the work that you have just done. That is when taking climate action is most rewarding and what keeps me coming back to always be doing more. It is not just about helping the world, but doing so through helping the people around you, friends, family, and neighbors. That community is the groundwork for anything bigger to come.
Why is it important to take climate action?
Climate action is important to me because as a young person, it is literally about my future. The decisions regarding climate action being made today are, for the most part, not impacting the people who are the ones at the decision-making table. They are going to impact me and future generations when we are adults. What kind of climate action we as a society decide to take will dictate the happiness of my and others' lives as we grow old. I feel like taking climate action is important because it sets the tone for what we want the future to hold and what we expect of elected officials. It also sets an example for those around us and future generations as well. If we talk so passionately about taking climate action, then we have to show that not just through talking but also through our actions. Our actions now are a precedent for continued progress in the future.
What can others do to take climate action?
One of the most important things to consider when you first take climate action is to not bite off more than you can chew. Climate change is a really big and scary issue and sometimes thinking about the sheer magnitude of the problem can be overwhelming. This climate anxiety can cause people to shut down and become more complacent because what are you supposed to do? It’s important to remember, however, that starting small is still a start. You don’t need to completely devote your life to the climate action movement to still be an influential part of it, it is all about picking and choosing where you focus your time and effort. Attending protests, starting backyard composting, or taking steps to make your home more energy efficient are all small things that you can do to get your foot in the door. None of these small actions alone are going to save the world, but they are good ways to get started and you have the opportunity to grow your involvement from there. These smaller steps are also important in the ways that they can magnify your impact. Seeing a friend or neighbor making small lifestyle changes can cause people to question what more they could be doing. Suddenly the small choices that you made can have a ripple effect that reaches far beyond your life and your immediate circle.
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