Iowa Global Warming

One word – WOW! Right now I’m winding down from the first ‘Iowa Activist Evening’, a gathering of Iowans interested in creating momentum for positive change on global warming related issues; specifically energy production and use and creating a modern transportation system. The attendees included a number of ‘average Iowans’, as well as college students, renewable energy advocates, committed longtime environmentalists and people whose lives will be directly impacted by the proposed coal plant in Marshalltown. Just shy of 40 people total, a pretty impressive turnout for a week’s work.

The consensus? That there is a strong desire to ‘plug in’ and be involved in real, concrete efforts to better our lives and world. That we have the ability to make change in our communities. And that ideas are great, but action on those ideas is crucial. As far as I can tell from the signup sheets, almost every attendee committed to being involved in one of the ‘teams’ – energy, rail/transportation, campus organizing or producing public comment on the coal proposal. In a decade of political and issue organizing, I’ve never seen this high a level of engagement. Which should lead to a lot of action… which, as I think about it, makes me excited. And even more exhausted. I need a good night’s sleep. And then I need to get back to everyone in attendance; we’ve got a lot to do together!

Thanks to all the participants and the groups involved in making tonight happen. ELPC, Sierra Student Coalition, Iowa Interfaith and the Sierra Club’s Iowa Chapter all deserve credit for partnering to create tonight’s success. Special thanks also to Drake Environmental Action League (DEAL) for bringing students in – you’re a great group and we’re really excited to work with you.

If you couldn’t make it, we want to get you involved; and I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me at asnow@elpc.org.

Andrew

Title: An Iowa Activist Evening
Location: Iowa Global Warming Offices, 505 5th Avenue, Suite 333
Link out: Click here
Monday Feb. 23, ELPC’s Iowa Global Warming Campaign, Sierra Club, Iowa IPL, and the Sierra Student Coalition are joining to offer a chance for informed and concerned citizens to take concrete action on the following:

Implementing ICCAC Recommendations
How we can stop the Marshalltown Plant
Send your voice to Washington
Get high speed rail service to Des Moines
Mobilizing Neighborhood Climate Leaders

Screening of \”Fighting Goliath\”
A Short Film about the fight against Coal in Texas

Food and film snacks will be served.
Please RSVP: 515.244.3113

Start Time: 6:00pm
Date: 2009-02-23
End Time: 8:30pm

We just posted a new video for those of you who missed us the other day on KFMG 99.1, there’s video evidence available on our youtube page. Watch Andrew Snow and Tim Fink discuss global warming solutions in the state of Iowa here, and watch Andrew take on conservative talk show “Bradshaw in the Afternoon” here

Something very exciting is going on right now. As I write this, there are almost 40 volunteers out in the Des Moines area helping members of our community reduce their energy use. They’re participating in the ‘Iowa Winter Weatherization Challenge’, an effort organized by the Iowa Global Warming Campaign and our partner group Iowa Interfaith Power and Light; as well as community groups such as the Central Iowa Recovery Network and Wesley Meals on Wheels.

Volunteers are covering windows and doors with plastic, weatherstripping and caulk as well as insulating behind electrical outlets and replacing old light bulbs with energy-saving CFLs. These weatherization measures can save up to 30% on energy bills – at a time when the deepening recession is causing Americans to worry about their finances, this is a very cost effective way to provide relief.

Obviously, weatherizing eighteen area homes is a very small way to address our wasteful energy use. But it shows homeowners things they can do at home to save energy and help solve our energy needs, and perhaps more importantly it highlights these opportunities for our decision makers. Energy Efficiency is the best and cheapest way to meet our energy needs and reduce greenhouse gases, and we need our leaders to make sure that we’re achieving all possible savings.

We support the proposed state and national EE legislation that is moving forward right now, and are going to need your help to get strong measures passed. I’ll let you know more about that soon, so stay tuned… and, in the meanwhile, tune in to the evening news tonight. You might see a neighbor’s home, or a friend volunteering to help someone in your community!