In February of this year, the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report warned that the world is on track to reach the 1.5 Celsius level within the next two decades instead of by the end of the century and that only immediate and drastic cuts to carbon emissions can help prevent environmental catastrophe. Many of us are now…
WINDSOR HEIGHTS — On Monday, October 17, 2022, the Windsor Heights City Council voted unanimously to adopt a resolution to reach community-wide carbon-free electricity by the year 2030. Windsor Heights joins Des Moines and Waterloo as the third city in Iowa to commit to 24/7 carbon-free electricity — the first city in Iowa to do…
WATERLOO — Tonight the Waterloo City Council voted unanimously to adopt a goal of reaching community-wide carbon-free electricity by the year 2035. With the resolution’s passage, Waterloo joins Des Moines as the second city in Iowa to commit to 24/7 carbon-free electricity, and the fourth nationwide. Waterloo resident speaks in favor of the resolution during public…
On May 23, 2022, the Des Moines City Council had its third and final reading of the newly negotiated electric and gas franchise agreements with MidAmerican Energy. The agreements passed each of the three required readings with a 5–1 vote, with one council member recused from the vote. These new franchise agreements, spanning thirteen years,…
At Monday night’s city council meeting, the City of Des Moines officially voted to approve a 13-year utility franchise agreement with MidAmerican Energy, which will take effect in June 2022. This meeting was the final of the three required readings and votes on the franchise agreement, a binding contract that gives the utility access to…
IOWA CITY — 100% Iowa City, a community-driven movement to make Iowa City the next 24/7 carbon-free energy city launched this spring to urge the City Council to commit to a path towards 100% clean electricity. After formally declaring a climate crisis in 2019, the City Council announced new emission targets, building on those established in its…
As a mission-driven religious organization, Unitarian Universalists have shared values and principles rather than being a doctrinal faith. Our seventh principle is “Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.” This principle compels us to take responsibility for the planet’s well-being. Inspired by this, we chose to build the…
This guest column was originally published in the Des Moines Register on 1/11/22. January 11, 2022, marks the one-year anniversary of the Des Moines City Council’s unanimous adoption of a resolution setting a goal of 24/7 carbon-free electricity by 2035. This resolution garnered national attention and instantly made the City of Des Moines a national…
My name is Lillian Hill. I am a 14-year-old climate activist. I live in Johnston, Iowa; a suburb of Des Moines. My passion for climate activism was fueled by the desire to create positive, meaningful change. Everyday people from around the world are suffering from the climate crisis. This crisis is putting Iowans, Americans, and…
The fall season is one to look forward to and is typically kick-started with a whole week dedicated to climate action. The climate focus started in New York back in 2009, where global leaders, experts, and activists gathered to discuss progress and re-evaluate commitments ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference. Zooming in to Iowa City, community members enjoyed the…