It’s easy to be overwhelmed by climate news. Floods, wildfires, hurricanes, all happening more and more often and on epic scales. Every headline reminds us the stakes are high and the consequences of inaction are dire. The time to act is now.
But the good news? People are taking action. Every day victories are won, great and small. Momentum is building. The solutions are taking shape.
Those stories matter too. They carry an important truth – we have the tools and ability to prevent the worst outcomes of climate change. We just need the courage to act.
Inspired by the 51st celebration of Earth Day, Project 51 continues to add dispatches of good news and bits of inspiration from the climate front. Each one is a reason to stay engaged. Each is also a reminder: if we keep making progress and piling up the good news, sooner or later those scales are going to tip in our favor. These little victories light the way.
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Iowa City planted 1,200 trees in 2021, plus 333 from the Root for Trees program, more than tripling the previous year’s record. The Root for Trees program aims to help residents plant 800 more in 2022.
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For one breezy day in March, wind was the second highest source of U.S. electricity for the first time ever.
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Electric vehicles charged at Iowa City’s public charging stations have resulting in more than 172,619 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions savings. That is like planting 2,000 trees and letting them grow for 10 years!
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A team of engineers at Stanford University has developed a solar cell that can generate some electricity at night.
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The newest winner of the Pritzker Prize of Architecture, Francis Kéré, has delivered sustainable public buildings and well-deserved recognition to his native Burkina Faso.
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A new book by Leah Thomas, The Intersectional Environmentalist, imagines a more equitable and diverse future of environmentalism.
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New research suggests that by increasing tree cover, 1 in 4 lives can be saved in future high heat events.
- The federal Weatherization Assistance Program is projected to impact about 450,000 homes this year, up from 38,000 homes previously. Retrofitting homes to increase energy efficiency both lowers families' utility bills and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
- Iowa City's four new electric buses will reduce emissions 95% compared to diesel fueled buses and save money for the city, representing a paradigm shift in transit writes the Little Village.
- Hertz has ordered 100,000 Teslas and 65,000 Polestars, significantly expanding its electric vehicle fleet.
- Studies show that the news media are getting the stats right about climate change.
- Iowa City gained 4 new DC fast charging ports to add to our growing list of EV charging locations, thanks to area gas stations. These new charging stations can fully charge a vehicle in 20 minutes, making it a much faster charging option for Iowa City drivers.
- Iowa City is projected to meet or exceed its goal of reducing GHG emissions by 45% by 2030. The reduction of about 681,000 tons of emissions annually takes a big step toward achieving net zero by 2050.
- By hitting net zero by 2050, the U.S. could add $1 trillion to the American economy.
- More than 4,000 tons of material were composted in 2020 through Iowa City’s curbside organics program, a 24% increase over the year before.
- In 2020, nearly 1.5 wind turbines were constructed in Iowa every day, bringing the total number of turbines in the state to nearly 5,900. Nearly 60% of electricity in Iowa is now generated by wind, more than any other state in the nation.
- The Iowa City School District surpassed its emissions reduction goals in 2020, putting it on track to reduce emissions 62% by 2024.
- Rapid advances in battery technology suggest all new cars in the U.S. could be electric by 2035, resulting in consumer cost savings of over $2.7 trillion compared to continued use of fossil-fuel powered vehicles.
- Amtrak recently announced plans to extend a line to Iowa City, which according to a DOT study could replace 1.4 million vehicle trips, 324,700 bus rides and 40,900 plane trips a year with more fuel-efficient travel by train.
- The world’s first steel mill to run almost entirely on solar will bring $285 million private investment in new energy infrastructure to Colorado and support more than 1,000 jobs at the mill.
- A sustainable housing development in Ann Arbor, Michigan, will be one of the country’s first mixed-income, net-zero energy communities.
- Michael Regan, sworn into office in 2021 and the first Black man to lead the EPA, talks about what motivates him to work toward a cleaner environment.
- “The Business logic of sustainability” TED Talk with Ray Anderson proves that sustainability is possible even in an industry traditionally known to be a polluter, carpet manufacturing.
- The world’s largest electric vehicle is a giant dump truck that needs no recharging and has saved 50,000 tons of diesel fuel per year since 2017.
- According to the U.S. Department of Labor, one of the fastest growing professions is wind turbine maintenance, a green job with spectacular views.
- An Iowa City home is one of only two LEED platinum residences in the state. It features an energy-efficient design paired with solar panels that result in an energy bill of less than $9 per month, eight to nine months out of the year.
- “illUmiNations: Protecting our Planet” video presents an emotional take on the facts of climate change, but emphasizes that there is still plenty we can do.
- A new study finds electric car batteries need far less raw material than fossil-fuel cars.
- A solar tax credit program in Iowa proved to be “enormously successful” while it was in effect over the past decade, particularly in eastern Iowa.
- After the multinational commitment to phase out chloroflourinecarbons in the 1980's, the hole in the ozone layer caused by CFCs began to shrink and is expected to completely disappear by 2065 -- proof that international cooperation is possible and can successfully address pressing environmental issues.
- Two manufacturers recently developed compostable to-go containers that are free of the harmful chemicals known as PFAS, and they made their process publicly available, paving the way for other manufacturers to eliminate plastics from food packaging.
- These building prefab rehab kits in development will dramatically cut the carbon footprint of our built environment.
- The environmental justice movement is growing, and growing up, according to the Father of Environmental Justice Dr. Robert Bullard.
- Climate expert J. Marshall Shepherd sees cause for hope in recent climate actions, and calls for climate change to become a “kitchen table conversation.”
- The nonprofit Green 2.0 is helping environmental organizations hire, retain, and promote people of color, diversifying who is at the forefront of environmental decision-making.
- Sustainability scientist Kimberly Nicholas has documented the ways key individual actions to address climate change do add up.
- Turns out, gardening is good for the planet, and our psychological and physical wellbeing, too.
- Motivated by social change, Iowa Hydroscience & Engineering Professor Eric Tate refocused his career to help make Iowa more flood resilient.
- GenZ social media "eco-creators" who focus on positive climate news and ways for people to take part in solutions are seeing their followers increase in explosive numbers.
- "I think we need more creativity. I think we need more intersectionality. I think we need more diversity celebrated in the climate movement," shares environmentalist drag queen Pattie Gonia, discussing her work to bring more inclusivity and joy to climate work.
- Reflecting on her grandmother born in Iowa in 1887, one woman finds inspiration to help navigate the challenges of climate change without succumbing to the ideas that "there are only two choices — that either you’re scared to death and deprive yourself of everything because you feel guilty, or that you just dismiss it all as ridiculous and go on living without care."
- More than 100 residents volunteered their time to help paint Iowa City’s first Climate Action inspired mural as part of Climate Fest 2021.
- Prompt for the Planet, a program inspired in Iowa City, is an opportunity for youth to get creative in “speaking” for the planet. Learn more at https://www.promptfortheplanet.com/the-prompt.
- Demonstrating how storytelling can be a powerful tool in addressing climate change, climate justice advocate Mary Annaïse Heglar reminds us even if you don't feel hopeful, you don't have to feel helpless. “The thing about climate is that you can be overwhelmed by the complexity of the problem, or fall in love with the creativity of the solutions,” she writes.
- Wendell Berry envisions what we can achieve if we do the work of climate action well in his poem “A Vision.”
- Many natural features along Iowa City's Sycamore Greenspace trail were incorporated to provide key environmental benefits, and now is a great time to grab your bike or walking shoes to see some of the features along the trail yourself.
- We’re surrounded by many different lives full of wonder and worth, as Robert Hass reminds us in his poem “Iowa City: Early April.”
- “Problems are our work; we deal with them in order to survive or improve the world, and so to face them is better than turning away from them, from burying or denying them. To face them can be an act of hope, but only if you remember that they’re not all there is,” writes environmental journalist Rebecca Solnit in her essay “False Hope and Easy Despair.”
- Scientist and environmental advocate Jane Goodall reminds us, “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
- Artist JD Whitman’s “PLASTICITY: Our Changing Oceans” art installation increases awareness on plastic pollution while inspiring ocean advocacy and protection. Check out the exhibit's feature in The Gazette.
- Listen to the free “How To Save A Planet” podcast to explore what we need to do to solve the climate crisis and how we can get it done.
- Join the Global Earth Challenge™ and become a citizen scientist to be part of the climate solution.
- Cut down on waste at home with these clever tricks to revive food.
- Recycle glass. Glass is infinitely 100% recyclable, and in Iowa City, you’ll be able to recycle glass at more drop-off locations this year.
- Purchase with the planet in mind. Rainforest Alliance-certified products help to protect forests, fight climate change, and support human rights.
- Support pollinators. You can support monarch butterflies, a pollinator that is vital to a healthy environment, by planting milkweed in your yard.
- Eat delicious, plant-based food to reduce environmental impact. Incorporating more meatless meals into your lifestyle significantly cuts down on carbon emissions tied to food production
- Engage with Future Earth’s "Good News Tuesday" Instagram series for positive, inspiring news stories related to climate.
- Participate. The Iowa City Public Library is continuing to host virtual, environmental-themed events for the community’s benefit. Check out the library's events page.
- Recycle batteries! Iowa City continues to expand its battery recycling program for easier participation. See all drop-off locations at www.icgov.org/hhm.
- Reduce the impacts of plastic pollution and amp up your recycling habits by also finding opportunities to reduce, reuse, remove, and refuse plastic products.
- Use this easy calculator to find out how much your daily commute is costing you, then commit to trying something different. Pick a day to walk, ride a bike, or take a bus to work. Then recalculate your costs to figure out your savings if you kept it up a couple days every week!
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