Welcome to our new Climate section!  We're committed to updating the page with National and Iowa-focused items that we hope will be informative.  Our group is currently active in educating our visitors about the proposed CO2 pipelines through Iowa, and the future retirement of Iowa's coal fired power plants. You'll find information specific to those two topics in the drop down tabs: Pipelines and Beyond Coal

Please note: Most editorial contributions, letters to the editor, and webinars are listed below. Your comments are also welcome.

Editorial contributions, Blogs, letters to the editor, and webinars:

April 22, 2022: by Jonas Magram Climate change is nothing to sneeze at | The Gazette

March 30, 2022: (In reference to the proposed CO2 pipelines) Iowa Chapter of Sierra Club's, Jess Mazour as interviews on WHO! Click here to listen 

March 2022: Republican Leadership Fails Iowa Farmers by Jonas Magram

Last week, state Republican leadership turned its back on Iowa farmers by refusing to advance a bill designed to protect farmers from eminent domain abuse. The bill, SF2106, introduced by Republican State Senator Jeff Taylor, would have prohibited private companies from seizing land from Iowa farmers for private gain, as Energy Transfer Partners did when it built the Bakken pipeline. But Commerce Committee Chair, Jason Schultz, also a Republican, made sure the bill was not brought to a vote.

The objections of farmers to eminent domain goes far beyond the well-documented damage pipelines cause to their tiling, soil, and yields. It is an oppressive violation of the sovereignty of their land ownership, a fundamental American right, as sacred to them as free speech or the right to bear arms. Why was the bill not advanced? As is too often the case, Republican leadership placed the interests of private corporations, like those intent on building the Summit and Navigator CO2 pipelines, above the rights of ordinary citizens. Apparently these legislators believe they can trash the rights of farmers and still get their votes. I guess only time will tell.

 Sierra Club mentioned again on January 9: Farmers resist pipeline land takeover | News | nwestiowa.com

November 2021:**Opinion: Fight the effects of climate change through local plans (desmoinesregister.com) 

 'Think globally, act locally' is an important path forward on climate change

The clock is ticking, the house is on fire, and local action must be taken before it’s too late.

Mike Carberry and Tom Carsner are affiliated with Iowa City Sierra Club. Mike Wyrick is affiliated with Cedar Rapids Sierra Club. Jason Snell and Scott Roland are affiliated with unrise Movement Cedar Rapids. Ayla Boylen is affiliated with Climate Strike/Fridays for Future Cedar Rapids. Miriam Kashia is affiliated with 100 Grannies for a Sustainable Future Iowa City.

Thanks for stopping........  Stay tuned for more information and activities related to climate issues!