Category: Environmental Forum - PACG - Progressive Action for the Common Good

Earth Month Proclamation by Local Mayors

4/7/2020

April is Earth Month City Proclamation

Environmental Forum

April 1st marks the beginning of Earth Month. The mayors of Bettendorf, Davenport, East Moline and Rock Island signed a proclamation declaring the month of April to be Earth Month in their city.

Each year, in the weeks leading up to the April 22 Earth Day, we are encouraged to initiate and participate in activities that focus on the needs of the environment and climate solutions. With the rollback of environmental regulations and climate change, the earth is in a crisis. This is urgent! We need to join together and help the planet fight for its life. The responsibility falls on each one of us. Contact the Environmental Forum for suggestions about what you can do in this effort.

Susan Leuthauser

Action Alert - Participate in Virtual Public Hearing Online Regarding EPA Inaction

4/7/2020

EPA Stops Enforcement - Action Alert
Tuesday, April 14th 9 am to 8 pm

Online

Union of Concerned Scientists

Last week the EPA announced that they will stop enforcement of environmental safeguards and fines during this crisis, with no time limitation in place. It may be necessary for the EPA to make limited administrative changes required for physical distancing, but why allow companies to emit toxins with impunity? Instead, the pandemic should be an opportunity to pair financial assistance with requirements that companies become better environmental stewards.

The Union of Concerned Scientists is holding a Virtual Public Hearing regarding "Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science," to be held on Tuesday, April 14, 2020.

You can read more about this Virtual Public Hearing and register for the event here. Questions can be emailed at anytime to: ucsvph@gmail.com.

Contact Lori McCollum with questions

What You Can Do Now - Start a Climate Victory Garden

4/7/2020

Celebrate the Beginning of Earth Month - Start a Climate Victory Garden

Your Own Home

Environmental Forum

Live celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day has been postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic, but the festivities are going to take place digitally to mark this milestone event. Through the month of April the Environmental Forum will post activities you can do as we’re staying at home and practicing social distancing.

Be a part of the climate solution, join the Green America Climate Victory Garden movement and start a Climate Victory Garden. Plants help sequester carbon in the soil. The Climate Victory Garden uses gardening methods that minimize soil disturbance and improves the ability of the soil to hold carbon. If you already have a garden, you can transform it into a Victory Garden by doing the following:

Know your garden, - test the soil to determine nutrient content and plant accordingly.
Grow edible plants and increase your vegetable consumption.
Cover the soil with mulch, leaves or cover plants. Mulching reduces water needs, soil erosion, protects soil microbes, and maintains topsoil.
Maintain a chemical-free garden by composting your food waste and using it as fertilizer.
Plant pollinator habitats to encourage biodiversity.
Plant perennials - they reduce soil disturbance.

Click on this link to get started on your Climate Victory Garden.

For additional information on Climate Victory Garden, visit the Green America Climate Victory Garden 101 website.

Susan Leuthauser

What You Can Do Now - Help the Earth Heal as We Protect Ourselves from the Coronavirus

3/27/2020

Help the Earth Heal as We Protect Ourselves from the Coronavirus

Environmental Forum

As we are housebound with our loved ones to prevent the spread of coronavirus, we should think about what we can do to help the planet heal. Here are projects you can start now:

Try new plant-based recipes – growing whole grains, fruits and vegetables uses less water and land, emits less pollution, reduces waste by-products, and is less destructive to the top soil.

Reduce food wastes - make soup stock with your vegetable scraps.

Compost – we’re running out of landfill space. About 20% of the waste in landfills is food waste. Composting also puts the carbon back into the soil.

Read instead of streaming – we all have books on our shelves we had planned to read. This is the time to do it instead of streaming or reading on your electronic devices. Reading does not require additional electricity.

Be an informed voter – the election is just months away. Learn about your candidates’ positions on issues. Look for online town halls and other opportunities to interact with political candidates. Support those who will take action to heal the earth.

Spring cleaning - use a combination of natural products that you likely have at home - alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, vinegar, lemon. Disinfect cleaned surfaces with a bleach solution of 2 tablespoons of bleach in 1 quart of water (or 1/3 cup of bleach in a gallon of water). Allow the surface to air dry. Bleach water should be made fresh daily. CAUTION: Do not mix bleach with any cleaning products (for example, vinegar) because these combinations can generate toxic chlorine gas.

Switch to Green Power – if you haven’t done so, contact your utility company and sign up for electricity generated from renewable sources.

Share your stuff – as you’re cleaning out your house, decluttering and eliminating duplicates, set things you no longer need aside. You can share them with your family or donate to someone who may use them when the pandemic is over.

Volunteer - PACG forums and other community organizations are continuing to do their work online. The Environmental Forum is holding monthly meetings online via Zoom.

Do eco-friendly activities – check the link below for eco-activities for all ages.

Start a garden exchange - spring is here. It's time to plant a garden and exchange seeds and plants with your friends and neighbors. Continue to practice social distancing by dropping these items off at their doors.

Keep moving - stay-at-home does not mean we have to be indoors all day. Take a nature walk or bike ride. Remember to maintain safe social distancing of at least 6 feet from other people. NOTE: Stay-at-home orders may change in the future and walks or bike riding outside may not be advisable. Follow directions from your local health authorities.
For more details check here:
https://www.earthday.org/11-actions-for-the-planet-during-a-pandemic/

Susan Leuthauser

Attend City Council Meeting in Support of Earth Month Proclamation

3/11/2020

Earth Day Proclamation - East Moline -
Monday, March 16th at 6:30 pm

East Moline City Hall
915 16th Avenue E Moline, IL (map)

Environmental Forum

In honor of the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day this April, the Environmental Forum has asked the mayors of local cities to pass a proclamation declaring April, 2020 as Earth Month. You may read the letter to these mayors along with our suggested proclamation on our Earth Month Proclamation Blog post.

Most of the mayors have responded to our request, and the proclamation will be proposed at their city council meetings. The first meetings we are aware of are East Moline and Davenport.

We would like to have PACG members from each city attend these city council meetings to voice support for our proclamation and all sustainability efforts in their city. Please contact Shirley, Susan, PJ or Lori if you are willing to come to your city hall in support of this issue. We will keep you informed about upcoming dates as they are scheduled.

The East Moline city council meeting is at 915 16th Avenue, 2nd Floor, East Moline at 6:30 pm.

Davenport's city council meeting to pass the proclamation is tentatively scheduled for April 8th. The more people who attend, the more council members will recognize how important environmental issues are to their citizens.

If you are able to attend or have specific questions, please contact the people below by your location.

East Moline and Silvis residents - contact Lori McCollum.

Bettendorf and Moline residents - contact Susan Leuthauser.

Rock Island residents - contact Shirley Johnson.

Davenport residents - contact PJ Slobojan.

What You Can Do Now - Support Earth Month Proclamation at Your City Council Meeting

3/11/2020

Attend Your City Council Meeting to Voice Support for the Earth Month Proclamation - What You Can Do Now

Environmental Forum

The Environmental Forum has requested that local municipalities consider declaring April as Earth Month in honor of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.

The following cities are having Earth Month Proclamations issued at their city council meetings. All PACG members are welcome at each event, and we especially hope that everyone attends their own city's council meeting to voice their support for these proclamations and for continued year-round efforts to protect the environment.

3/16 East Moline: 6:30 pm at 915 16th Avenue, 2nd floor, East Moline, IL (map)
3/17 Bettendorf: 7:00 pm at 1609 State St. Bettendorf, IA (map)
3/23 Rock Island: 6:45 pm at 1528 3rd Ave, 3rd floor, Rock Island, IL (map)
4/08 Davenport: 5:30 pm at 226 W. 4th Street Davenport, IA (map)

We would like to have PACG members from each city attend these city council meetings to voice support for our proclamation and all sustainability efforts in their city. Please contact Shirley, Susan, PJ or Lori if you are willing to come to your city hall in support of this issue.

We will keep you informed about upcoming dates as they are scheduled.

If you are able to attend or have specific questions, please contact the people below by your location.

East Moline and Silvis residents - contact Lori McCollum.

Bettendorf and Moline residents - contact Susan Leuthauser.

Rock Island residents - contact Shirley Johnson.

Davenport residents - contact PJ Slobojan.

What You Can Do Now - Keep Up-to-Date With Our Earth Month Calendar

3/10/2020

Keep Up-to-Date on April Earth Week Activities in Our Area

Environmental Forum

PACG is partnering with many organizations in the Quad Cities Area to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, which was originally established as April 22, 1970. Various groups are offering a wide variety of ways to honor our connection to the principles of having clean waterways, protecting species, moving toward a commitment of clean transportation and rethinking urban land use.

Our PACG website will maintain a current calendar list of everything we know about that relates to Earth Week. You can view the PACG calendar here. We are proud that our website, calendar and Facebook pages are ways for our community to know what's happening. And, although we don't usually post Community Events on our PACG calendar, we are going to for the month of April so that people in the Quad Cities can readily find the events celebrating the day, week and month devoted to taking care of the Earth.

Contact Lori McCollum with questions or comments.

Earth Month Proclamation - Environmental Forum

3/8/2020

Proclamation to Establish the Month of April as Earth Month
in the Quad Cities

Environmental Forum

Because this April marks the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, the Environmental Forum has written to the mayors in the Quad Cities Area, requesting that they declare the month of April Earth Month. The letter to these mayors reads as follows:

This year marks the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, which was first celebrated on April 22, 1970. The original goal was to inspire an appreciation of our nation’s natural resources through conservation and protection. The Environmental Forum of Progressive Action for the Common Good (PACG) is encouraging Quad City Area communities to make official Earth Day Proclamations in recognition of a commitment to environmental stewardship. We have attached a draft proclamation for your city council’s consideration and use.

Quad City Earth Month activities can be found at the Quad City Earth Coalition web-link: https://www.qcearth.org/earthweek2020.

The draft proclamation that PACG would like each city council to consider is:

Earth Day Proclamation 2020

WHEREAS, Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970, with the goal of inspiring an appreciation of our nation’s natural resources through conservation and protection; and

WHEREAS, the celebration of this day marks an annual review of and commitment to the principles of that first Earth Day; and

WHEREAS, Earth Day marks a renewed commitment to environmental stewardship and to the implementation of sustainability efforts; and

WHEREAS, the global community now faces extraordinary challenges, such as environmental degradation, global health issues, climate change, food and water shortages; and

WHEREAS, a green economy can be achieved on the individual level through education, public policy, and consumer activism campaigns; and

WHEREAS, it is understood that the citizens of the global community must step forward and take action to create positive environmental change to combat the aforementioned global challenges; and

WHEREAS, the City of Davenport celebrates Earth Day by extending it to the month of April in recognition of the commitment to environmental stewardship; and,

WHEREAS, the City of Davenport residents are encouraged to implement practices designed to preserve and protect our environment and shape the future of our environmental security.

THEREFORE, I, (name), Mayor of (city), do hereby proclaim the month of April 2020 as Earth Month.

We hope that the mayors take this proclamation to their next city council meeting for discussion and input from the community. We ask that residents attend these meetings to strongly voice their support for their city adapting some form of this proclamation to proclaim April as Earth Month in the Quad Cities. We will post information in the Weekly Email Update as meetings are made known to us. Thanks for your continued support.

Lori McCollum
Susan Leuthauser
Shirley Jackson

After Action Report - Sustainable Farming Lunch & Learn

2/19/2020

Sustainable Farming - After Action Report
Thursday, February 13th at noon

Approximately 15 people attended a Lunch and Learn opportunity this past Thursday, February 13th, at the Eastern Avenue Branch Davenport Public Library, with Interfaith Power and Light Executive Director and farmer himself, Matt Russell, explaining the reshaping of the conventional wisdom about farmers and climate change. It is obvious we need to act fast and put policies in place; we just need the political will. Farmers are problem-solvers and public policy can overcome agribusiness barriers; however, this can only be accomplished by developing markets and consumer purchasing practices that support sustainable agriculture.

Lori McCollum

After Action Report - Climate Crisis Parade

2/12/2020

Climate Crisis Parade - After Action Report
Saturday, February 1st at 12:00 pm

Bold Iowa

On February 1st Bold Iowa, along with nearly 70 other organizations, marched in Des Moines to demonstrate the climate crisis. PACG was a co-sponsor of this event along with the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities (UUCQC).

Nearly a dozen members of the Quad Cities traveled with 100 Grannies from Iowa City to march alongside others. Speeches by young members of the Indigenous community launched the parade. The emphasis was to note the lack of coverage of this crisis by the local and national media.

Ironically, they once, again, failed to adequately cover the event. Nearly 1000 marched in the event, while the Des Moines Register mentioned only 400 marchers. See more photos below taken by Mike Wilcox, member of PACG, UUCQC, and President of the Eagle View Chapter of the Sierra Club.

(images below by Michael Wilcox)

Lori McCollum