Category: PACG Action

June Environmental Celebration - World Bicycle Day

5/31/2022

June Environmental Celebration
World Bicycle Day – June 3rd

Environmental Forum

The United Nations designated June 3rd to be World Bicycle Day.

Why should we celebrate the bicycle?

Moderate activity like bicycling significantly benefits the physical and mental health of people of all ages.
Bicycling is an affordable mode of transportation, at the same time it reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other life-threatening illnesses.
The World Health Organization considers cycling a pathway for achieving health equity.
Cycling is a sustainable alternative to driving; it reduces the use of fossil fuel as well as the emissions of hazardous air pollutants and greenhouse gases.

Bicycling Safety

Bicyclists must travel in the same direction as the traffic and ride as far to the right as possible. When possible, travel on designated bike lanes.
Watch out for cars backing out of the driveways when biking in a residential neighborhood.
Obey all traffic laws.
Be visible, wear bright color clothing during daylight, and use light and reflective gear when riding at night.
Invest in a good helmet and wear it all the time when you bike.
Don’t wear loose clothing that can be caught up in the bicycle chain.

Take Action

Commit to leaving your car at home and biking at least one day a month.
Commit to making short distance trips on a bike instead of driving.

Download this blog post as a flier (below) to share with your family and friends!

Susan Leuthauser

june_celebration_-_biking.pdf
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June Green Drinks - Helping Pollinators

5/31/2022

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June Green Drinks - How Can We Help Our Local Pollinators?
Tuesday, June 7th at 5 pm

Speaker: Rebecca Baugh, Naturalist,
Wapsi River Education Center

One out of every three bites of food we eat is there because of pollinators and pollinator populations are declining.

Becky Baugh, Naturalist at the Wapsi River Environmental Education Center, will share about our local pollinators, discuss the cause and effect of the decline in their populations, and what you can do to support them.

RSVP for this Zoom meeting by registering at this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcoduGpqTIsH9fD6ssFCjEteY09ZHZ41w6m

Download a flyer of this blog post below to share with your family and friends.

Susan Leuthauser

june_-_beckybaugh_pollinators.pdf
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"Iowa Is Better Than This!" After Action Report

2/18/2022

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Iowa Is Better Than This! After Action Report

One Human Family - QCA, PACG and other organizations

On February 16th, hundreds of people from across the state of Iowa participated in the "Iowa is Better than This" public lamentation over some of the discriminatory legislation that has been introduced or signed into law during the 2021 Iowa legislative session.

PACG was a proud co-sponsor of this event which allowed various progressive groups from across the state to connect in this effort.

Participants read paragraphs of lament (see attachment below) over various issues such as voting rights, gun accessibility and LGBTQ+ discrimination from various locations across the state, including Davenport, Iowa City, Dubuque, Sioux City, Waterloo and Des Moines. Attendees watched virtually. After each paragraph was read, participants and attendees were asked to recite the response: "Iowa is Better than This!"

Attendees flooded the Zoom webinar with comments in Chat. About halfway through the event we saw this very typical comment: "I feel so much better than I did thirty minutes ago! Thank you for doing this!"

We have received some good press about this event. Check out this article from the Courier in Waterloo.

Other actions that you might consider in support of this work include:

1) Search Facebook (if you have an account) to see if there are like-minded advocacy organizations in your community and subscribe to their page(s) and groups.

2) Subscribe to the Iowa Legislature's Bills & Rules Watch Email Alerts to monitor new and current proposed bills by registering your email at https://www.legis.iowa.gov/portal/subscriptions

3) Most importantly, share your opinions and experiences with others. Your passion is needed to ignite the actions that must take place in order for us to return to “Iowa Nice”.

A famous rabbi once said, “It is not your duty to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” Thank you for being an important part of this effort!

Allison Ambrose

iowa_is_better_than_this_program.pdf
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World Cleanup Event - After Action Report

9/21/2021

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World Clean Up Event - After Action Report

Davenport RiverFront Bike Trail

Environmental Forum

We had 7 energetic volunteers on Saturday, September 18th to clean up along the Davenport RiverFront Bike Trail. We even worked our way into the woods on the north side of the trail, finding tires, a foldable chair, and a cooler of empty beer cans. All told, we collected 8 large bags of trash, and had some fun sharing our energy between PACG, NAACP and CCL (Citizens' Climate Lobby) friends! Thanks to everyone!

Lori McCollum

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A Message to Our Members - Protecting Iowa Workers

4/19/2020

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PACG Signs On to Protect Workers

A Message to Our Members

Protect the Lives and Safety of All Iowa Workers

Right now in Iowa’s fields, factories, and warehouses, in our hospitals, nursing homes, post offices, grocery stores, and beyond, thousands of Iowans are risking their lives to provide food, health care, and other essential services while facing high risks of exposure to COVID-19 in their workplaces.

For weeks, workers, labor unions, advocates, and the media have been reporting unsafe working conditions to employers and state agencies. But state leaders have refused to set any clear expectations for Iowa employers, and OSHA and other state agencies charged with protecting workers have been missing in action. Meanwhile, too many major Iowa businesses continue to operate with few or no safety measures in place.

We know that existing racial and economic inequities in our communities are exacerbated by this pandemic, and temp workers, low wage workers, workers of color, and immigrant and refugee workers are at particular risk. While workers have the right to report unsafe working conditions, many have reason to fear retaliation. Those brave enough to come forward too often find their reports falling on deaf ears.

We are already seeing the impact of unsafe working conditions, with multiple meatpacking and manufacturing plants shutting down due to the quick spread of COVID-19 among unprotected workers. We cannot afford to wait. We demand that our state leaders take immediate action and direct all Iowa employers to protect workers from further unnecessary exposure.

We call on Governor Kim Reynolds to protect the lives and safety of all Iowa workers by:

1. Immediately requiring all Iowa employers to follow federal CDC and OSHA guidance on steps to take to prevent workplace exposure.

At a minimum, steps must include:

Ceasing all non-essential operations and providing paid leave or access to unemployment benefits for affected workers.
Allowing employees who can work from home to do so.
Encouraging sick workers to stay home with pay, and eliminating barriers (i.e. doctor’s notes, discipline for absences) to taking sick leave.
Improving ventilation (e.g., increasing ventilation rates, installing high-efficiency air filters, negative pressure ventilation in certain settings).
Installing physical barriers (e.g., clear plastic sneeze guards).
Maintaining six feet or more between workers by moving workstations, slowing line speeds, or staggering shifts.
Arranging for staggered or longer break times so workers can maintain a distance of six feet during all breaks or meals.
Providing adequate sanitation supplies (soap, towels, gloves, sanitizers) and a clean working environment.
Ensuring that all work surfaces are kept clean and sanitized as often as needed.
Allowing easy and frequent access to bathrooms or hand washing stations, and providing workers with regular breaks to wash hands.
Allowing workers to wash hands upon arriving to work/entering the workplace, and ensuring full pay for all required preparation and clean-up time
Providing frequent, up-to-date education and training on COVID-19, proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), sanitation procedures, or other relevant safety measures, in workers’ preferred languages.
Offering hazard pay and/or bonuses to all essential workers.

2. Ensuring all exposed workers access to medical care and emergency assistance, regardless of health insurance coverage or immigration status.

3. Directing Iowa Workforce Development to provide workers’ compensation to workers who contract COVID-19 at their workplaces.

4. Meeting with workers, self-employed, and independent contractors from essential industries to hear about the conditions they face and work with them to develop additional response plans specific to their industries, to be communicated to employers and workers in their preferred languages.

 We are in the midst of an unprecedented public health crisis. Failure to act is putting our workers, our food supply, and our state’s economy at severe, unnecessary risk. We call on Governor Kim Reynolds, the Iowa Department of Public Health and Iowa OSHA to stand up for the dignity, safety and health of our neighbors and families and take immediate action by meeting with workers and directing Iowa’s business to take immediate and decisive steps to protect our state’s workforce from COVID-19.
 
As of April 18th 65 organizations have signed this petition.

Allison Ambrose

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What You Can Do Now - ACA Enrollment After Job Loss Due to the Pandemic

4/16/2020

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Letter to the Editor - Important Update
Regarding ACA Enrollment After Job Loss

Health Care Reform Forum

On behalf of, and with the approval of, the PACG Health Care Reform Forum, I submitted the letter that follows to the local QC newspapers, and it was published on Saturday, April 11. My involvement with PACG was duly noted. If you know of anyone who has lost his/her job and associated health insurance, please bring the potential assistance that might be available at healthcare.gov to his/her attention.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, millions of Americans are losing their jobs. Those with employer-provided health insurance may also be losing that coverage at the worst possible time: leaving them with potentially no income and, if they become ill, no insurance coverage. The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) offers them valuable resources.

Iowa and Illinois residents in that situation may be able to get insurance on the federal ACA Marketplace. They may also qualify for a premium subsidy or for coverage under Medicaid. The website healthcare.gov allows them to explore their options. It is important to note that they have a 60-day window after losing their employment in which to apply.

Although some insurers have waived some consumer costs of coronavirus treatment, such costs can still be very high, especially if hospitalization is required; moreover, other health care issues (broken leg, appendicitis) may still arise. Having good health insurance is essential.

The coronavirus pandemic has made us acutely aware of how important it is for all Americans to have access to good health care. The Affordable Care Act has already provided health insurance for millions of uninsured families, and it is there for many of us who need the coverage now. Our people need our government to uphold that law, not seek its overthrow in the courts.

One of the lessons we must learn from this terrible time is that good health care coverage needs to be strengthened and expanded to cover everyone, in good times as well as bad.

Karen Metcalf, Co-facilitator
Health Care Reform Forum
Progressive Action for the Common Good

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After Action Report - Crisis at the Border Visit with Bobby Schilling

2/6/2020

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After Action Report - Crisis at the Border Visit with
Bobby Schilling

Civil Rights Forum

The PACG Civil Rights Forum organized a visit with Bobby Schilling, who is running in the Republican primary for the Congressional seat of retiring Congressman Dave Loebsack. Immigration activists from the many organizations in the Quad Cities working on immigration issues met with Mr. Schilling to deliver our message, beginning with: "Children do not belong in detention." You can read our complete "ask" and some proposed legislation at our PACG Blog post.

We are trying to set up a similar meeting with Republican candidate Mariannette Miller-Meeks. We will also visit with other candidates or elected officials in both Iowa and Illinois. Contact Alta if you want to participate.

Alta Price

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June Environmental Celebration - World Bicycle Day

June Environmental Celebration
World Bicycle Day – June 3rd

June Green Drinks - Helping Pollinators

June Green Drinks - How Can We Help Our Local Pollinators?
Tuesday, June 7th at 5 pm

"Iowa Is Better Than This!" After Action Report

Iowa Is Better Than This! After Action Report

World Cleanup Event - After Action Report

World Clean Up Event - After Action Report

A Message to Our Members - Protecting Iowa Workers

PACG Signs On to Protect Workers

What You Can Do Now - ACA Enrollment After Job Loss Due to the Pandemic

Letter to the Editor - Important Update
Regarding ACA Enrollment After Job Loss

After Action Report - Crisis at the Border Visit with Bobby Schilling

After Action Report - Crisis at the Border Visit with
Bobby Schilling

Archives

Categories

June Environmental Celebration - World Bicycle Day

June Environmental CelebrationWorld Bicycle Day – June 3rd

June Green Drinks - Helping Pollinators

June Green Drinks - How Can We Help Our Local Pollinators?Tuesday, June 7th at 5 pm

"Iowa Is Better Than This!" After Action Report

Iowa Is Better Than This! After Action Report

World Cleanup Event - After Action Report

World Clean Up Event - After Action Report

A Message to Our Members - Protecting Iowa Workers

​PACG Signs On to Protect Workers

What You Can Do Now - ACA Enrollment After Job Loss Due to the Pandemic

Letter to the Editor - Important UpdateRegarding ACA Enrollment After Job Loss

After Action Report - Crisis at the Border Visit with Bobby Schilling

After Action Report - Crisis at the Border Visit with ​Bobby Schilling

Archives

Categories

June Environmental Celebration
World Bicycle Day – June 3rd

June Green Drinks - How Can We Help Our Local Pollinators?
Tuesday, June 7th at 5 pm

PACG Signs On to Protect Workers

Letter to the Editor - Important Update
Regarding ACA Enrollment After Job Loss

After Action Report - Crisis at the Border Visit with
Bobby Schilling