2023 Barbara Schlachter Memorial Lecture Series is a partnership between 100 Grannies for a Livable Future and the Senior Center. Iowa City ranks as one of the 95 cities worldwide with an A rating. Meet some of the leaders who helped us achieve the only city in Iowa which is a leader in environmental action and transparency. What priorities do you care about and what can you do to support these efforts?
Monday, March 6
Jerald Schnoor, is a Professor in the Departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Occupational and Environmental Health, and Co-Director of the Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research (CGRER) at the University of Iowa. Jerry will be discussing the provisions available in the Inflation Reduction Act 2022 as well as Climate Resilience where we are going, what we should expect, and what we can do about it.
Monday, March 13
Jane Wilch, the City of Iowa City’s Recycling Coordinator, will provide a recycling and composting update, common contamination issues (wishful recycling) and programming to come. Where is support needed? Why batteries need to go to drop-off locations. Why Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Refuse.
Monday, March 20
Sarah Gardner, Climate Action Engagement Specialist, will speak the new guidance for local rebates and how to prioritize what to do now vs. later to improve energy efficiency in your home based on what’s coming with IRA incentives such as insulation now, buying a heat pump when your AC goes out. As consumers we can see how this pairs with rebates for ourselves, family members and friends living in their own homes.
Monday, March 27
Stratis Giannakouros and his team the U of I Office of Sustainability and the Environment are partners with faculty, students, and staff through many disciplines throughout the college and across campus. Their mission is to educate, challenge and inspire the greater U of I community to realize solutions exist to end climate change by what can be done on a local level. (2:00-2:50)
Jessica Wiskus lives in rural Lisbon, where she’s worked with her neighbors to oppose the CO2 pipeline since it was proposed in the fall of 2021. In the struggle to stand firm and strong, neighbors against the proposed CO2 pipelines have been reaching across the state in a demonstration of extraordinary trust and support. But after over a year-and-a-half of working together, where do things stand now? What strategies are various stakeholders pursuing as they try to bring the projects to a halt? What do the landowners say that they need right now and what can we do to be most effective in our efforts? (3:00-3:30)