March 2024 Lecture Series announced

Posted on February 13, 2024 by Marcia Ward

The 2024 Barbara Schlachter Memorial Lecture Series is a partnership between the Senior Center and 100Grannies for a Livable Future.  For 10 years, this team of women has been working to inform and activate communities by drawing attention to risks in our environment. Meet some of the leaders who help us achieve leadership in Iowa for environmental action and transparency. Come to engage with them.  What priorities do you care about and what can you do to support these efforts?

Wednesdays March 6 to 27   5:30 – 6:30

Location: Hybrid – Room 302 or by Zoom (link will be sent to those who register)

Register online at icgov.org/senior/registration or call 319-356-5220 or in-person at the Senior Center M-F 8-5 pm

March 6

Dr. Peter Thorne is professor in the UI College of Public Health’s Department of Occupational & Environmental Health and co-director of the Environmental Health Sciences Research Center. He has held a number of prominent national leadership positions, including serving as chairman of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Science Advisory Board. He will discuss “What is the U.S. Doing About Climate Change?”

March 13

Dr. Charles O. Stanier, professor of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, University of Iowa. He will discuss anticipated impacts of climate change on wildfires and air quality in the U.S.  “Older Wiser and Prepared for Disasters” is an initiative of the College of Public Health which enables people to prepare for unexpected weather events.

March 20

Jessica Wiskus lives in Lisbon where she’s been working with neighbors to oppose the CO2 pipeline since it was proposed in the fall of 2021.  In the struggle to stand firm and strong, neighbors have been reaching across the state, demonstrating extraordinary trust and support. What strategies have been effective and what do the landowners say they need right now to stand strong.  A video of her lecture is available here

March 27  

Megan Hill, CNP | LEED Green Associate for the City of Iowa City is coordinating many of the climate initiatives for Iowa City.  She will discuss the Climate Action team’s 2024 Energy Blitz on April 20th.   Learn what goals our city is achieving on climate action and about the initiatives which involve community members.

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100Grannies celebrate with stone soup

Posted on February 13, 2024 by Marcia Ward

On December 5, 2023, the 100Grannies enjoyed their annual winter stone soup celebration.  This annual event takes the place of monthly meetings over the winter holiday season and is always a popular get-together.

This year’s event included a “roast” for Ann Christenson, pictured center below receiving a plaque honoring her many contributions to 100Grannies over its 12-year history. Ann was one of the original founding grannies and has been among the most active in protesting (including several arrests for getting into “good trouble”), writing editorials, and supporting causes for a sustainable future.

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Grannies travel to Des Moines to agitate against the CO2 pipelines

Posted on November 12, 2023 by Marcia Ward

Grannies traveled to Des Moines on Tuesday November 14, 2023 to join the Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (CCI) for a rally and protest. Over 500 signatures have been collected on a letter opposing the CO2 pipelines which were delivered at that time.

Thousands of Iowans across the state oppose CO2 pipeline projects because they:

  • are dangerous and potentially deadly,
  • use technology that has consistently failed to reduce carbon emissions,
  • would extract half a billion gallons of water per year, and
  • rely heavily on public money, and put millions of dollars in the pockets of CEOs like Bruce Rastetter.

The decision makers need to do everything in their power to stop these proposed pipelines. The Grannies continue their tradition of Making Good Trouble for a Livable Future.

Pictured below are Miriam K, Sally H, and Diane L holding a banner at the protest.

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Grannies help Girl Scouts recycle t-shirts into reusable bags

Posted on November 10, 2023 by Marcia Ward

Maggie H, Becky R, and Deb S of 100Grannies led Girl Scout troop 3729 from Grant Wood through an activity to recycle t-shirts into sustainable bags on November 7, 2023.  The girls were immensely proud of their stylish creations.

       

   

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Fall film series draws applause from attendees

Posted on October 16, 2023 by Marcia Ward

The 100Grannies Fall Film Series is underway with showings at the Iowa City Senior Center on Thursdays from 3:00 – 5:00. The series of four films is described here.  The audience has been excited about the films and expressed appreciation for the handouts available and educational information shared at the showings.

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Grannies advocate for electrifying everything in UI homecoming parade

Posted on October 13, 2023 by Marcia Ward

Grannies participated again this year in the University of Iowa Homecoming Parade on October 6, 2023. Their message was to electrify everything to reduce fossil fuel use and climate change.

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100Grannies Team in top 10% in Project Drawdown EcoChallenge

Posted on October 1, 2023 by Marcia Ward

Project Drawdown partnered with EcoChallenge for a month-long event and friendly competition during October. Team members earned points by taking a range of climate actions. Drawdown EcoChallenge is a fun and social way to connect the dots between climate solutions and climate actions to help reverse climate change. 

 

The 100Grannies Team consisted of 23 participants. They selected climate actions to engage in during the month.  Some actions could be done once, some were daily activities for the month. All actions follow the Project Drawdown framework of activities that can help reduce climate change.  Yay for the 100Grannies Team who consistently scored in the top 10% of the 381 international teams participating!

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100Grannies Fall 2023 Film Series

Posted on August 23, 2023 by Marcia Ward

100Grannies announces the 2023 selection for their annual Fall Film Series.  The films will be shown at the Iowa City Senior Center on Thursdays in October from  3:00 – 5:00

2040,  October 5th
Concerned about his young daughter’s future, filmmaker Damon Gameau travels the world in search of new approaches and solutions to climate change. He meets with innovators and changemakers in many fields to draw on their expertise. “2040” points a practical, achievable path toward solutions, but its most important contribution is a sense that change is possible. Roger Ebert

A Plastic Ocean (2020), October 12th                                                                This film documents the global effects of plastic pollution and highlights workable technologies and innovative solutions that everyone – from governments to individuals – can do, to create a cleaner and greener ocean.

Oceans: The Mystery of the Missing Planet, October 19th
99% of the plastic that should be floating in the oceans is missing.  Even accounting for the plastic that washes up on beaches or is trapped in arctic ice, millions of tons has simply disappeared. As most plastic never deteriorates, it simply breaks down into smaller and smaller particles that are invisible to the human eye, what happens to this missing ocean plastic is a mystery. In this investigation, scientists embark in search of the micro-plastics. Small, mostly invisible, toxic, they are home to a new ecosystem: the plastisphere. But where are they? Ingested by organisms? Buried under the ocean floor? Degraded by bacteria? And what is the impact of them entering the food chain?

Living the Change: Inspiring Stories for a Sustainable Future, October 26th
A feature-length documentary that explores solutions to the crises we face today through the inspiring stories of people living in a more sustainable way.

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100Grannies to co-sponsor showing of “Kiss the Ground” documentary film on Sept 19

Posted on August 8, 2023 by Marcia Ward

The new documentary film Kiss the Ground will be shown on Tuesday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m., in the Iowa City Public Library meeting room A. The sponsors of the film are 100 Grannies, Backyard Abundance, Bur Oak Land Trust, Iowa City Public Library, Johnson County Master Gardeners, League of Woman Voters, and Project GREEN.

“Kiss the Ground is an inspiring and groundbreaking film narrated by and featuring Woody Harrelson. The film reveals the first viable solution to our climate crisis – by regenerating the world’s soils, we can completely and rapidly stabilize the earth’s climate, restore lost ecosystems and create abundant food supplies. Using compelling graphics and visuals, along with striking NASA and NOAA footage, the film artfully illustrates how, by drawing down atmospheric carbon, the soil is the missing piece of the climate puzzle. The movie is positioned to catalyze a movement to accomplish the impossible – to solve humanity’s greatest challenge, to balance the climate and secure our species’ future.”

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100Grannies has written 4 children’s books

Posted on August 5, 2023 by Marcia Ward

100Grannies’ motto, as printed on their green shirts, is Educate, Advocate, and Agitate. We have quite a few former teachers in our membership, so we decided to write children’s books as an educational endeavor.

Our first book was “Granny Green’s Thankful Book”. This book focuses on things that Granny and her granddaughter, Sophie, are thankful for and how to take care of the earth and nature so we will continue to have those things in our lives. This book is aimed at younger school aged children.

Our next book was “Granny Green’s T-shirt Bag”. This book was about recycling. Granny showed Sophie and her friends how to make a t-shirt bag out of an old t-shirt.

The third book, “Granny Green’s Friendly Yard”, talks about why we shouldn’t use pesticides on our yards or gardens.

The latest book is “Granny Green and Friends Visit a Family Farm”. This book is for children in 4th grade and up. Granny and friends learn about a better way to raise animals on a farm.

All four books are available for sale at Prairie Lights bookstore in Iowa City.

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