51 Reasons to Stay Engaged: Project 51

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Project 51 It’s easy to be overwhelmed by climate news. Floods, wildfires, hurricanes, all happening more and more often and on epic scales. Every headline reminds us the stakes are high and the consequences of inaction are dire. The time to act is now.

But the good news? People are taking action. Every day victories are won, great and small. Momentum is building. The solutions are taking shape.

Those stories matter too. They carry an important truth – we have the tools and ability to prevent the worst outcomes of climate change. We just need the courage to act.

Inspired by the 51st celebration of Earth Day, Project 51 continues to add dispatches of good news and bits of inspiration from the climate front. Each one is a reason to stay engaged. Each is also a reminder: if we keep making progress and piling up the good news, sooner or later those scales are going to tip in our favor. These little victories light the way.

This Just In

Iowa-based Critical Materials Recycling was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy as one of six companies to receive a $500,000 cash prize and $100,000 in assistance from national laboratories for their work recycling rare earth materials from wind turbine electronics.
Prairie strips are gaining ground. Researchers counted 586 acres of prairie strips on farmland across seven states in 2019. As of 2023, they had spread to 14 states, filling 22,972 acres.
The shutdown of a coal-fired power plant in Minnesota has allowed for the fast development of a solar array because the new project is able to use the coal plant’s grid connection.
A major expansion of the EV charging infrastructure is now in effect, as Tesla opens Superchargers to Ford, Rivian, and GM vehicles.
Even as demand for EVs grows, new battery chemistries, increasing efficiency, and mineral recycling are projected to reduce mining demand within a decade and may even eliminate it entirely by 2050, according to a recent report.
Electric vehicles charged at Iowa City’s public charging stations have resulting in more than 453,374 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions savings. That is like planting 5,272 trees and letting them grow for 10 years!
Solar farms seeded with wildflowers can boost pollinator populations.
The American Climate Corps marks a turning point in the push for good-paying jobs in the clean energy transition.
Ridership on City buses increased 43% in the first year of the Fare Free Transit pilot program.
An EPA grant for Iowa City’s compost facility will increase its processing capacity by 33%.
Iowa City Public Library’s lovable book bike merges climate action and literacy goals.

For the Statistician

By 2030, renewables are projected to supply 80-90% of U.S. electricity.

America now gets more than three times as much power from the wind, the sun, and the earth as we did a decade ago.

In 2022, the number of EV models with 300-mile-or-greater range nearly tripled from the previous year. Fourteen vehicles now make that list certified by the EPA.

The Inflation Reduction Act will cut emissions 40% below 2015 levels by 2030 and reduce climate damages by $1.9 Trillion by 2050. Major benefits include creating 1.5 million jobs by 2030, reducing energy bills by an average of $1800 per year, and averting up to 100k asthma attacks per year.

Iowa City's four electric buses will reduce emissions 95% compared to diesel fueled buses and save money for the city, representing a paradigm shift in transit writes the Little Village.

Rapid advances in battery technology suggest all new cars in the U.S. could be electric by 2035, resulting in consumer cost savings of over $2.7 trillion compared to continued use of fossil-fuel powered vehicles. Iowa City's list of EV charging locations continues to grow!

For the Plugged-In

Wondering just how much money will your household receive from the Inflation Reduction Act? Find out with this calculator!

“It’s true that individuals did not cause climate change. But they may be key to stopping it.” According to data from Princeton University, roughly 30 percent of the emissions reductions expected over the next decade from the Inflation Reduction Act will come from consumers switching to electric vehicles and a transformation in home heating and appliances

“We know we can address range anxiety in a way that no one else can." In a move that signals just how mainstream EVs are now, Walmart is adding fast-charging stations at thousands of locations around the country.

Data collected by Zillow shows that energy-efficient homes often sell faster and for more money.
A team of engineers at Stanford University has developed a solar cell that can generate some electricity at night.

For the Deep-Diver

Entech Solutions is breaking down waste from 4,000 cows to create renewable energy and reduce methane emissions.

A program in Ithaca, New York, is helping people install heat pumps in their mobile homes.
The same practical, enormously successful, approach employed by the Montreal Protocol of 1987 – crafting policies that stimulate new, cost-effective technologies – can be used for carbon dioxide as well.
Wind turbine blade recycling happens close to home: Vestas, a company in Marengo, Iowa, is accepting wind turbine blades from all over the country and grinding them up to make concrete, a double-win for the climate.
Residents of "Cancer Alley" celebrated a recent win against a petrochemical plant.

Oil well re-purposing: Most of the world’s lithium supply for batteries currently comes from hard rock and brine deposits; however,recent advances in extraction technology could make it economically feasible to produce so-called petrolithium from oil and gas drill holes, using a process with a low carbon footprint and extremely low fresh water use.

Renewable energy can be produced from cow manure via anaerobic digesters. A farm in central Pennsylvania is researching how to make this process cost-effective at a small scale.

Replacing the U.S.’s gas-powered auto fleet with electric vehicles would do more than cut direct greenhouse gas emissions: according to a study published this month in the journal Ecological Economics, a scenario in which the U.S. shifts all passenger cars to EVs by the middle of the century could prevent nearly 10 percent of global cropland expansion, mostly in developing countries such as Brazil, China, and India.

The environmental justice movement is growing, and growing up, according to the Father of Environmental Justice Dr. Robert Bullard.

The nonprofit Green 2.0 is helping environmental organizations hire, retain, and promote people of color, diversifying who is at the forefront of environmental decision-making.

For the Inspired

A new report by the Center for Biological Diversity found that 56% of Americans are likely to give a secondhand gift and 68% are likely to make a handmade or DIY gift during the holiday season.
Climate action’s sneaky popularity: A recent study shows that a majority of Americans -- 66 to 80 percent -- support climate policies such as a price on carbon or a Green New Deal.
Rebecca Solnit makes an excellent case for rejecting climate defeatism in her opinion piece in The Guardian.
Demonstrating how storytelling can be a powerful tool in addressing climate change, climate justice advocate Mary Annaïse Heglar reminds us even if you don't feel hopeful, you don't have to feel helpless. “The thing about climate is that you can be overwhelmed by the complexity of the problem, or fall in love with the creativity of the solutions,” she writes.
Wendell Berry envisions what we can achieve if we do the work of climate action well in his poem “A Vision.”
Prompt for the Planet, a program inspired in Iowa City, is an opportunity for young and old to get creative in “speaking” for the planet.
Many natural features along Iowa City's Sycamore Greenspace trail were incorporated to provide key environmental benefits, and anytime is a great time to grab your bike or walking shoes to see some of the features along the trail yourself.

For the Changemaker

Plant a tree! Through the Root for Trees program, Iowa City residents have planted over1,300 trees with vouchers that reduce the tree's purchase price by 50% or more.
Listen to the free “How To Save A Planet” podcast to explore what we need to do to solve the climate crisis and how we can get it done.
Cut down on waste at home with these clever tricks to revive food.
Recycle glass. Glass is infinitely 100% recyclable, and in Iowa City, you’ll be able to recycle glass at more drop-off locations this year.
Purchase with the planet in mind. Rainforest Alliance-certified products help to protect forests, fight climate change, and support human rights.
Support pollinators. You can support monarch butterflies, a pollinator that is vital to a healthy environment, by planting milkweed in your yard.
Eat delicious, plant-based food to reduce environmental impact. Incorporating more meatless meals into your lifestyle significantly cuts down on carbon emissions tied to food production
Engage with Future Earth’s "Good News Tuesday" Instagram series for positive, inspiring news stories related to climate.
Participate. The Iowa City Public Library is continuing to host virtual, environmental-themed events for the community’s benefit. Check out the library's events page.
Recycle batteries! Iowa City continues to expand its battery recycling program for easier participation. See all drop-off locations at www.icgov.org/hhm.
Reduce the impacts of plastic pollution and amp up your recycling habits by also finding opportunities to reduce, reuse, remove, and refuse plastic products.
Use this easy calculator to find out how much your daily commute is costing you, then commit to trying something different. Pick a day to walk, ride a bike, or take a bus to work. Then recalculate your costs to figure out your savings if you kept it up a couple days every week!