The City's 5th annual Climate Fest celebrated the many ways our community has taken action to address climate change. Check back for more information on each day as we get closer to Climate Fest.
Monday, Sept. 23: CoCoRaHS Training, 4:30-6 p.m.
Citizen scientists needed for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS)! Climate change is impacting rainfall in Iowa City. Join a corps of volunteers working to collect precipitation data that can be used by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) researchers.
Learn about CoCoRaHS, how to participate in the program, and more! This training is hosted by the City's Climate Action and Outreach Division and facilitated by a Meteorologist from NOAA/National Weather Service (NWS).
4:30-6
Senior Center Assembly Room
Iowa City residents who attend the training are eligible for 50% off an official CoCoRaHS rain gauge if they choose to volunteer for CoCoRaHS.
Space is limited, sign up to attend the training here!
Take a free bus to this event! All routes stop within a 2-block walk to the Senior Center.
Tuesday, Sept. 24: Fare Free at Big Grove, 5-8 p.m.
Join us in celebrating one year of fare free transit in Iowa City! Pit your wits against transit questions in a lively game of trivia, share your favorite reason to take the bus on a collaborative comment wall, and raise a glass to toast our hardworking bus drivers. Enjoy fun activities and games for all ages and hobnob with Bus Buddies!
Take a free bus to this event! Route 13: South Gilbert and Route 1: South Iowa City both stop on Gilbert Street near Big Grove.
Wednesday Sept. 25: Music & a Movie
Community Sing at Chauncy Swan Park, 6-6:30 p.m.
Sing with Family Folk Machine as they lead a Community Sing at Chauncey Swan Park. The mental health benefits of communal singing are powerful.
Don't want to sing? That is okay, spread out on the park grass to relax and listen!
Rain location is the Robert A. Lee gymnasium
TheScale of Hope at The Chauncey FilmScene, 7-8 p.m.
Before and after the film League of Women Voters will assist with voter registration int he FilmScene lobby, and freewill donations from filmgoers will go to the group to support them in their important work.
“When we can lead with hope, everyone can be part of it.” Former White House climate advisor Molly Kawahata shares a deeply personal story in this documentary about mental health, hope, and climate action. Scale of Hope shows Molly’s climate action journey while she ponders the questions – What can I do to help?
Check out FilmScene's new reusable popcorn containers, purchased with grant support from Iowa City's Climate Action and Outreach division
Take a free bus to both events. All routes stop within a 3-block walk to all locations.
Thursday, Sept. 26: Level Up Your Climate Action Plan at the Iowa City Public Library, 3-6 p.m.
"Electrification is today's Victory Garden- it's up to us to achieve our potential and meet the moment."
Doors, windows, insulation, water heaters, heating and cooling systems, stoves, solar panels, batteries: since the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) kicked into gear in 2023, American households have been positioned to save thousands of dollars on appliance upgrades and efficiency-related improvements. But where to start, and what do you qualify for? Drop by the ICPL on Thursday during the event to find out!
Craft your personal electrification plan in ICPL's Digital Media Lab using a handy online portal from Rewiring America, you will be able to generate a personalized plan for your household. Drop in anytime between 3-6 p.m. to meet with coaches from Johnson County Clean Energy District, who can help answer questions about their experience with heat pumps, solar panels, induction stoves, heat pump water heaters and more! Climate Action staff will assist attendees with questions about tax rebates and incentives. Grab a cup of cocoa or tea brewed on an induction cooktop!
Electrification not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions, it supports a market that is inherently local. In contrast to fossil fuels, dollars spent on electricity largely stay inside the United States, often within one's own community. To download a guide to help you with your electric journey visit Rewiring America's website here.
Take a free bus to this event! All routes stop within a 2-block walk to the ICPL.
Friday, Sept. 27: Nonprofit Nerd Out at the Senior Center, 2-4 p.m.
Fighting food waste, protecting water and prairies, increasing affordable housing and transportation, growing healthy food- Iowa city nonprofits are truly inspiring agents of change! But what inspires them? Find out at the Nonprofit Nerd Out. This unique tabling event includes fun-informative mini presentations from local organizations. Come away newly inspired and connected to the great work happening in our community. Connect with local nonprofits, grab free swag, explore opportunities, events, and more!
Take a free bus to this event! All routes stop within a 2-block walk to the Senior Center.
Saturday, Sept. 28: EVs at the Market, 7:30 a.m.-Noon
Driving an electric vehicle is convenient, less expensive than driving a gas car, and fun! Whether you already own an EV and want to share the love or you are EV curious and want a chance to talk to real, local drivers, this event is for you! The electric vehicle show will run alongside the Iowa City's Farmers Market downtown as part of National Drive Electric Week. The event will include
An electric vehicle show, where you can speak to EV owners about driving electric
E-bikes; learn about these bikes directly from cyclists
Take a free bus to this event. All routes stop within a 3-block walk to the Farmer's Market.
If you have an EV you and want to participate, please visit the National Drive Electric Week website here to sign up, as space is limited.
All Month long: Bus Stop Mosaics
Bus shelters in Iowa City neighborhoods get a beauty treatment for the month of September: a celebration and reminder of the role of transportation in our climate future. Enjoy the artwork designed by Erica Danner and installed by volunteers from Sept. 1- Sept. 28.
Muscatine Ave/Court Street - Buzz Stop
Collaborative decorating by the Morningside-Glendale and Longfellow Neighborhood Associations
North Van Buren Street/East Jefferson Street - Butterfly Stop
Decorated by the Iowa City Public Library staff and teen volunteers
East Court Street/South Westminster Street (Court Hill Park entrance- Under the sea Stop
Decorated by Climate Action and Outreach staff and community Climate Ambassadors
Lakeside Drive/Nevada Ave - Petal Stop
Decorated by City staff Climate Ambassadors and community Climate Ambassadors
To review the City's bus routes/stops visit the digital map.
Check out the locations of Climate Fest events on this Google Map here.
Questions about Climate Fest? Email Megan Hill at mhill@iowa-city.org.
Bike to Work Week Burrito Breakfast
In honor of Bike to Work Week, the City of Iowa City will be serving fresh burritos at Chauncey Swan Park at 405 E. Washington Street. Vegan options will be available while supplies last. Coffee and orange juice will also be served, but please bring your own mug.
This event will happen rain or shine, so make sure to pedal on over to the park for a spoke-tacular breakfast courtesy of the City's Climate Action Office and the Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County.
Thursday, May 16, 2024
7-9 a.m.
This year, Bike to Work Week takes place May 13 through 19 as part of May's National Bike Month. Commuting to work has seen an increase in popularity over the years. Not only does bicycling provide a healthful and fun way to travel, it also saves money and provides an emission free way to commute.
The annual Neighborhood Energy Blitz is back on Saturday, April 20, 2024. Volunteers are needed for two shifts. The morning shift will deliver energy saving kits to households in the Washington Hills neighborhood. The afternoon shift will pick up any kits still outside and return to the meeting point to sort collected materials.
Morning shift 9 a.m. - noon
Afternoon shift 2:30-5:30 p.m.
The rain date for this event is scheduled for Saturday, May 4, 2024. The shift times are the same.
A training for all volunteers will take place on Zoom a few days prior to the event. More information about the training will be sent to those who sign up.
