There’s a lot going on the next two weeks, so I put all the details after the jump.
Please post a comment or send me an e-mail (desmoinesdem AT yahoo.com) if you know of an event I’ve left out.
I noticed on the Iowa Environmental Council’s newsletter that they are looking for a new program director:
The Iowa Environmental Council is in the process of establishing an air quality program area. The Council is seeking an individual to conduct research, engage in coalition building and public education and advise the Council on policy opportunities available to protect Iowa’s air quality. For job requirements, description, salary information and how to apply, go to: www.iaenvironment.org, and click on “job opening” on the gold sidebar. Please share this information with others.
Monday, March 2:
The Iowa House Ethics Committee will hold a hearing at 10 am concerning an ethics complaint that Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement filed against House Agriculture Committee Chair Dolores Mertz last week. House Ethics Committee Chair Helen Miller has invited Iowa CCI members to attend this meeting, but I don’t know how many people the room can accommodate.
The PFLAG group of the Quad Cities area will meet at 6:30 pm at the Eldridge United Methodist Church, 604 S. 2nd Street in Eldridge.
One Iowa is organizing a Phone Bank for Equality and needs volunteers for these shifts:
One Iowa office, 500 E Locust St Suite 300, Des Moines, IA 50309
5:00pm – 7:00pm
7:00pm – 8:30pm
To sign up to help with the phone bank, go here:
http://eqfed.org/oneiowa/event…
Tuesday, March 3:
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement is holding a rally and lobby day at the state capitol from 10 am to 3:30 pm. For more information, contact Iowa CCI at 515-282-0484 or iowacci@iowacci.org.
Iowa Rivers Revival is also organizing a lobby day
to advocate on behalf of the quality and condition of Iowa’s rivers and streams. Board members have developed a legislative agenda based on River Congress outcomes and many of the problems that affect our rivers each year. We will start the day at 9:00 a.m., at the Wallace Building Auditorium (502 E 9th and Grand) with a review of the legislative agenda and a brief training to familiarize people with the process, break for lunch (a perfect time to invite your legislator for lunch at the Capitol Cafeteria), reconvene to small groups for lobbying, and then debrief with a reception to share our experiences and outcomes from the afternoon. RSVP: rlehman@iowarivers.org
From the Iowa Environmental Council’s e-mail bulletin:
Public Input Needed on Sustainable Biofuels, March 3-4, Ames
The Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels is an international initiative bringing together farmers, companies, non-governmental organizations, experts, governments, and inter-governmental agencies concerned with ensuring the sustainability of biofuels production and processing. The Roundtable is hosting a series of meetings, teleconferences, and online discussions with the aim of achieving global, multistakeholder consensus around the principles and criteria of sustainable biofuels production. The Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels will hold a stakeholder public consultation to receive public feedback on Version Zero of the draft Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Biofuels in Ames, Iowa on March 3-4. The meeting is free and open to the public, and lunch is included. Please RSVP by using the form found at this link, which also has logistic information:
http://www.box.net/shared/stat… The current draft of the Principles can be found here:
From the Sierra Club:
The DNR has rescheduled two public hearings on proposed water quality standard rules to implement an antidegradation policy in Iowa. The hearings were postponed due to winter weather and have been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 3 at:
Independence: 10:00 a.m., Falcon Civic Center, 1305 Fifth Ave. NE
Waukon: 6:00 p.m., in the Northeast Iowa Community College/Waukon Wellness Center, 1220 Third Ave. NW, Suite 102
From the Polk County Conservation Board:
The public is invited to meet and greet Polk County Conservation Director candidates on Tuesday, March 3, from 4:30-5:30 p.m., at the Polk County Administration Building (111 Court Ave., Des Moines). Following this meet and greet, a public interview process will take place beginning at 5:30 p.m. The public is welcome to sit in on these interviews and submit questions. For more information, contact Polk County Conservation at 515-323-5300.
A friend reminded me of this event, which I highly recommend for anyone considering cloth diapering:
The [Des Moines] Cloth Diaper Crowd’s semi-annual cloth diaper garage sale is at 10:00 am Tuesday, March 3 at Vineyard Church, 3615 University Ave in Des Moines. This is a great place to try out new (to you) brands at low cost, or to pass on diapers you’re finished with. Rules and details here. Just so you know, this is a fairly busy and packed event, so if it’s your first taste of the Cloth Diaper Crowd meetings, they’re not all this wild.
One Iowa is organizing another phone bank and needs volunteers:
One Iowa office, 500 E Locust St Suite 300, Des Moines, IA 50309
5:00pm – 7:00pm
7:00pm – 8:30pm
To sign up, click here:
http://eqfed.org/oneiowa/event…
Wednesday, March 4:
Iowa Pride Student Network is holding a rally day at the state capitol. For details and registration click here:
http://www.iowapridenetwork.or…
Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa is holding their “Day on the Hill”:
Wednesday, March 4th, 9 am – 4 pm, Des Moines Botanical Center.
Participation is only $15 which includes the cost of all materials, transportation to and from the State Capitol, lunch, and a reception afterward with light hors d’oerves and beverages.
Can’t make it to Des Moines next Wednesday? Be sure to watch your inbox next week for ways you can participate in “Virtual Day on the Hill”.
If you have questions or would like more information, contact Suzi Alexander at (515) 235-0441.
It’s the last day to submit public comments to the DNR concerning draft water quality rules (“Antidegradation rules”). Background information and talking points can be found on the websites of Sierra Club Iowa or the Iowa Environmental Council. Submit your comments to Adam Schnieders, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Wallace State Office Building, 502 East 9th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0034, fax (515) 281-8895 or by E-mail to adam.schnieders@dnr.iowa.gov. Contact Adam Schnieders at (515) 281-7409 with questions.
Thursday, March 5:
From the Iowa Commission on the Status of Women:
Join the Iowa Commission on the Status of Women & AAUW Iowa in celebration of International Women’s Day at the central Iowa viewing of “A Powerful Noise” at Century 20 Jordan Creek Theater in West Des Moines on Thursday, March 5th at 6:30 p.m.
In honor of International Women’s Day, CARE will present A POWERFUL NOISE Live. This one night event will begin with our acclaimed documentary, A Powerful Noise, which follows three women from different countries who overcome seemingly insurmountable odds to bring lasting solutions to their communities.
Immediately after the film, a town hall discussion with Madeleine K. Albright, Natalie Portman, Nicholas Kristof, Christy Turlington Burns and Dr. Helene Gayle will be broadcast live to all theatres.
Friday, March 6
Thanks to ragbrai08 for alerting me to this:
March 6th, 2009
Volunteer at the Des Moines Bike Collective
617 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50309
Phone (515) 288-8022
7:00 PMHelp this community-based co-op by volunteering to do things like organize parts, inflate and test tires, lubricate chains, basic tune-ups, tidy up our shop, remove parts from scrapper bikes, or cut up scrapper bikes for the recycler.
By the way, if you’ve got bikes you’ll never ride again gathering dust in your garage, consider donating them to the Des Moines Bike Collective.
There will also be a Red Rock Bald Eagle Watch in the Pella area on March 6 and 7:
Join us for bald eagle watch at Howell Station, outdoor viewing (10-5) and Central College, indoor programs (10-5). See hundreds of eagles and learn more about our national symbol. This is a free event with fun and educational activities indoors and outdoors. More details and a map are available at the Lake Red Rock events page at: http://www2.mvr.usace.army.mil… or call 641-828-7522. Other 2009 Eagle watch events are listed at www.mvr.usace.army.mil/missriver/.
Saturday, March 7:
Local Foods Connection, Edible Iowa River Valley Magazine, New Pioneer Co-operative Grocery Store and the City of Iowa City are co-sponsoring Iowa City’s Fifth Annual Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Fair:
12pm to 4pm
Robert A. Lee Community Recreation Center
Social Hall
220 South Gilbert Street
Iowa City, IowaMeet local farmers and learn how you can enjoy fresh produce throughout Iowa’s growing season! A CSA membership provides you with four to five months of delicious, healthy produce.
From the Iowa Environmental Council bulletin:
The annual event of the Raccoon River Watershed Association is March 7, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at DMACC- West (5959 West Grand Avenue). Several presentations will illustrate “Life in the Raccoon River.” Presentations include: a Raccoon River Assessment by Dr. Mary Skopec, Research Geologist, DNR Water Monitoring Section; “Life in Walnut Creek”–A tributary to the Raccoon River in Des Moines,” by Dr. Tom Rosburg, Biology Professor, Drake University; a dragonfly update by Steve Hummel, Dragonfly Society of the Americas; “Bird Life in the Raccoon Watershed,” by Dr. Lee Searles, Watershed Consultant and Adjunct Instructor of Anthropology, DMACC. The event is free and open to the public.
Monday, March 9:
The Mason City PFLAG meeting featuring Varnum v. Brien plaintiffs, David and Larry, will start at 7 pm at 1st Presbyterian Church, 100 S. Pierce St. in Mason City.
Tuesday, March 10:
From the Iowa Environmental Council bulletin:
“Living with Floods: From Science to Policy,” a symposium that brings together top academicians and agency representatives from across the country to consider the current state of flood “science,” impacts, mitigation, insurance, and policy. The symposium is especially appropriate for individuals affected by the flood, water resources managers, municipal and country leaders, and policy makers. Registrants will have an opportunity to ask questions and engage symposium panel members in active discussion. Keynote speaker Gerald Galloway, author of “The Galloway Report,” kicks off the symposium with a free public lecture titled, “When will we ever learn? The challenge of dealing with frequent flooding,” on Tuesday evening, March 10. The symposium follows on March 11-12. For more information, and to register, visit the the symposium website at: http://ppc.uiowa.edu/dnn4/Defa…
Also on March 10, the Johnson County Heritage Trust presents Prairie Preview XXVI featuring Dr. Bill Zales, retired college botany professor, now prairie restorationist and open lands advocate. His talk is titled “The (Lost) Hills of Western Iowa”. The event will take place at Parkview Church, 15 Foster Road in Iowa City, Tuesday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m. Doors open to public to view exhibits at 6:30. The Prairie Preview program includes information and displays from your local environmental organizations and agencies. Refreshments provided. For additional information contact 319/857-4741 or www.jcht.org
The PFLAG Ames meeting starts at 7 pm at Youth and Shelter Services, 420 Kellogg Ave, 1st Floor, in Ames.
Wednesday, March 11:
The Living with Floods symposium will be held in Iowa City (see above) on March 11 and 12.
Thursday, March 12:
From the Iowa Environmental Council bulletin:
REAP Lobby Day at the State Capitol
8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Organizations in the REAP Alliance will have displays on protecting Iowa’s natural and cultural resources. Alliance representatives will meet with legislators to urge support for REAP programs and funding. To learn more about REAP, go to www.iowareap.com. Contact: Steve Jordison, Iowa Park and Recreation Association executive director (REAP Alliance member) 641-236-3917 (office in Grinnell), jordison@pcpartner.net.
Plains Justice and Iowa Interfaith Power and Light are co-sponsoring an event in Cedar Falls:
Come to an evening of conversation about the Marshalltown coal plant with Carrie La Seur of Plains Justice, who helped stop the Waterloo coal plant, www.plainsjustice.org. March 12, Thursday, 7 – 9pm, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 2410 Melrose, Cedar Falls Iowa 50613 http://www.st-lukes-episcopal…. The evening will include a brief screening of Fighting Goliath: Texas Coal Wars, the story of Texans fighting the battle again the 19 proposed coal plants, which includes a segment on the faith response, and will conclude with taking action by signing postcards and writing letters to the DNR. This event is co-sponsored by Iowa Interfaith Power & Light, creating a religious response to climate change, www.iowaipl.org and Community Energy Solutions of Black Hawk County. http://cleanairwaterloo.com. Questions: director@iowaipl.org
The PFLAG Omaha/Council Bluffs meeting begins at 6:30 pm at the First United Methodist Church, Mead Hall, 7020 Cass St., Omaha.
State Environmental Protection Commission chair Henry Marquard will meet with Iowa City area environmentalists to discuss their concerns from 7 pm to 9 pm in the Iowa City Public Library room B.
Saturday, March 14:
Iowa Recycling Association Benefit
Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 14, 7:30 (North Ridge Pavilion, Coralville) for a social gathering and presentation featuring adventurer and author Alvah Simon. Tickets: $35. www.iowarecycles.org, or 515-265-1596. Alvah Simon has spent 13 years sailing the world, finding adventure in Borneo’s jungles, Africa’s deserts, and Cape Horn’s ship graveyards. Simon is best known for his death-defying voyage to the Arctic Circle. He shares these experiences, and the universal lessons learned, through his spellbinding presentation and spectacular photography. Experience this utterly unforgettable and moving story of courage, fortitude and discovery.