Green Initiative Articles

October 2009

October 4 - 30th Anniversary of Pope in Iowa
Pope John Paul II in Des Moines on Oct. 4, 1979:  "The land is not only God's gift, it is also [our] responsibility . .
.You are stewards of some of the most important resources God has given the world . . . conserve the land well, so that your children's children and generations after them will inherit an even richer land than was entrusted to you."  A challenging message to Iowans and the world that is even more urgent 30 years later. Live green.

October 11 - Notes from the Green Committee
Featured in the Oct. 5, 2009 edition of Time Magazine is an article entitled "Heroes of the Environment," which lists outstanding individuals and cities around the world who have made tremendous strides in "going Green." While our community is not list, maybe someday we will be. The theme of the Time article is "when it comes to cleaning up our planet, a few smart people can make all the difference." In the same issue: an article about Fair Trade Coffee. Sound familiar?

October 18 - Fall in the Garden
Fall is always cleanup time for our lawns and gardens. Doing a good job now will pay rewards next spring. Evaluating where we are this fall and planning ahead makes good gardening sense. Gardens and lawns do not sleep in the winter; they rest and prepare for spring. Gardens and out lives have a great deal in common. With pruning, cleanup, attention and preparation, both are enriched and ready for new life and growth.

October 25 - Meaning of Greening
"Being green is really no one practice, but a combination of things," says Jeff Carey, founder of the Iowa Green Team.  The three areas of focus are green buildings and homes, green products and green practices.
• Homes/buildings: Use energy-efficient windows, heating, electricity; use green building materials in renovations or new homes/buildings.
• Green products: Select green "indoor" cleaning products; no pesticides or chemicals on lawns/gardens.
• Day-to-day choices and practices: recycle, compost food scraps and waste, purchase Energy Star appliances and green electronics (www.EPEAT.net ), wash with cold water, eat locally-grown foods, look for minimal packaging in purchases. 
Adapted from PrairieWoods, Nov/Dec 2009 issue; Jeff Carey, founder of Cedar Rapids-based Iowa Green Team.