This week in Iowa organizing…
While the news is still largely about the presidential election and who will control the House of Representatives, let's take a moment to celebrate some people-first wins from across the country:
Paid sick leave passed in Missouri, Alaska, and Nebraska - every state where it was on the ballot.
People love their public schools - voters rejected funneling public money to private schools, Florida voters rejected a measure to make school board elections partisan, and others increased funding for public schools.
Bruce Rastetter must be fuming - South Dakota voters rejected a law that would have made it easier for Summit Carbon to build its CO2 pipeline.
As Lisa and Cherie noted last Wednesday, our role is as important as ever. Real change happens by building our people power, by leading with love and a bold vision for our future.
So let's keep at it,
Matthew Covington
Strategic Operations Director
Take action
November 12: next steps for pipeline ordinance in Worth County
On Tuesday, November 12 at 8:30 am the Worth County Board of Supervisors will receive a draft CO2 pipeline ordinance and can vote to schedule a public hearing as the next step.
This ordinance includes a minimum half-mile setback distance which would protect our communities and future economic development from Summit’s CO2 pipeline. We want to urge the Board of Supervisors to adopt this ordinance, as written, throughout the public hearing process.
Join us at the County courthouse on Nov. 12 at 8:30 am to show support for the ordinance. RSVP here.
November 13: Water is Life - meeting and art in Mason City
Summit Carbon Solutions wants to extract over 3 billion gallons of water each year. We know that isn’t right and we also know that when we fight back, we win! Join us on November 13 in Mason City to learn about local solutions to protect our water.
This event will include:
Screen print your own t-shirt station starting at 6 PM! We'll have a snazzy design. Bring a blank T-shirt or tote bag to participate. (One item/person please)
A short program at 6:45 PM featuring Jack Stinogel from Iowa Homeland Security! During the program we will hear from Jack about how counties can plan for and mitigate drought in addition to updates on local efforts to protect our water from the CO2 pipeline.
Jack is a hazard mitigation planner at Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management, working to build the state's resilience to natural hazards. Jack has a wide-ranging background, from communication and language to law to urban planning. He's passionate about green infrastructure, multimodal transportation, energy resiliency, and regenerative agriculture.
Please RSVP here. Your RSVP helps us prepare for t-shirt supplies and snacks!
Also November 13: Factory farms, your health, and the cancer connection
Why are Iowa's cancer rates rising? Are they connected to the high rates of nitrates in Iowa's drinking water and industrial agriculture's liberal use of harmful agrichemicals across the state? Is "binge drinking" to blame or is there a cancer/industrial agriculture connection?
On Wednesday Nov 13 in Iowa City at 7 PM join the Iowa Alliance for Responsible Agriculture at the Iowa City Public Library (123 S. Linn Street) to dig in more on these questions!
Water quality expert Dr. Chris Jones, public health expert Audrey Tran Lam, registered dietician Mary Jo Forbord, and Field to Family’s Michelle Kenyon examine how our current agricultural practices harm human health and how you can access cleaner, healthier, environmentally-friendly local foods.
If you wish to participate via Zoom, register here. Learn more about each speaker here.
November 18: 'The Education Wars' author call (and book club on Nov. 12)
To wrap up our Education Wars Book Club we're hosting a Zoom call with the authors of The Education Wars: A Citizen's Guide and Defense Manual, Jennifer Berkshire and Jack Schneider, on Monday, Nov 18, at 6 pm CST.
Journalist Jennifer Berkshire and education scholar Jack Schneider outline the core issues driving the education wars, offering essential information about issues, actors, and potential outcomes. Especially now, their "citizen's guide and defense manual" will be a vital tool in shaping our path forward. RSVP for the author call here.
Whether you've finished the book, are just starting, or still have it on your pile to read – we invite you in! And you can still join us for our last online book club meeting Tuesday, Nov. 12 - register here!
November 19: Anaerobic digesters: heroes or villains?
Anaerobic digesters, or containers that use bacteria to break down organic materials in the absence of oxygen, have significant down-to-earth consequences.
Laura Orlando, civil engineer, adjunct professor at Boston University, and senior scientist at Just Zero, will discuss the role of anaerobic digesters in the management of sewage sludge at wastewater treatment plants, as well as the greenwashing about their energy efficiency and production of “biosolids” as a fertilizer.
This presentation will be over Zoom on November 19 at 1pm, RSVP here.
CCI Action 2024 year-end campaign - join us!
Our year-end campaign is our week-long, power building party! It's our biggest fundraiser and membership drive of the year and is critical to growing CCI Action's membership.
Dec 2 - 6 members and staff will be working together to raise much needed funds for 2025, renew current CCI Action members, and ask new people to join our movement.
Here are two fun and important ways you can participate:
Help us get out the mail! We’ll be assembling mail together at the CCI office NEXT WEEK from Tues Nov 12 - Fri Nov 15 from 10 am - 5 pm every day. You can drop in, chat with staff and other volunteers, enjoy some food and help us complete the largest piece of our year-end fundraiser! We'll have structured shifts, but the hours will be flexible. Reply to this email if you can help! Thanks to all the awesome volunteers who have been in touch already!
Get on the phones! We'll be calling fellow members all five days of the campaign. In Des Moines, we have two shifts daily Mon-Thurs from 12-3pm and 5-8pm, and a 12-3pm shift on Dec 6. We are planning for a couple phone banks outside Des Moines - stay tuned! Calls are a great way to connect with members across the state, renew their membership, and raise funds to do the work. Sign up here to join a phone bank. Any questions, contact kim@iowacci.org.
BONUS! Fundraising volunteers will receive this year's limited-edition CCI Action swag.
What We're Reading
These are a few links that are informing our work - we've shared them so that you can read, too!
Why Democrats lost in rural America. Again. [Barn Raiser]
Nearly all of US states are facing droughts, an unprecedented number [The Guardian]
Trump's White House return poised to tangle health care safety net [Iowa Capital Dispatch]
Why farmers use harmful insecticides they may not need [Civil Eats]
In Amish country, an unlikely partnership with beef giant JBS roils community [The New Lede]