Green Des Moines - News and Events

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News and Events

GreenMyParents Youth Event

December 17, 2011 from 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Franklin Avenue Library, 5000 Franklin

GMP is a peer-to-peer youth movement sponsored by the City of Des Moines Youth Advisory Board. GMP teaches kids how to create savings from electricity and water bills. By sharing ways to conserve energy, water, and gas, as well as making smarter food choices that improve health, kids will introduce their parents to the idea that changing habits and living a greener life is the smartest way to seed the green economy and save the planet. GreenMyParents is a blue-print to do it first where youth have the most control: at home.

GMP first began as a book written by several teenagers that were dedicated to making their communities a better, greener place to live, and has quickly progressed into an international movement. At the event, youth plan to introduce their parents to the movement, training them how to save money as well as the environment.

For additional information on the GreenMyParents movement, check out the blog or the book.

For more information about the Franklin Library event, contact: Lauren Pyle, At-Large Member City of Des Moines Youth Advisory Board.via the City Manager’s Office at 515-283-4141.

Iowa Renewable Energy Association

November 30, 2011
Iowa City, IA

Support I-Renew by joining them for dinner at The Red Avocado.

More information at www.irenew.org/Calendar.html.

Iowa Interfaith Power and Light
Cool Congregations Coffee

December 1, 2011
Cedar Falls, IA

Join the conversation about what faith communities in Iowa are doing to care for the earth, and learn new ways to create more meaningful and earth-friendly holidays with the Reclaim Your Holidays program.

For more information contact Sarah at coolcongregations@iowaipl.org.

Greater Des Moines Partnership, USGBC Iowa Chapter & COSC
LEED ND Webcast Series

December 6, 2011
Des Moines, IA

LEED for Neighborhood Development: Sustainability Beyond Buildings: A Tool to Retrofit Suburbs. Cost is $15 per person for Partnership and USGBC members, $25 for non-members. Lunch is not included. Feel free to bring your lunch.

Trees Forever
Our Woodland Legacy Symposium

December 8, 2011
Cedar Rapids, IA

"Planning for People, Place & Profit". Our Woodland Legacy is a Trees Forever program in partnership with the Holloway Family Environmental Trust that seeks to raise public awareness of how trees, woodlands, and natural areas are community assets that provide real benefits, and that need to be protected.

More information at www.treesforever.org.

Des Moines Named Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation

Des Moines, IA has been named a Tree City USA community by the Arbor Day Foundation to honor its commitment to community forestry. Read press release...

Mayor Cownie Joins Other Mayors on Letter to President Regarding High Carbon Fuels

Mayor Cownie and other member mayors of the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) recently sent a letter to the President about the consumption of tar sands oil and other high carbon fuels.

The mayor and other mayors across the country have signed a USCM climate protection agreement, committing to reducing their cities’ greenhouse gas emissions to 7% below 1990 levels by 2012.

Iowa Green Communities

The Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) is releasing the new Iowa Green Communities Criteria. The Iowa Green Communities Criteria establishes minimum performance-based green building design and construction standards for all upcoming applications for financial assistance from the Iowa Department of Economic Development's Housing Fund, and Main Street Iowa Challenge Grant program.

Information about the Iowa Green Communities Criteria is available online at Green initiatives