Des Moines Register
06-24-07
Hunter: Iowans can take dominant role in finding answers for environment
CAROL HUNTER
THE REGISTER
Can Iowa be a leader in finding solutions to global climate change? The idea is
not so far-fetched.
For starters, as the top producer of corn-grain ethanol, Iowa is also poised to
take the lead in producing ethanol from cellulose, or plant fibers. That's a much
more energy-efficient process.
In addition, the know-how of Iowa farmers and the expertise in plant sciences of
faculty at Iowa State University can be brought to bear in figuring out how best
to grow, till and harvest plants to put carbon back in the soil. Carbon dioxide is
the most common of the greenhouse gases, which trap the sun's heat.
Iowans also can translate their growing concerns about global warming into
pressure on local, state and national leaders to make the issue a top priority.
Some welcome steps already have been taken. In its 2007 session, the Iowa
Legislature began positioning the state to address greenhouse-gas reductions. In
April, Gov. Chet Culver signed legislation to establish a climate-change advisory
council and set up a tracking system for global-warming emissions.
And last weekend, Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie convened a conference of
more than 100 state government representatives and elected officials from
across Iowa to brainstorm ways for city governments to save energy and use
cleaner fuels.
One of the leadoff speakers, Kevin Brubaker of the Environmental Law & Policy
Center, presented a David Letterman-style top-five countdown of ideas for Iowa
to pursue in seeking global-warming solutions. His ideas were intriguing enough
to share, and, if implemented, could indeed vault Iowa into a leading role on
climate change:
No. 5: Expand Amtrak. Illinois is studying the possibility of extending service from
Chicago to Rockford to Dubuque and also to the Quad Cities. Expand those
studies to look at extending service from Dubuque on to Waterloo, and from the
Quad Cities on to Iowa City and Des Moines. This wouldn't supplant the
California Zephyr's national route from the San Francisco area through Denver,
Omaha and southern Iowa to Chicago, but would add Iowa options.
No. 4: Provide free bicycles. Try a high-tech system being tested in Tulsa.
Station bikes at a few high-traffic spots. In Des Moines, that might be at the
Capitol, 801 Grand and Meredith. A credit-card swipe would free a bike from a
locking rack, and another swipe would record the bike's return to one of the
locations, according to the Tulsa World. Use is free if the bike comes back. In
Tulsa, the plan is to charge the rider's credit card $100 if the bike is stolen or not
returned.
No. 3: Buy clean cars. Cities, counties and the state buy thousands of vehicles a
year. They can save money and cut emissions by switching to hybrid gasolineelectric vehicles or other fuel-saving models. There's been progress. One
example: State government has increased use of flex-fuel vehicles that use E-85,
a blend of 85 percent ethanol, which burns cleaner than gasoline. Just last week,
Culver signed an executive order mandating that E-85 make up at least 60
percent of fuel purchases for the state's flex-fuel fleet.
No. 2: Recognize that transportation and land use go hand in hand. Each new
condo in downtown Des Moines staves off an increment of suburban sprawl.
Sprawl furthers decline of central cities and snarls suburban commuters in everheavier traffic. As Brubaker put it, every new downtown apartment is a suburban
house not built, a commute not taken and a farm not eliminated.
No. 1: Force a national discussion on global-warming solutions. Given the role of
the Iowa caucuses in kicking off the presidential nominating process, Iowans
have a unique opportunity and responsibility to press each candidate to detail his
or her plans to address climate change. "What is our next president going to do
to solve the challenge of our generation?" Brubaker asked.
The national media too often still stereotype Iowa caucus-goers "as concerned
about corn, corn and soy," Brubaker said. But what he heard at last weekend's
conference was a lot of concern about global warming and "a genuinely inspiring
local commitment" to finding answers. "Iowa really can be a very important piece
of this solution."