Southeast Iowa Sierra Club

A big thank you to the community from the Resilient Community Challenge team! Thank you to all our community partners, speakers, workshop hosts, organizations, the lovely, talented young designers and musicians for participating in this year's Earth Day event and moving Fairfield one step closer to becoming a circular, sustainable city!

Fairfield Public Library Maharishi International University MIU Sustainable & Regenerative Living Centered Wealth RileyDesigns Hy-Vee TerraCycle Fairfield Radiance Dairy Golden Magnolia Sanctuary Terry K. Philips Scream Frozen Desserts American Sustainable Business Network Maharishi School Iowa Fairfield CoLab Apex Clean Energy Everybody's Whole Foods Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce Green Building Supply Deep Green Machine, Inc Jefferson County Farmers & Neighbors, Inc. - JFAN Bob Ferguson Wellness Sanctuary Fairfield Restore Fairfield Sustainable Living Coalition REDU Reed Law, The Espy Family, Ken and Sheila Ross hedgeapplekombucha Faith Reeves Werner Elmker Alden Wicker Sustainable Iowa Land Trust - SILT Seventh Generation The Organic & Non-GMO Report Francis Thicke Minca Borg and everyone else

Come on over to the Fairfield arts and convention center for the final hours of the Earth Day Resilient Community Challenge. The Eco-fashion show starts at 3:30 pm 😍🧚🏽🦋

🌱♻️🌱 A resilient community is one that is designed to eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials so their full value is made use of, and regenerates nature. A resilient and circular community is good for people, local economies and the environment. This concept is not unique to Fairfield, Iowa nor to our country or the planet.

Our first group of speakers from around the country exemplify how a circular model can be applied to most any area of interest. The more we explore the possibilities for building circular models, the more it opens up both new challenges and new possibilities.

🌟 Amber Lasciak, founder of ReDu

🌟 Martin Wolf, Seventh Generation

🌟 Alden Wicker, author To Dye For

🌟 Keynote David Levine, president and cofounder of the
American Sustainable Business Network

Travel Iowa Visit Fairfield

Southeast Iowa Sierra Club The Southeast Iowa Group of the Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club

https://youtu.be/wCPHgiCM_08?si=CqtTScVgOVV7fzwA&t=255 my message starts at 4:15 and ends at 13:45. Hands on fun at FACC April 20th

Chamber Talk | Marg Dwyer " Sierra Club - Earth Day" www.fairfieldmediacenter.comwww.facebook.com/fairfieldmediacenterwww.twitter.com/FFMediaCenterwww.youtube.com/fairfieldmediacenter

https://youtu.be/wCPHgiCM_08?si=CqtTScVgOVV7fzwA&t=255 Hands on fun on Saturday, April 20th at FACC- here's a nine minute video of what's available for Earth Day. Starts at 4:25 with my message, ends at 13:45.

Chamber Talk | Marg Dwyer " Sierra Club - Earth Day" www.fairfieldmediacenter.comwww.facebook.com/fairfieldmediacenterwww.twitter.com/FFMediaCenterwww.youtube.com/fairfieldmediacenter

Last Day To Sign Up!

Showcase your creativity at the Eco-Jam Fashion Show this Earth Day at the Resilient Community Challenge on April 20th! Design outfits using recyclable and upcycled materials to highlight the global waste issue and inspire a transition to a circular and zero waste community! Sign up by Friday, April 12th using the link below:

https://shorturl.at/cHMW9

Deadline Extended! Register by APRIL 13th for this year's EcoFashion Show! ♻️🕺🌎💃🏽💃

Categories: Paper, Plastic, Fabric/Textiles, and Mixed Media

🏆 Prizes will consist of treat coupons for each participant, and a $50 gift card for the overall winner. 💵🍦🎉

👉 To apply, follow the steps below:

1) Complete this form by Saturday, April 13, 2024.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScWxRwE7Lsf6DMe5ZHdq7oHV_Eguawuh5SW1WsExlHsMyYe1Q/viewform?fbclid=IwAR04bcWfW-kxejTLMXwKjOZk9-iMpFym0L-iaGwoJCpfFwdzBEstzJFQiXg_aem_Af0hf5baej6JR2iYFvtm4JkBoVsVjPD3QWF0A2sU6uNkgF5-NiEHcziQcNGpcRqTlNOCjngCutlgwCpY30qZPFFm
2) Submit a photo or video of your creation for acceptance by Wednesday, April 17th to [email protected], along with a brief description of your process, materials, and inspiration.
3) We will contact you to confirm approval of your entry and to provide details about when to arrive, where to store your piece before the show, etc.

🌎 The Eco-Fashion Show is part of the Resilient Community Challenge event at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center Participants may attend for the whole day and bring friends and family. Judging and showcasing of the Eco-fashion showpieces will be near the end of the day. 🌿

We look forward to meeting you and seeing your unique designs! 💚

EcoJam Fashion Show 2024 As part of the Saturday, April 20, 2024, Resilient Community Challenge event and back by popular demand is the Eco-Fashion Show! The Eco-Fashion Show is scheduled for the afternoon of April 20. It’s a fun way to highlight the global trash problem while inspiring imaginative reuse. It’s also a ch...

We are excited to announce that Faith Reeves is Fairfield's new Sustainability Coordinator!

Faith will be leading the Resilient Fairfield Initiative. The Resilient Fairfield Initiative is a three-year community-led effort to build a resilient and flourishing future model for Fairfield that provides direction to the community through the next decade, ensuring a thriving and healthy future.

In 2022, the City of Fairfield, Maharishi International University (MIU) and the Southeast Iowa Sierra Club joined forces to create a Resilient Fairfield Management Team. Through their collective efforts, the Management Team secured funding pledges from MIU, the City of Fairfield and the broader community to support a Sustainability Coordinator for three years to lead the charge in moving the Resilient Fairfield Initiative forward.

After an extensive search, Faith Reeves has been hired by the City of Fairfield to lead the charge. Well embedded in the Fairfield community and the world of sustainability, when Faith doesn’t have her hands in the dirt or volunteering for a myriad of community efforts, she serves as a soil expert, farmer, and educator on sustainable practices. Faith managed the Sky Factory Farm for five years. This 3.5-acre perennial food forest provided fruits and vegetables to 40 employees. Most recently, Faith was the Fairfield Garden Initiative’s program coordinator, as well as the home garden and soil health educator. Faith also sits on the Sustainable Living Coalition (SLC) board, a local non-profit organization.

Faith will take on an important leadership role in a process already underway. Earlier in 2023, the Resilient Action Committee (RAC) was formed. Today the RAC is a thriving entity with over 35 community members participating in the future resilience planning process. The purpose of the RAC is to develop a set of recommendations to be implemented through public/private partnerships in six thematic areas: Energy and Buildings, Foodways, Enterprise Solutions and Community Connectivity, Land Use, Waste Management, and Ecosystems.

Faith will be supported by two Green Iowa America Members, Alison Stimson and June Breffle, who have been contracted by the City of Fairfield and the University of Northern Iowa to join the team in developing a new community-based Resilience Action Plan.

To learn more about the Resilient Fairfield Initiative, please reach out to Faith at: [email protected]

"All Goodwill Locations accept almost any computer related item. We’ll take your unwanted and even broken computers, printers, monitors, and anything you can plug or put into a computer. Sorry, we cannot accept empty inkjet cartridges or CRT monitors with cracks or glass breaks." Click below to read more.

Computer Donations - Goodwill of the Heartland What can I donate? All Goodwill Locations accept almost any computer related item. We’ll take your unwanted and even broken computers, printers,

SOUTHEAST IOWA SIERRA CLUB ANNUAL MEETING -NOVEMBER 4
Open to Members and the General Public

Southeast Iowa Sierra Club will hold its annual meeting at the Cider House on Pleasant Plain Road on Saturday, November 4 from 12:30 to 2:30. The event is open to Sierra Club members and the public.

Lonnie Gamble, long-time innovator and educator in the field of sustainability, will explore the Fab Cities and community-owned Fab Labs models and how they might apply to the Resilient Fairfield Initiative now underway through a partnership between the City of Fairfield, MIU, the SE Iowa Sierra Club and the broader Fairfield community.

A $20 buffet opens at 12:30, ends at 1:15 and will be followed by Lonnie’s talk. RSVP to 641-919-8625 for meal reservations by Thursday, Nov. 2. Please note, Cider House does not open for regular service until 4:00.

SOUTHEAST IOWA SIERRA CLUB ANNUAL MEETING -NOVEMBER 4
All are welcome!

Southeast Iowa Sierra Club will hold its annual meeting at the Cider House on Pleasant Plain Road on Saturday, November 4 from 12:30 to 2:30. The event is open to Sierra Club members and the public.

Lonnie Gamble, long-time innovator and educator in the field of sustainability, will explore the Fab Cities and community-owned Fab Labs models and how they might apply to the Resilient Fairfield Initiative now underway through a partnership between the City of Fairfield, MIU, the SE Iowa Sierra Club and the broader Fairfield community.

A $20 buffet opens at 12:30, ends at 1:15 and will be followed by Lonnie’s talk. RSVP to 641-919-8625 for meal reservations by Thursday, Nov. 2. Please note, Cider House does not open for regular service until 4:00.

Photo by Arnaud Mesureur on Unsplash Download this photo by Arnaud Mesureur on Unsplash

Don't miss the premier of this uplifting documentary, right here in Fairfield for three nights, Oct 11-12-13, 7:00 to 8:45 pm, at Fairfield's Sondheim Theater, 200 N. Main St. Tickets $7.00.

Common Ground documentary (2023) - Official Trailer From the filmmakers of ‘Kiss the Ground’ (Netflix) comes the follow-up documentary ‘Common Ground,’ recipient of the Tribeca Film Festival 2023 Human/Nature ...

We’re partnering with the Fairfield Beautification Commission on their “plogging” initiative!

What’s plogging, you ask? It’s when you jog (or walk) and pick up litter at the same time!

We’re excited to combine outdoor movement, community building, and climate consciousness.

Join us at Central Park on 8/21 at 5:30pm. Please sign up on our website under the volunteer section of the homepage.

Also, don’t forget to like the Fairfield Beautification Commission page on Facebook and share this post with a jogging buddy!

Join Trees Forever staff on Friday, July 28, for a free educational webinar!

From 12-1 PM, we'll go on an exciting journey exploring our backyard forests as food banks and the endless possibilities for foraging your next meal!

This will be an engaging "forum" focused on options for your very own backyard.

Preregister online by clicking this link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7578522864103803739

How can you practice reusing as a consumer?

There are infinite ways to reuse items! It all depends on what is available and useful for you.

An easy practice is keeping reusable shopping bags and totes in your car.

Using coffee mugs and reusable take-out containers eliminates a surprising amount of waste!

You can rent rather than buy seldom used equipment, or borrow from a tool library.
You can even rent clothing for special events so it can be reused by others who need it!

These are just a few ideas to get you started. Comment your favorite way to reuse items below!

What are the benefits of reusing?

1) You create less waste in the first place

When you decide to use something again or repurpose an item, you keep that item out of the landfill! Small actions like these add up to a big impact.

2) You conserve your resources

What helps the planet helps us too! Anything that you can reuse is saving you the added cost of replacing that item.

Here at Southeast Iowa Sierra Club, we’re all about win-win solutions!

What does it mean to reuse items?

Some items can be reused without repair, especially cardboard goods.

Example: boxes are commonly reused for storing or shipping.

Additionally, we can think of a different purpose for items to give them a second life.

For instance, election yard signs can be repurposed for yard sales or notices. Glass iced tea bottles can be used as vases or for homemade iced coffee!

Reusing is a way for us to get creative! What items do you like to reuse?

How can you practice repairing as a consumer?

Here are 4 ideas to get you started!

1) Sharpening your kitchen knives and tools
2) Mending clothing
3) Repairing small appliances
4) Checking warranty information before you buy a new product

We'd love to hear your ideas! What repair tips do you have?

You may save time and money when you repair items yourself!

When manufacturers insist products be returned to the factory for repair, there may be unacceptable time lags.

You may have to be without your appliance / tractor / cell phone / computer for days, weeks or months.

Often there may be extensive costs for shipping and even simple repairs!

Repairing items yourself not only preserves your resources, but also protects the health of the environment.

When you ship items off for repair, you incur more carbon emissions during transport.

If you decide to throw something away instead of fixing it, you add to the buildup of waste in landfills.

Whenever you have the ability to repair, please consider doing yourself and the earth a favor.

Repairing items is better for the environment than throwing them away!

The right to repair is a legal right for owners of devices and equipment to freely modify and repair products such as automobiles, electronics, and farm equipment.

Here are 2 things to keep in mind:

1. Many manufacturers will void a warranty if the consumer tampers with the item.

Make sure you know how to perform the repair correctly, or find someone in your community who does.

2. Some manufacturers will construct the item such that one needs a (very expensive and hard to find) specialized tool to open the appliance to perform even the most basic repair or adjustment.

Consider whether you have the necessary resources to perform the repair.

Join us tomorrow from 8 AM to 1 PM for our Zero Waste Repair Fair!

Our fix-it experts will be helping us with:

Jewelry repair
DIY home project advice
Small appliances
Small engine trouble-shooting
Knife and tool sharpening

Please bring items for repair with you if possible.

Let’s learn by practicing waste diversion together! We hope to see you there!

How can we support redesigning as consumers?

Where we spend our money matters.

When we shop, we should choose products whose parts can be recycled or composted when they reach the end of their life.

It can be difficult to consider long-term impact when we want convenience. It takes practice!

When you want to buy something, think about ways that you can reuse a piece of the item once you’re done with it.

Let’s get inventive together! Share a sustainable company or your favorite hacks for reusing products to inspire your community!

What are the benefits of redesign?

When a company redesigns its products, everyone wins! Here are 4 key benefits of conscious production:

1. Increased worker safety without toxic materials
2. Streamlined systems for easier and cheaper production
3. Lower costs of meeting regulations for production waste
4. Fewer single-use and mixed-component products in landfills

What’s your go-to company for mindful manufacturing? Comment below!

Diversion Method 2: What is redesigning?

Redesigning means making things in such a way that they can be reused, recycled, or decomposed.

For example, companies can alter their products so that they contain:

Only natural fibers (that eventually decompose)
Only natural dyes (no hazmat suits or expensive waste treatments required)
Quality, durable metals (rather than cheap, one-time use alloys)

At the end of the product’s first life, they can be reduced to reusable or compostable components!

ONE WEEK AWAY

Our annual repair fair is almost here! Don’t forget to bring small items for repair to the Farmers Market this Saturday.

We’ll be running our zero waste repair booth all morning on June 10th! Come to Howard Park and learn how to REPAIR, RENEW, and REUSE what you own!

Waste diversion is a scalable concept.

On the individual level, here are some simple ways you can divert waste:

1. Recycle clothes you no longer want at Goodwill or consignment shops, and consider second hand clothes when you need replacements

2. Avoid using disposable cups by bringing your own mug to your favorite coffee spot

3. Learn to compost your food and yard waste or join a program that does it for you

4. Unsubscribe from catalogs, credit offers, and other unsolicited mail

5. Use your voice as a consumer. Contact producers and distributors and express your disapproval of excessive and unnecessary packaging, especially plastic.

3 Key Benefits of Waste Diversion:

Keeping waste out of the landfills reduces GHG emissions and “soil and water pollution”

A company can save money by reusing waste instead of outsourcing raw materials and causing more pollution

Businesses can sell their waste to other companies for reuse!

Source: https://www.nationalwaste.com/blog/diversion-how-to-keep-waste-out-of-landfills/

The Living Building Challenge is the world’s most rigorous proven-performance standard for buildings.

To achieve certification, Living Buildings must:

1) generate all of their own energy and be self-sufficient
2) create a positive impact on the human and natural systems that interact with them
3) connect occupants to light, air, food, nature, and community

In short, a Living Building is one that gives more than it takes.