By Jan Corderman

November 2021 

When 13 year old Lilly Hill announced she was planning to continue the Climate Strike after a long break due to COVID19, WILPF Des Moines Branch members let her know they’d be beside her. Lilly called for a rally at the State Capitol on Wednesday, October 27, stating:

“The Climate Crisis isn’t slowing down and Iowa lives continue to be threatened! We deserve a future worth fighting for.”

We met at 1pm and heard from Lilly and other young women who said they’d “be in school if the world was cool”.  Students urged Democrats and Republicans to recognize that at the end of the day we have one common enemy—the climate crisis.  We were in the Capitol to push for a carbon free, greenhouse gas free environment.  Lawmakers have the power to create this change.  We deserve that from those elected to represent us.

Branch member Carolyn Ulenhake Walker spoke from the perspective of a retired science teacher.  Multiple studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals show that 97 percent or more of actively publishing climate scientists agree: Climate-warming trends over the past century are extremely likely the result of human activities. 

Jan Corderman, another Branch member, spoke about Iowa’s “poop” problem.  Our state has over 9,000 factory farms that produce 22 billion gallons of manure annually. It is spread over fields and can run off into Iowa’s water, making manure the leading cause of impaired waterways in Iowa rivers and lakes.  There have been more than 800 documented manure spills and Iowa currently has over 754 polluted waterways.  Jan invited everyone to join the lobby day on January 25 to push for a moratorium on the construction of new or expanded factory farms.  It’s time to push legislators to represent their constituents, not big ag.  63% of Iowans support a moratorium—it’s time to listen to Iowans and promote traditional and humane livestock production. 

NOTE: for more on the environmental effects of factory farms, see the presentation by the Triangle, North Carolina Branch and Des Moines branch:  “It All Runs Downhill:  the High Price of Cheap Meat”.
 

I’d be in school if the world was cool.
There is only one solution—end all pollution
What do we want — Climate Justice.  When do we want it—now!
Systems change—not climate change.
We are the climate solution—they can’t stop this revolution.