http://www.greeneducationfoundation.org/greenweek.htmlSaturday, April 1, 2023 began the start of Earth month and the Iowa Waste Reduction Center’s (IWRC) calendar filled up quickly. As an organization who is devoted to helping small businesses reduce waste, it is important that we lead by example and do our small part to help the environment.

Energy efficiency is vital to Iowa’s energy management plan and it reduces the amount of energy consumed. For a business, that means a decrease in energy generated environmental impact and a significant reduction in business energy costs. The Iowa Waste Reduction Center’s (IWRC) Iowa Energy Efficiency Program for Rural Small Businesses is designed to assist small businesses seeking to reduce their energy consumption and improve their bottom line. 

Five years ago this November, the idea for the Iowa Green Brewery Project (IGBC) had just begun developing. The Iowa Waste Reduction Center was looking to continue providing free environmental assistance to Iowa businesses, but on a more specific level. The craft beer industry was a natural fit. Resource intensive, rapidly expanding statewide, and industry interest in environmental stewardship, the IGBC started to gain traction.

On September 26, the Iowa Waste Reduction Center  (IWRC) was awarded a $76,300 Solid Waste Management Grant to fund the Community Gardens and Farmers Market Compost and Donation Project. 

On August 8, the Iowa Waste Reduction Center’s (IWRC) painter training program turned in their traditional purple and gray colors for green to assist the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) and Northern Iowa Student Government (NISG)’s new Green Dot Program.

IAEAP staff is available to provide FREE one-on-one training and assistance to businesses with less than 100 employees required to submit their minor source emissions inventory in SLEIS or to apply for a new or modify an existing air quality permit using Iowa EASY Air.  

To help the Des Moines community become more resilient to future climate impacts and to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change, the City of Des Moines is developing a community-wide climate action and adaptation plan.

IWRC Environmental Intern, Jordan Burrows, mapped rural Iowa food deserts with the goal of sharing findings with stakeholders who can assist food desert communities.

IACC mission: To promote the composting industry and the reduction, reuse, and recycling of the organic component of Iowa's waste stream through support of infrastructure development, quality control and ethical operations, operator training, legislative and regulatory advocacy, and general public education.

Two World Beer Cup winners have earned the Iowa Green Beer Certification developed by the Iowa Waste Reduction Center.