Environmental Assistance
Celebrating Earth Day 2024
Every day is Earth Day for the Iowa Waste Reduction Center (IWRC) but that doesn’t mean we don’t participate in the nationally dedicated Earth Day efforts.
National SBEAP Conference: A new staff perspective
Attending a national conference for the first time can be a big deal and nerve racking the first time, especially for a freshly graduated and newly minted employee. Read how the IWRC's newest member navigated her first national conference in Chattanooga, TN.
Getting the Dirt on Composting and Energy
The beautiful mid March weather has us in the mood to open our windows, break out the planters, and begin stirring the dirt in gardens. Read on the hear how IWRC Environmental Specialist Jason Clay introduced composting and energy conservation to Dayton, IA residents.
PRESS RELEASE: Air source heat pump (ASHP) training summit for HVAC contractors is coming to Des Moines this April
In partnership with the Iowa Waste Reduction Center at the University of Northern Iowa, the Midwest Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) Collaborative will be hosting a free training summit on the morning of April 23rd in Des Moines, Iowa. Learn more about the training summit to be held at the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) Urban Campus and offered free of charge to HVAC contractors.
Conference Season is in Full Swing for the IWRC
The first quarter of 2024 is a busy time for IWRC staff with conferences and professional development opportunities. Learn where you can find IWRC staff this 2024 Spring conference season.
PRESS RELEASE: IWRC offers free training for minor source emissions inventory
Businesses classified by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) as minor sources in counties throughout the western portion of the state may be required to submit the Minor Source Emissions Inventory (MSEI) by May 15, 2023.
PRESS RELEASE: IWRC’s Jennifer Trent to serve as the President of the US Composting Council
The USCC is a robust, action-packed, forward-thinking organization that advances compost manufacturing, compost utilization, and organics recycling to benefit its members, society and the environment and it has just named Iowa Waste Reduction Center’s Jennifer Trent as its new Board of Directors President.
Unwrapping EPA’s New Wasted Food Scale
For decades, EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy has served as the primary tool to help decision makers (i.e., state and local governments) understand and determine the best options for managing food waste (Environmental Protection Agency, 2023). The hierarchy was established in 1990, so needless to say, an updated version has been eagerly anticipated.
The New Fashion Police: Fashion as a point of conversation
For any group of students, there will be challenges and barriers to overcome as they pursue their tomorrow, but they also have the ability to make an impact for a better tomorrow. In my blog, The New Fashion Police: Fashion as Waste, I discussed my interest in starting or hosting a clothing closet or mini thrift store for the campus community to participate in and donate to. My first step was to engage with campus staff and community members to flesh out this idea.
The Next Generation of Waste Reduction
Five students have left their mark at UNI’s Iowa Waste Reduction Center (IWRC) this summer, working across various internal and community-based projects. Paige German, Kendall Lienmann, Makayla Gasper, Eliana Hornbuckle, and Haley Christoffer may be from different universities, but they now have something in common: they all built a better Iowa through their work for the IWRC.