Iowa's Planetary Boundaries:

Policy research identifying Iowa's major global climate change contributions

Salil Kalghatgi

Environment, Society and Technology

Last weekend, I visited Montgomery Woods, Andrew Montgomery's family's 168 acre property near Ames, Iowa. Since meeting Andrew, a UNI leisure youth and services graduate, in the Spring of 2012, he has become a close friend and mentor. My passions towards environmental causes stem directly from his influence. Before beginning our trek, he mentions, "if and when it all goes down, there will be a good group of people here". Our discussions over the next four hours focus on land management, education, economics, and policy. Accompanying Andrew and I are Ben Hocksh (a UNI master's biology student), Asaf Vaknin (a longtime friend of Andrew, and University of Iowa graduate), and George Montgomery (Andrew's father). Ultimately we walk away with mixed emotions. It is daunting knowing the enormous barriers in front of us, and confusing picking the proper paths. Pressing environmental concerns also face the entire state of Iowa. Using Stockholm Resiliency Center's (SRC) research to prioritize issues, I would analyze and adapt given boundaries and thresholds to Iowa. With its individual environmental processes, culture, and mix of variables, a tailored set of goals balance limits to growth and planetary boundaries. Policies must include optimization concurrent with setting absolutes; I find using both gradual and immediate transformations useful in breaking a bad habit, where goals catalyze perspective. Multi-variate relationships intricately and spectacularly woven into a force of beauty compose Earth's complex ecosystem. If we cared for her aesthetics, no one would need convincing to reduce, reuse, or recycle. Wielding a sword of science to pierce the curtain of perception, organizations have identified and proven several key indicators to help us laymen save ourselves before we destroy the Earth of the past 10,000 years (SRC,2009).

If Earth's environment leaves its current stability, we cannot simply reverse our actions to find safety. To help global, regional and local communities navigate, SRC established a safe operating zone determined by specific parameters, which when exceed a threshold cause serious risk of leaving the Holocene period. Iowa's solutions need to be relative to its comprising local communities, neighboring states, and global environmental structure. Within these relative distinctions, we can realize economic optimization models such as production possibility frontiers; if the Midwest can regulate its overall environmental standards, relative to global levels, perhaps Iowa can risk approaching some boundaries and use production advantages to maintain export economy. Stockholm Resiliency Center's research regarding planetary boundaries initially appears to focus only on global parameters and thresholds, but many of the boundaries are aggregate boundaries focusing more on local and regional areas (Groffman et al., 2006; Rockstrm et al., 2009). Additionally, because of the unknown interactions (they are definitely not independent) between these boundaries, by protecting local biodiversity, crop-to-land ratios, fresh water resources, and planetary boundaries such as carbon dioxide emissions we can reduce the risks of facing extremely unfavorable conditions. In 2005 Iowa's major sources of greenhouse gas emissions were: Electricity (31%), Agriculture (23%), Transportation (17%), and Industrial Fuel Use (13%). In the same year, of the 36.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide generated by electricity production, 34.9 million metric tons were produced by coal-fired power plants(Status of Coal in Iowa, 2012). A major defense against climate change is reducing the amount of coal-fired power plants, in particular those lacking essential modern pollution controls consequently these are old and economically uncompetitive

plants. With serious climate change concerns, a more progressive transition is appropriate such as the twelve plants identified by The Union of Concerned Scientists list (Streeter Station is included in this "High" estimate, but not in the standard estimate list). Of course if warranted, extreme measures to drastically reduce pollution should be executed. Coal-fired power plants also cause major health risks, especially to children and those living in close proximity. A whopping 79 percent of Iowans live within a 30 mile radius of a coal-fired power plant, including over half a million children, thirty thousand of whom have asthma. Coal industry emission practices are poorly regulated on both state and national levels (new regulation has recently been proposed), and modern technology is not being used to protect coal ash from contaminating air, land, and water. Without proper disposal techniques, we will continue to degrade our fresh water quality, desirable in any condition (Gilbert, Gottlieb, & Evans, 2010; US EPA, 2013). Using strong statewide educational and enterprise resources, focusing on drastic changes in energy industry is a priority. Subsidies for lower energy consumption, and taxing higher energy consumption would incentivize minimal energy use in times of concern. Water is also seriously being affected by Iowa's agricultural practices. Over 92% of nitrogen pollution and 80% of phosphorus pollution comes from non-point sources (instead of municipalindustrial point sources), largely due to poor maintenance by farmers over Iowa's past suggesting necessary regulation, explaining why 60% of Iowa stream segments are rated poor or very poor (Cox & Hug, 2012). Iowa boasts 30.7 million acres of farmland, predominately divided between corn for grain (45% of farmland), soybean (30% of farmland), and cattle production (Iowa Agriculture Quick Facts, 2011). Iowa is quick to exceed land and biodiversity boundaries with an astounding 86% of

land used for crops. Equally worse is Iowa's mono-culture favoring livestock production and consumption with issues ranging from industrial agriculture procedures to trophic energy loss, Iowans must convert corn and soybean farmland into land producing a variety of fruits and vegetables, as well as other plant life to increase plant and wildlife biodiversity. Iowa State Professor Michael Owen explicitly regards: A general lack of diversity is not a biological issue, it is not the resistance of herbicides and pesticides, but it is instead a socio-economic issue where fewer farmers have larger land over greater distances in the same amount of time. The technology lets us do this but at the cost of biodiversity. Remember the [] importance of selection and evolution of organisms, we have been pushing the system, that is lacking in diversity and predictably it the system has pushed back. This is not because of the technology, this is not a GMO thing, this a decision of management, a decision about diversity. (The Des Moines Register, 2013)

It will be extremely difficult changing eating culture and industry history. Changing norms requires educating the public and reprimanding abusive policy influentials. Recent subsidies and public interest have increased Iowa's corn production role to include ethanol to the joy of many Iowans supporting economic growth brought by these investments. The perceived benefits of biofuel production are much larger than actual, especially as reports rarely include ethanol production dependence on heavy water use, high amounts of waste discharge, and air emissions. Swenson generalizes this problem:

Preponderance of questionable impact assessments come from private consultants who simply misunderstand or mis-apply the basics of input-output modeling. Similar extraordinary local and statewide multiplier reports in recent years have been made relative to cattle and hog operations, meat packing operations, locally and investor owned wind-energy facilities, and tourism. If it is a hot issue, if there are strong advocacies, then the odds are that there will be a bloated impact summary floating around. (Swenson, 2006)

After ten years as an Iowan, I agree that Iowa's true advantage lies in the character of people, and not its soil. Perceptions are not reality when it comes to true economic benefits from Iowa industries. Iowans fail to realize agriculture provides more economic gains through indirect channels such as manufacturing and R&D (Swenson & Eathington, 2003), both fields of economic activity applicable to non-mono-culture propagation. If properly reallocated, Iowa's labor resources can be used to prevent environmental concerns, without sacrificing quality of life. Iowa must understand its role in global climate change and local health, and not bet against the house when risking Earth's entire habitat. Humans have the wonderful tool of science (now, computer science as well) and can analyze and forecast decision consequences. Regardless, it does not take a scientist to observe the health hazards of coal plants, waste run off, and poor agricultural standards. Scientists must take it upon their shoulders to push the agenda, while the public must utilize the ability of scientists and other professionals to save Iowa and the Earth. Andrew and I decided Montgomery Woods's future relies on strong policy advocacy, effective technology, and

stewardship. We are excited in exploring possible remedies, hopefully to the benefit of more than ourselves. Works Citied Cleetus, R., Clemmer, S., Davis, E., Deyette, J., Downing, J., & Frenkel, S. (2012). Ripe for Retirement: The Case for Closing Americas Costliest Coal Plants. Union of Concerned Scientists. Retrieved from www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/clean_energy/Ripe-for-Retirement-FullReport.pdf

Gilbert, S. G., Gottlieb, B., & Evans, L. G. (2010). Coal Ash: The toxic threat to our health and environment. Retrieved from http://randywakeman.com/coal-ash.pdf Groffman, P. M., Baron, J. S., Blett, T., Gold, A. J., Goodman, I., Gunderson, L. H., Wiens, J. (2006). Ecological Thresholds: The Key to Successful Environmental Management or an Important Concept with No Practical Application? Ecosystems, 9(1), 113. doi:10.1007/s10021-003-0142-z

Iowa State prof. Micheal Owen says biodiversity is lacking in the system | Video Library | The Des Moines Register. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.desmoinesregister.com/VideoNetwork/2744064292001/Iowa-State-prof-MichealOwen-says-biodiversity-is-lacking-in-the-system

Peters, D. J., Earthington, L., & Swenson David. (2010, October 29). An Exploration of Green Job Policies, Theoretical Underpinings, Measurement Approaches, and Job Growth Expectations. Iowa State University. Retrieved from http://www.econ.iastate.edu/sites/default/files/publications/papers/p12787-2011-04-27.pdf

Rockstrm, J., Steffen, W., Noone, K., Persson, \AAsa, Chapin, F. S., Lambin, E. F., Schellnhuber, H. J. (2009). A safe operating space for humanity. Nature, 461(7263), 472 475.

Sierra Club, Iowa Chapter. (2012). Status of Coal in Iowa. Retrieved from

iowa.sierraclub.org Energy CoalStatus.pdf

Swenson, D., & Eathington, L. (2003). Multiple Measures of the Role of Agriculture in Iowas Economy. Department of Economics, College of Agriculture, Iowa State University. Retrieved from http://econ2.econ.iastate.edu/research/webpapers/paper_10180.pdf

Swenson, D. (2006). Input-outrageous: the economic impacts of modern biofuels production. Department of Economics, Iowa State University. Retrieved from http://www.econ.iastate.edu/sites/default/files/publications/papers/paper_12644.pdf

US EPA, C. C. D. (2013, November 3). Causes of Climate Change. Overviews & Factsheets,. Retrieved November 3, 2013, from http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/causes.html