Harvesting Haven to Land of Flooded Fields:
An Examination of Climate Change in Iowa
Rising temperatures, increased rainfall, destructive flooding, milder winters and the loss of wildlife and natural habitat: these are all characteristics of a changing climate. It may be hard to envision at the moment, but the state of Iowa is actually home to such scenarios, as its environment is enduring the harsh realities that accompany climate change, or as some refer to it, global warming.
No matter the preferred term, if action is not soon taken, this once lush, cornfield plentiful, agricultural powerhouse may be no more.
According to Andrew Snow, manager of the Iowa Global Warming Campaign, global warming is “the gradual but steady increase in average temperatures around the globe.”
Snow prefers to use the term global warming, while Gene Takle, professor of atmospheric science and agricultural meteorology at Iowa State University, uses the term climate change.
According to Takle, global warming is more complex than just an increase in temperatures. Meaning, the amount of rainfall certain regions receive will vary, many regions will see average wind speeds decrease as well as experience more humid conditions.
William Gutowski, professor of geological and atmospheric sciences at Iowa State, believes the current dispute about global warming is not about whether it exists, but about what is causing it.
Snow agrees. “The debate no longer centers around whether global warming is happening. The question is what are the full effects going to be? That’s what scientists can’t agree on,” Snow said.
Gutowski said that human-induced impacts of global warming have emerged within the last 25 to 30 years. “It’s a slowly accumulating outcome; it takes time for the effect to show up.” He believes the current changes are consistent with the understanding that the climate system is being altered by human-induced sources and the effects are still in their early stages.
Takle explained that the atmosphere, land, oceans and ice masses are the four components of the climate system, all of which are likely changing. He noted that because there is more water vapor in the atmosphere, there is more of an opportunity for precipitation, in addition to the fact that ice on Greenland is rapidly shrinking, which is an early indication that something is changing.
Why exactly is the climate changing? “I think that a major fraction of it now is due to humans,” said Takle. He believes humans are producing changes that are larger than any natural processes.
Takle indicated that the entire planet is experiencing an increase in temperatures. “Climate has always been changing, but the difference now is it’s changing more rapidly than it ever has, that we know of,” he said.
How will Iowa be affected?
Wildlife
According to Snow, the temperature in Des Moines has increased by 1.6 degrees Fahrenheit, making it one and half degrees higher than when it was first recorded in the 1800s.
As reported by the National Wildlife Federation in an article titled, “Global Warming and Iowa,” the Union of Concerned Scientists predicts that “by 2100, the average summer temperatures in the state could increase between 9-22 degrees Fahrenheit depending on the extent to which greenhouse gas emissions are curbed.”
This article also stated that “warmer average temperatures and changes in precipitation could significantly reduce available wetland habitat,” in certain regions, in addition to affecting prairie grasslands, possibly forcing grassland bird species to migrate north.
“We’re going to see that natural migration patterns of animals are being affected by global warming,” said Snow. He said many threatened species are going to be forced to relocate in places they may not be able to live.
“25 percent of species worldwide are in threatened status right now, and global warming is just going to add more pressure to those species,” stated Snow. He cited the example of native butterflies, explaining that many of them are facing loss of habitat.
Milder winters may also be a result of climate change, which could lead to more rodent outbreaks, as they will likely be able to survive winter.
Terrain
The article from the NWF mentioned that Iowa experienced major flooding during the summer of 1993, resulting in $8 billion in agricultural damages and crop loss and leaving 99 Iowa counties in absolute havoc. It also stated that global warming models project extreme flooding could occur once every 10 years, instead of every 100-200 years, as it has historically.
An online article from the Environment News Service titled “500 Year Flood Submerges Iowa,” states that Senator Tom Harkin announced a federal disaster declaration for the counties of Adam, Boone, Cerro, Gordo, Crawford, Dallas, Dubuque, Floyd, Franklin Marion, Page, Story, Tama and Union—after each was brutally hit by floods during the summer of 2008.
It is fair to say that these major floods are a likely result of climate change. “We need to think about flooding. “We’ve had two 500 year floods in 15 years, which is a little unusual,” said Takle.
He said the question is: “when will the next one be and where?” He advises making sure precautions are in place to avoid the flooding catastrophe that Cedar Rapids was hit with.
Takle also mentioned that dams and reservoirs are vital during times of increased water flow, and if the snow melt comes in February instead of late March, such edifices need to be constructed with possible catastrophes in mind.
Agriculture
The farming industry may face a harsh reality as the state continues to endure impacts of a changing environment. For example, the growing season will likely become longer and there will be increased rainfall. Thus, crops may be harder to cultivate.
The article from the NWF indicated that warmer temperatures may cause extreme draughts that could reduce corn yields as much as 23 percent, which is not a good sign for the high number of farmers who rely on plentiful growing seasons.
How to combat climate change
According to Snow, more than 70 percent of electricity in Iowa comes from coal, which is higher than the national average by about 50 percent. “That’s sort of ironic when you look at the fact that Iowa is one of the biggest producers of wind technology,” he said.
Snow believes that global warming is specifically related to energy; therefore reducing consumption is essential. Transportation, for example, is a key area in which energy use can be reduced. Driving less, carpooling and using a more efficient car, such as hybrid or solar-powered, are several options one could choose to contribute on an individual level.
“Congress just passed the Passenger Rail Investment Act a few weeks ago, which will allow states a $1.9 billion fund they can use for rail upgrades,” said Snow. “Amtrak service is coming from Chicago and the Quad Cities in the next few years, we’ll be working on with the legislature this year.”
He explained that passenger rail will be coming to the Quad Cities, but an investment of approximately $10 million will be necessary to bring a passenger rail into the state. “Everyone loves the idea they can hop on a train and go to Chicago,” said Snow.
“We have to think of our uses of water and energy—it’s all part of adapting to a changed climate.”
Gutowski said global warming may be having a positive impact on certain business sectors, as many are adopting the “green” trend. Also known as environmentalism, “going green” can be described as a social movement focused on bettering and preserving the environment.
He mentioned that he owns a Subaru, which claims to be “greener” than the popular hybrid electric Toyota Prius. To learn more about Subaru’s environmentally friendly objectives, visit: http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/environment/2008-02-18-green-factories_N.htm.
Similarly, Wal-Mart recently launched a plan to enhance energy efficiency and reduce contribution of greenhouse gases. For more information visit this link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9815727/.
Takle believes society needs to reevaluate how much it contributes to the consumption of energy. The amount of energy used to heat one building, for example, is something people don’t take into consideration when it is likely quite high. Takle also explained that 34 gallons of water might be required to produce one cup of coffee.
Something as simple as unplugging a laptop or cell phone charger when it is not in use can help conserve energy. Taking the time to plug appliance cords into a power strip and then unplugging the entire strip when the appliances are not needed can make a big difference.
Snow said that a well-insulated home can also conserve energy. “You can actually contact local power companies and ask for an energy audit.” This will test areas of the home to make sure energy is not being wasted on heating or cooling.
On a smaller scale, buying energy efficient light bulbs and consuming closer to the source can make a difference. For example, instead of driving to Starbucks when craving a gourmet coffee, make one at home and save on gas and money.
The production and consumption of food is an area people frequently ignore. “How much energy was used to bring that apple to my lunch box?” asked Takle. He explained that when apples are imported from Chile or New Zealand during the off growing season in the U.S., many sources of energy are required to transport them across oceans. “Could we instead just eat apples during the times they are grown locally, and maybe eat canned or frozen in the winter?” “These are things that would have an impact [on climate change,]” he said.
What does the future hold?
Takle said there are two courses of action that can be taken to deal with climate change: mitigation and adaptation.
Mitigation “refers to reducing or eliminating human-induced climate change,” he stated. “This includes reducing as much as possible (or eliminating) uses of fossil fuels and reducing practices that lead to production on methane and a few other specific trace gases.”
While adaptation includes learning alternate methods to diminish the negative results of climate change that are guaranteed to occur during the next century. “This includes revising policies about building in flood plains, breeding crops that will be adaptable to warmer and drier climates, developing water conserving practices for regions like the western U.S. where rainfall and snowfall will be decreasing.”
“We can’t turn this around, even with nations working together,” he said. “We’re not going say ‘no more burning fossil fuels after 6 p.m.’ because this wouldn’t impact us for at least 50 years.”
“If we don’t take action, it’s likely we’ll see much more regular flooding, a lot of people displaced from their homes on a semi-regular basis and major economic consequences,” said Snow, “We’re going to see impacts on agriculture, which we can’t even fully project right now, but they’ll be major.”
Nonetheless, Snow does not have a pessimistic outlook on the country’s environmental future. “It [global warming] will actually force us to move into a 21st century economy.” He believes the fact that we’re using 18th century technology to power our country is “absolutely ridiculous.”
Gutowski noted the U.S. has some of the strongest scientific technology in the world, and is therefore equipped to emerge as a leader in environmental conservation and the production of “green” technology.
Pointing to his Blackberry, Snow noted that he is able to send an email from this small device all the way across the world. He believes that the high degree of technological innovation the U.S. is capable of attaining is indicative of its ability to counter the negative effects of global warming.
“The future is actually really bright. The question is whether we will continue to pump dollars into coal plants that will be here for the next 50 years, or if we’ll use other sources,” he said. “Anyone who tells me that Americans can’t do it is not looking at our history. The technology is already there, we just have to invest in it.”