All I Want For Christmas Is…A Coal-Free Future

by | Dec 20, 2023 | Clean Up MidAm, Featured, Instagram, News

I find winters in Iowa to be one of the most beautiful times of year. With the winter solstice beginning tomorrow, we will get to witness the blessing of creation at rest – dormant, peaceful, and preparing itself for next spring. The only downside to this wonderful season is the cold; I cannot stand it. I would rather have the hottest, most humid July-in-Iowa day than an even mildly cold one. Fortunately, I am blessed enough to have already had the heat in my apartment running for the last month or so. Unfortunately, since I am a renter in Des Moines, the money I use to pay for my heat goes straight into the pockets of MidAmerican Energy: Iowa’s largest carbon polluter.

Last year, I had the pleasure of playing piano for Clean Up MidAm’s “12 Days of MidAm” music video, in which we called out MidAmerican for actively operating six coal plants in our state. As much fun as I had making music with my colleagues, I am not very holly nor jolly about the fact that MidAm continues burning coal. As frustrating as this truth is, I have hope because of the work Iowa IPL does with the Clean Up MidAm campaign, our awesome music video being just one example of this work.

All of Iowa IPL’s work is important, but in my opinion, our work with Clean Up MidAm is some of the most important that we do. Holding the largest carbon polluter in our state accountable is one of the most direct and effective ways we as Iowans can fight the climate crisis. But we can’t do it alone.

It is because of your generous gifts that we are able to take part in this ever-important coalition work with Clean Up MidAm. Your gifts fuel our fire, allowing us to hold MidAmerican accountable for their actions and put the pressure on them to close their coal plants by 2030.

All I want for Christmas is a coal-free future and I’m sure the same can be said for a lot of you. Your support for Iowa IPL and Clean Up MidAm moves us one step closer to making our collective Christmas wish come true.

Happy holidays,

Ren Mattson (they/them)

Program Associate, Iowa IPL

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