Green, Fair, and Prosperous: Paths to Sustainable Iowa (Bur Oak Book)

At the center of what was once the tallgrass prairie, Iowa has stood out for clearing the land and becoming one of the most productive agricultural states in the nation. But its success is challenged by multiple issues including but not limited to a decline in union representation of meatpacking workers; lack of demographic diversity; the advent of job-replacing mechanization; growing income inequality; negative contributions to and effects of climate change and environmental hazards. To become green, fair, and prosperous, Connerly argues that Iowa must reckon with its past and the fact that its farm economy continues to pollute waterways, while remaining utterly unprepared for climate change. Iowa must recognize ways in which it can bolster its residents’ standard of living and move away from its demographic tradition of whiteness. For development to be sustainable, society must balance it with environmental protection and social justice. Connerly provides a crucial roadmap for how Iowans can move forward and achieve this balance. "Iowa-and the larger Tallgrass Prairie region of which it is a part-are at a crossroads. Both must find more sustainable ways to develop or their environmental, economic, and social climates will continue to degrade. Iowa's economy is based heavily on agriculture, mainly corn, soybeans, hogs, cattle, and eggs. Agriculture comprises 25 percent of the state's economy, a percentage that is exceeded in the region only by South Dakota's 31 percent. Unfortunately, this economic model has a huge negative impact on the quality of Iowa's rivers and streams as well as the Mississippi and Missouri River basin and the Gulf of Mexico. Meanwhile, the state's population is increasingly diverse, including many new African-American and Hispanic residents, some of the latter undocumented. These populations are moving to Iowa to seek the economic opportunities offered by its relatively strong economy and respected education system. Yet African-Americans in Iowa face the highest black to white incarceration rate (13.16 to 1) in the United States. Although Hispanics are jailed at lower rates than African-Americans, they are still arrested at more than twice the rate of whites. Moreover, many Hispanics are drawn to Iowa by low-paying, dangerous jobs in meatpacking, and the possibility of deportation hangs over those without legal residency status. For development to be sustainable, society must balance economic development, environmental protection, and social justice. The purpose of this book is to make recommendations for how Iowans can achieve this balance"-- Provided by publisher

At the center of what was once the tallgrass prairie, Iowa hasstood out for clearing the land and becoming one of the mostproductive agricultural states in the nation. But its success ischallenged by multiple issues including but not limited to adecline in union representation of meatpacking workers; lack ofdemographic diversity; the advent of job-replacing mechanization;growing income inequality; negative contributions to and effects ofclimate change and environmental hazards.

To become green, fair, and prosperous, Connerly argues that Iowamust reckon with its past and the fact that its farm economycontinues to pollute waterways, while remaining utterly unpreparedfor climate change. Iowa must recognize ways in which it canbolster its residents' standard of living and move away from itsdemographic tradition of whiteness. For development to besustainable, society must balance it with environmental protectionand social justice. Connerly provides a crucial roadmap for howIowans can move forward and achieve this balance.

Contents Preface Acknowledgments Introduction. Iowa Communities at a Crossroads One. Agriculture, Manufacturing, and Iowa’s Middle Class Two. Corn, Hogs, and Water Three. Challenging Iowa Agriculture Four. Why Is Iowa So White? Five. The Best State in America? Bibliographic Essay Index