Wednesday July 26 from 2:00 to 5:00 pm the Des Moines Citizens Sustainability TaskForce (which 1000 Friends of Iowa is part of), will host a Sustainability Tour in Des Moines Iowa.

Among those attending the tour are: Des Moines City Council members, Mayor Cownie, Polk County Supervisors, members of the Planning and Zoning Commission, and others interested in a sustainable Des Moines.

The tour will highlight existing projects within the city limits that were designed with sustainability in mind. Projects include:

— A park shelter that is LEED Certified and incorporates sustainable elements such as stormwater mitigation, rain gardens, and geothermal heating and cooling.

— A residence that is in the process of being rehabbed with sustainability and renewable energy elements. The house incorporated a non-profit’s programming into the rehab design. In includes rainwater collection, repurposed construction material that resulted in zero construction waste, compost tumblers from barrels, and a basement that has been converted for vertical farming and hydroponics, as well as youth programming.

— Two projects that won a 1000 Friends of Iowa Best Development Award. Both projects started by renovating existing structures and incorporating solar and numerous other sustainable features. One is a mixed use building (shown in photo) and the other is a business.

— A stormwater and watershed restoration project at Easter Lake.

DART is providing a bus for the tour and will pick us up at 400 E Court in the parking lot.  Space on the bus is limited, so please RSVP soon.

Please RSVP by emailing: Kari@1000friendsofiowa.org or calling 515-288-5364.

For those who would like to join for just  a portion of the tour or need to drive on their own, the tour route is:

1:50 p.m. Meet at the back parking lot of City Hall, 400 E. Court Ave., to board bus

2:05 p.m. – 2:20 p.m. Stop #1 — 1650 Garfield Ave. – MLK, Jr. Shelter House (Ward 2)

2:40 p.m.- 3:00 p.m.  Stop #2 — 1409 16th St. — Homes 4 My Peeps Sustainable Project home (Ward 1)

3:10 p.m.- 3:40 p.m. Stop #3 – 800 19th St.  (corner of 19th and Center Street) – Green and Main  – 2016 BDA winner for Renovated Mixed Use Building (Ward 3)

3:50 p.m. – 4:20 p.m. Stop #4 — 130 E. 3rd St. — Market One Building  – 2016 BDA winner for Renovated Commercial Building (Ward 4)

4:30 p.m. – 4:50 p.m. Stop #5 — Easter Lake Watershed Project (Ward 4)

5:00-5:10 p.m. Drop off at City Hall, 400 E Court Ave.