Dateline - May 2039 -  County Board of Supervisors Meeting

            “Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve done it again!  For twenty-five years in a row Iowa County has been ranked as the best in the state,” boasted board chairperson, I. M. Proud.

“What a record!  How did this start?” Anita Nohow, the newest board member, asked.

“Back in 2014 we received news that the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation determined we were #1 in the ‘Health Outcomes’ area.  Ever since, we’ve been ranked #1in some area each year.   These past ten years it’s been in environmental sustainability,” replied Olive A. Kleenerth.

“Wow, what environmental factors do they consider?” Anita Nohow asked.

Everyone was eager to brag up his special field of interest.  Rich Huemus spoke first.  “The farmers have really led the way.  Between rotational grazing and regenerative organic cropping, our farmers actually sequester, that is soak up, more carbon dioxide than we put into the atmosphere.  They’re helping reverse the negative effects of climate change.”

Colleen N. Ergy jumped right in.  “Don’t forget about our distributive energy system that supplies power to our community owned co-ops.  Almost every rooftop is graced with solar panels.  No need to buy fossil fuels from other states, and almost no green house gas emissions.”

S. A. Warmhaus interrupted, “All that power generation is great but don’t forget about our house weather-proofing and insulation retro-fit programs.  And all newly constructed homes include passive solar and thermal heat sink features.  Many of our homes use almost no energy input to stay toasty warm in the winter and cucumber cool in the summer.”

Not wanting to be overlooked, E. Lex Tricar stood up.  “What about our transportation system? Once we set up the network of charging stations those solar panels provide the power for most of our private vehicles. And county bio-digesters provide the liquid fuels for heavy equipment.  Expanded mass transit to Madison and Dubuque is icing on the cake!” 

“It almost seems like a dream,” said Proud.  “Back in ’14 when my uncle, Macon A. Neworld, was on this board he and the other members had a vision of a cleaner, more sustainable way for our county to prosper.  Uncle Macon said he knew we could do it and that we must.  ‘This is the only home we’ll ever know,’ he said.  ‘We must treat it with respect because we are forever…Earthbound.’”

            Throughout my childhood, the top of the south facing brick wall of our old farmhouse was home to an active hive of honeybees.  A wide path was worn around that part of the yard.  We kids didn’t like those bees very much because, inevitably, we’d get stung more than once every summer. 

While we may not like their stingers, bees are extremely important to us; it’s said that one of every three bites we take is from food pollinated by bees.  But bee colonies everywhere are in decline.

            Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is devastating honey bee hives the world over.  Historically, there have been occasional reports of periods of colony decline.  But since 2006 the rate of decline has increased dramatically. There’s no scientific consensus about the cause of CCD, but increasing evidence implicates systemic pesticides that permeate plants.   These poisons don’t discriminate between harmful insects and pollinating bees.  Once applied, systemic pesticides don’t wash off; they become part of the entire plant including the pollen and nectar.  The pesticide class of neonicotinoids – or neonics- seems particularly problematic for bees.  

            Without giving it much thought, it’s easy for us to fall into the mind-set that pesticide use can only improve our lives by ridding us of annoying pests and protecting our crops and gardens.  But with the potential for 7 billion people to spread these toxins, maybe CCD is signaling that bees are the “canary in the coal mine” alerting us to broader environmental hazards.

            As we celebrate the 45th Earth Day, this bee disorder reminds us to consider our place in the circle of life on this planet.  No one of us individually is either going to ruin or to save the environment.  But we all play a part.  Now’s a good time to ask, “What’s the next small step I can take to improve environmental sustainability right here in Iowa County?” 

            Remarkably, that 120 plus year old farmhouse is still standing – a tribute to human engineering and up-keep.   We Americans know how to build things that last for generations.  Those skills must be applied to the environment as well.  Following sustainable practices will insure that generations of humans and bees can thrive.  After all, this is the only home all earth’s creatures will ever know.  We are forever…Earthbound.