Iowa State’s Climate Reality Campus Corps (CRCC) has some big goals for the university in upcoming years. 

This group has been on campus since 2015, urging Iowa State University leaders to execute an urgent climate action plan.

The group asks that ISU commits to using 100 percent clean energy by 2030, pull investments from accounts that are unethical and incorporate sustainability into the school’s curriculum as a course requirement. 

CRCC’s current focus is to stop Iowa State’s plan to spend $16 million converting two boilers in the power plant on campus to run on natural gas instead of coal. The construction for this project is anticipated to start in January. While this may seem like an improvement from burning coal, natural gas is unsustainable and emits carbon dioxide.

It has been suggested that Iowa State uses the budget for this project to begin investing in clean infrastructure for the university, ultimately contributing to the goal of cutting down emissions by the school.

CRCC is asking for bolder steps towards sustainability from Iowa State leaders. 

“We don’t have any more time to wait,” said CRCC president Cheyenne Minniss, “Iowa State’s mindset is that they are content with sitting back. Waiting will only perpetuate the current system.”

In addition to their on-campus work, the CRCC partners with the Ames Climate Action team, who are working towards similar goals for the whole community, including new sustainability goals for the city of Ames.

CRCC meets weekly from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday nights in Pearson 2157. 

The CRCC also hosts a strike from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m every Friday in various locations on campus, and there is a major protest approaching Wednesday.

The protest will be used to call attention to the CRCC’s goals and end with the group attending the public input session at the Board of Regents meeting.

For more information about CRCC, visit their website.