Category Archives: Sustainability

HF2399: Iowa's Stifling of Innovation

HF2399: Iowa's Stifling of Innovation by Paul Deaton “These assertions and arguments are bought and sold by MidAmerican Energy and the electric utilities, reflecting their power to persuade.”The nuclear power study bill, HF2399, sped through the Iowa legislature at breakneck … Continue reading

Posted in Big Government, Energy, Environment, Jobs, Main Page, Sustainability | Comments Off on HF2399: Iowa's Stifling of Innovation

Muscatine Iowa Air Quality Forum

Muscatine Iowa Air Quality Forum by Paul Deaton“Residents understood the influence of prevailing wind, geography and the impact of the many industrial plants in the area… People seemed resigned to the fact that a life with middle class problems will … Continue reading

Posted in Education, Energy, Environment, Jobs, Local Events, Main Page, Media Bias, Sustainability | Comments Off on Muscatine Iowa Air Quality Forum

SF464: A Biofuels Mandate for Iowa

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:”Table Normal”; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:””; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; … Continue reading

Posted in Calls to Action, Children, Energy, Environment, Main Page, Sustainability | Comments Off on SF464: A Biofuels Mandate for Iowa

2009 QC Earth Charter Summit – Local Foods

2009 QC Earth Charter SummitBuilding a Local Foods Movement By Caroline Vernon You’re invited to attend! The 2009 Quad Cities Earth Charter Summit“Building a Local Foods Movement”Saturday, September 26, 2009, 9am-3pmAugustana College – Wallenberg HallLocal Food is the theme of … Continue reading

Posted in Calls to Action, Children, Democracy for America, DFQC, Education, Energy, Environment, Environment Iowa, Farming, Health Care & Medicare, Iowa Environmental Council, Iowa Fair Trade, Iowa Farmers Union, Iowa Globalwarming, Jobs, Local Control, Local Events, Main Page, Organic Foods & Farming, Progressive Action for the Common Good, Progressive Community, Sustainability | Comments Off on 2009 QC Earth Charter Summit – Local Foods

The altruism in economics

The Altruism in Economics



Standard economic theory states that people are interested only in
their own material gain. But new insights from behavioral economics
show that altruism rather than avarice is our primary motivation.


Jeremy Mercer –  http://www.dailygood.org/more.php?n=3716



It was evolutionary biologists, with their penchant for field
observation, who started to explore the question in an empirical
manner. It began with Charles Darwin, who was amazed by the cooperation
among bees; moved to William Hamilton, who studied altruism among
rabbits; and went on to include Robert Trivers’ work on sharing among
vampire bats. Once altruism was established in the natural world, the
same analytical eye inevitably turned toward the human sphere.



In 1973, a landmark experiment was conducted at blood banks in Kansas
City and Denver. It was inspired by the “crowding out” theory of
British social researcher Richard Titmuss, the idea that people perform
certain tasks, such as donating blood, for the common good, but that
their motivation would be “crowded out” if they were offered a
financial reward. The two blood banks were ideal testing grounds
because both had “willing” files bearing the names of previous donors.
For the experiment, a control group was sent the typical letter
Continue reading

Posted in BFIA, Corporate Greed, Jobs, Labor, Main Page, Progressive Action for the Common Good, Progressive Community, Sustainability | Comments Off on The altruism in economics

Mindfully Green in 2009 and Beyond

Happy New Year progressive family! I wanted to share with you all the details of the upcoming Inaugural Ball here in the Quad Cities at the Davenport River Center on January 20th… but that will have to be the subject … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Greed, Education, Environment, Environment Iowa, Farming, ICAN, ICCI, Iowa Blogosphere, Iowa Environmental Council, Iowa Farmers Union, Iowa Globalwarming, Iowa Policy Project, Jobs, Local Control, Main Page, Organic Foods & Farming, Progressive Action for the Common Good, Progressive Advocacy of Central Iowa, Progressive Coaltion of Central Iowa, Progressive Community, Recycling, Sustainability | Comments Off on Mindfully Green in 2009 and Beyond

We Must TAKE Our Country Back!

We Must TAKE Our Country Back! By Caroline Vernon Whether it’s health care, the cost of education, our environment or global trade, Corporate America is holding us all hostage to the almighty dollar. Greed continues to trump need as corporations … Continue reading

Posted in Barack Obama, Calls to Action, Candidates, Congress, Corporate Greed, Energy, Environment, Environment Iowa, Farming, Health Care & Medicare, Iowa Blogosphere, Iowa Fair Trade, Iowa Farmers Union, Iowa in the News, Iowans for Sensible Priorities, Jobs, John Edwards, Labor, Local Control, Local Events, Main Page, National News, Organic Foods & Farming, Progressive Action for the Common Good, Progressive Advocacy of Central Iowa, Progressive Coaltion of Central Iowa, Progressive Community, Recycling, Sustainability, Trade | 5 Comments

IOWA FARMERS UNION SPONSORING BIODIESEL HOMEBREWING WORKSHOP NOV. 16 NEAR IOWA CITY

IOWA FARMERS UNION SPONSORING BIODIESEL HOMEBREWING WORKSHOP NOV. 16 NEAR IOWA CITY By the IFU ­Anyone interested in brewing their own biodiesel for use on the farm or at home is invited to a Biodiesel Workshop on Friday, Nov. 16 … Continue reading

Posted in Energy, Main Page, Sustainability | Comments Off on IOWA FARMERS UNION SPONSORING BIODIESEL HOMEBREWING WORKSHOP NOV. 16 NEAR IOWA CITY

Controversial Rabbi Michael Lerner to Speak at Spiritual Progressives Conference Nov. 3rd in the Quad Cities

Controversial Rabbi Michael Lerner to Speak at Spiritual Progressives Conference Nov. 3rd in the Quad Cities By James Lee As the Election Season closes in on the Quad Cities, people are looking at the vast challenges facing our country and … Continue reading

Posted in Big Government, Calls to Action, Candidates, Choice, Civil Liberties, Clean Elections, Congress, Corporate Greed, Democracy for America, DFQC, Education, Energy, Environment, GOP, Health Care & Medicare, Immigration, Iowa in the News, Jobs, Local Events, Main Page, Peace, Progressive Action for the Common Good, Progressive Community, Rapid Response, Sustainability | Comments Off on Controversial Rabbi Michael Lerner to Speak at Spiritual Progressives Conference Nov. 3rd in the Quad Cities

WFAN Women’s Fall Gathering Nov. 9

WFAN Women's Fall Gathering Nov. 9 By Denise OBrien “We Are the Ones We've Been Waiting For” is the theme for this year's Women, Food and Agriculture Network Women's Fall Gathering, November 9-11 at the EWALU Stone Center near Strawberry … Continue reading

Posted in Main Page, Sustainability | Comments Off on WFAN Women’s Fall Gathering Nov. 9