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Augustana’s Sierra Club to host ‘We the Power’ at 2024 QC Environmental Film Series

Augustana College’s Sierra Club will host a screening of “We the Power” at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25, at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport. The screening is part of the six-part 2024 QC Environmental Film Series.

General admission is $7. Student admission is free; and the Augustana Sierra Club will provide free transportation for Augustana students. The club will host a table in the Brew the week of the event for transportation sign-ups.

“Not only is it an educational film, but it is also a great way to meet new people. It’s not just for environmentalists. We need business people, we need literacy people, we need policy people.”

Abby Campisi ’24

“We the Power” shares the stories of four cooperatives in Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom that work to put the power of clean energy back in the hands of locals. By breaking down legislative barriers, the residents take power back from big energy companies and build healthier, more financially stable communities, while paving the way for a renewable-energy revolution.

The film points to the intersectionality of environmental issues and the importance of local activism.

“Our goal is to teach people about renewable energy and clean energy,” said Abby Campisi ’24, an environmental studies major and Augustana Sierra Club event chair. “Green energy is a hot topic in business and economics, so this film serves a broad audience.”

Campisi said the film highlights that climate issues can’t be solved by “environmental nerds” alone. 

“Not only is it an educational film, but it is also a great way to meet new people,” she said. “It’s not just for environmentalists. We need business people, we need literacy people, we need policy people.”

The QC Environmental Film Series, which runs Feb. 21-March 3, is an annual event that brings inspirational and educational environmental films to the community to encourage grassroots activism in care of the planet and environmental justice. This is the second year Augustana’s Sierra Club has participated in the film series.

Other featured topics in this year’s film series include birds, trees, giraffe conservation, rivers, and water technology research in Israel. A discussion led by a reflection speaker will follow each film. Sarah Gardner, the climate action coordinator for the City of Iowa City, will lead the “We the Power” discussion. 

Gardner has led projects focused on electric vehicle readiness, alternative energy, transit and active transportation, recycling, and climate preparedness in Iowa and Illinois. She previously reported on sustainability and climate change as a journalist.

The Augustana Sierra Club serves to promote awareness of environmental issues and foster a personal connection to the natural environment by practicing sustainability on campus and providing opportunities for students to experience the natural environment.  

In addition to day hikes and overnight camping trips, members participate in service events like campus clean-ups. The club also promotes environmentalism throughout the Quad Cities by collaborating with a network of environmental organizations in the area.

Visit riveraction.org/filmseries or call 563-322-2969 for more details about the event. 
 

By Genevieve Ryan '26

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