Other Group

100Grannies

Website:

100grannies.org/

Also Known As:

100Grannies.org

Formation:

2012

Founders:

Barbara Schlachter

Ann Christenson

Type:

Environmental Advocacy Organization

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100Grannies is an environmentalist organization co-founded by Barbara Schlachter and Ann Christenson. The organization focuses primarily on environmental issues such as clean energy, the Dakota Access pipeline (DAPL), and zero waste. 100Grannies organizes community initiatives, marches, and forums. 1

Background

100Grannies is a non-profit organization that promotes environmentalism by creating “chapters,” which are formed by ten “teams” of ten “grannies,” around the United States to advocate for left-wing energy and environmental policies, especially opposition to the Dakota Access pipeline project.2

Barbara Schlachter, the co-founder of 100Grannies, held the organization’s first meeting on April 19, 2012, in her private home alongside fellow co-founder Ann Christenson. She claims she named the organization after a vision of “100 grandmothers standing on a track in front of a coal train to make it stop.”3

During that meeting, Schlachter called for a stop to the exploitation of “air, water, and land,” and to “create the Clean Energy Revolution.”4 The meeting also prompted Schlachter to create the organizations’ motto: “Fossils for a Fossil Fuel Free Future.”5

Men are forbidden to be a part of the organization. Schlachter and Christenson said that they “felt that this is an opportunity for all kinds of women who can cooperate together. We work together I think better than we might with men.”6

Activism

Shortly after its inception, 100Grannies began pushing environmentalist issues in Iowa. The organization began in 2012 by attempting to ban single-use plastic bags in Iowa City.7 The following year, 100Grannies continued its effort to ban plastic bags, as well as contacting state and federal political leaders.8 In 2017, then-Gov. Terry Branstad (R) signed into law legislation that prohibits Iowa localities from banning plastic bags.9

100Grannies was one of the environmentalist organizations that took part in a 2015 protest against the construction of a natural gas pipeline that would transport oil from North Dakota’s Bakken oil fields through Iowa. 100Grannies joined with 12 other organizations to demonstrate against the Dakota Access pipeline project, which was led by the Iowa chapter of the Sierra Club.10

100Grannies continued to protest the DAPL in 2016 by co-sponsoring a demonstration organized by Mississippi Stand. During the demonstration, 32 protesters were arrested after they allegedly tore down a security fence. According to a member of 100Grannies, “It was a good effort, but we needed to swarm in after the fence was breached, and that didn’t happen.”11

On Tuesday November 14, 2023, the group joined with the Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (CCI) to protest a new CO2 pipeline being delivered to Des Moines, Iowa. Over 500 signatures have been collected on a letter opposing the CO2 pipelines as of December 2023. 12

People

The late founder of the group, Barbara Schlachter, was one of the first female Episcopal priests and co-founded Iowa City Climate Advocates (ICCA), the Iowa branch of Citizens Climate Lobby.

Schlachter founded the organization in 2012 with her friend and fellow activist Ann Christenson.

Before founding 100Grannies, Schlachter took part in a 2011 White House protest which aimed to prevent the creation of a 1,600-mile pipeline that would carry oil from Alberta to the Gulf of Mexico. Police arrested Schlachter during the protest, alongside 1,200 other activists including Christenson.13

Affiliations

100Grannies affiliates itself with Iowa City Climate Advocates.14 100Grannies links to ICCA on its website, along with other organizations including Citizens Climate Lobby and Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, a left-wing organizing group.15

References

  1. Biggers, Jeff. “Iowans Pay Tribute to Rev. Barbara Schlachter, Climate Action Leader.” Sustainability at Iowa. February 18, 2016. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://sustainability.uiowa.edu/news/iowans-pay-tribute-to-rev-barbara-schlachter-climate-action-leader/.
  2. “About Us.” 100 Grannies. Accessed August 10, 2018. http://100grannies.org/resources/about-us/.
  3. Love, Brea. “SYC Spotlight: 100 Grannies Fight for Healthy Environment.” KCRG | Cedar Rapids, Iowa Content. April 05, 2018. Accessed August 10, 2018. http://www.kcrg.com/content/news/SYC-Spotlight-100-Grannies-fight-for-healthy-environment-479806393.html.
  4. “Our Stories.” 350 Madison. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://350madison.org/our-stories/.
  5. “How to Grow a Grannies Group.” 100 Grannies. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://100grannies.org/resources/about-us/how-to-grow-a-grannies-group/.
  6. Simmons, Daisy. “‘Grannies’ Crusade against Fossil Fuels » Yale Climate Connections.” Yale Climate Connections. October 13, 2017. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2017/10/grannies-crusade-against-fossil-fuels/.
  7. “Grandmothers Start Environmental Organization and Push Local Officials to Ban Plastic Bags.” Earthwise Bag Company, Inc. September 10, 2012. Accessed August 10, 2018. http://www.earthwisebags.com/grandmothers-start-environmental-organization-and-push-local-officials-to-ban-plastic-bags/.
  8. Hines-Dochterman, Meredith. “Grannies Unite to Fight Global Warming.” The Gazette. May 28, 2013. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://www.thegazette.com/2013/05/28/grannies-unite-to-fight-global-warming.
  9. Rood, Lee. “Iowa the Latest State to Outlaw Plastic Bag Bans.” Des Moines Register. April 11, 2017. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://eu.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/investigations/readers-watchdog/2017/04/10/alec-plastic-bag-ban-iowa/100189578/.
  10. Petroski, William. “Activists Say Pipeline Meeting Notices Were Deficient.” Des Moines Register. January 09, 2015. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://eu.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2015/01/08/iowa-bakken-oil-pipeline-opposition-meetings/21449265/.
  11. Goodner, David. “32 Arrested After 200 Iowa #NoDAPL Protesters Dismantle Security Fence in Bid to Disrupt Pipeline Drilling.” Common Dreams. October 03, 2016. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/10/03/32-arrested-after-200-iowa-nodapl-protesters-dismantle-security-fence-bid-disrupt.
  12. Ward, Marcia. “Grannies travel to Des Moines to agitate against the CO2 pipelines.” 100Grannies, November 12, 2023. https://100grannies.org/2023/11/12/grannies-travel-to-des-moines-to-agitate-against-the-co2-pipelines/
  13. “Why?” 100 Grannies. Accessed August 10, 2018. http://100grannies.org/resources/about-us/why-grannies/.
  14. “About Barbara Schlachter and the ICCA.” Barbara Schlachter Run/Walk for Victims of Climate Change. March 06, 2017. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://runforvictimsofclimatechange.org/about/.
  15. “Other Organizations and Links.” 100 Grannies. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://100grannies.org/resources/other-organizations/.
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