The future of Iowa City soil will soon be in full bloom with the help of a local organization — and the Iowa City city councilors are diggin’ it.

ECO-Iowa City, a grant-funded local initiative, impressed the city councilors during their Monday evening work session with its efforts to improve sustainability in Iowa City. The group is one of nine applicants from a pool of more than 500 nationwide using a $57,000 grant awarded by the International City Managers Association to help communities become more eco-friendly.

Maeve Clark, information services coordinator at the Iowa City Public Library, and Jen Jordan, recycling coordinator from the city’s Public Works division, head the group; they told councilors what they’ve accomplished so far.

Some of the organization’s community green events have included landfill tours, selling Earth Machine compost bins, and holding a pharmaceutical collection event in which local residents could drop off unused medicine.

ECO-Iowa City also plans to grow a garden on College Street near College Green Park. Iowa City already has community gardens, including in Wetherby Park and the UI Student Gardens.

The group members have four broad sustainable goals they hope the city and the residents can work on before their funding is up next fall: energy conservation, urban storm water, smart waste disposal, and urban composting and local food.

“We’re not trying to get people to make radical changes,” Clark said Monday evening. “It’s just itty-bitty baby steps.”

Councilors responded with helpful eco-friendly suggestions they would like to see prosper around the city.

Councilor Matt Hayek said he would like the restaurant and bar community to become more educated about smart waste disposal.

“It’s incredible what they throw out,” he said.

Councilor Amy Correia said she’s concerned with plastic bottle disposal, suggesting plastic recycling bins be placed in all Iowa City sports parks.

The group members said they will look into the council’s ideas, and Clark noted they should be easy to accomplish with such high interest from the community in sustainability.

“We have a good community to do it in, so that helps,” Clark said.

ECO-Iowa City is hosting a slew of events this week, including a ghost story ride this Saturday to promote alternative forms of transportation. Participants should meet at the Iowa City Public Library at 5:45 p.m. before biking to Oakland Cemetery, where storytellers Lori Erikson and Chris Vinsonhaler will gush scary tales.