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Solar United Neighbors (SUN), a national nonprofit dedicated to helping people join together to make solar more affordable, just launched a Twin Cities area solar co-op. Solar co-ops use bulk buying to get more affordable prices from vendors, and SUN co-op members get additional benefits such as direct access to solar experts to answer questions, a professional team that solicits and reviews proposals from solar companies, and a community of like-minded individuals to do it with you. |
Going solar creates jobs, puts energy production and its benefits back in the hands of the people and contributes to cleaner air and water for everyone. A solar co-op amplifies those outcomes exponentially. Watch SUN's informational video to learn more about the solar co-op process and its benefits, or view the FAQs. The co-op has a goal of 200 members, and the deadline to join is April 30th, 2022.
The Southside Green Zone Council is looking for new members! Apply by December 31st to join the Southside Green Zone Council to advance environmental justice in Minneapolis’s Phillips and Cedar Riverside neighborhoods.
Do you …
- Live in the Phillips or Cedar Riverside community?
- Worry about energy bills, clean air & water, housing security and your family’s health?
- Want to take action in community with others?
- Want to address environmental racism and environmental injustice in our community?
Members are responsible for attending meetings, holding the City accountable to the implementation of the work plan, engaging community members, identifying budget needs, and providing recommendations to the Mayor and City Council.
Learn more about the Southside Green Zone and read the Work Plan online. You can also see the upcoming Southside Green Zone Council calendar or latest agendas and minutes.
Questions? Contact kelly.muellman@minneapolismn.gov or 612-673-3014.
The Department of Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota and Homegrown Minneapolis at the City of Minneapolis, in collaboration with Terra Soma, are inviting up to seven community-based organizations serving Minneapolis communities of color and American Indians to partner on a community engagement process. The goal of the partnership is to gain input on proposed Minneapolis Food Action Plan (MFAP) priorities. The MFAP will serve as a roadmap toward a more equitable, climate resilient, just and sustainable local food system and local food economy.
Minneapolis community-based organizations can apply for an up to $2500 stipend for each cultural community they would engage with on the Minneapolis Food Action Plan. Selected organizations will obtain feedback from members of the African American, American Indian, East African, Latinx and Southeast Asian communities to help shape the Food Action Plan.
Important dates:
- Partnership Proposal Form deadline: December 3rd, 2021
- Notification of partnership: December 10th, 2021
- Engagement is to be completed by January 14th, 2022
 Rethos, a regional nonprofit that advocates for the reuse and repair of old buildings, will be offering six free home weatherization and energy efficiency workshops to residents of Hennepin County in 2022.
Workshops will teach homeowners, renters, and caretakers of old buildings how to maximize energy efficiency in their residences, saving money and prolonging the life of their homes. Some workshops will include a free home weatherization kit that attendees can take home and apply themselves.
Official dates and times for these workshops will be determined and posted in Spring of 2022. Once posted, residents will be able to view workshop descriptions and register on Rethos’ webpage at rethos.org/classes.
For more information, please contact Kelly Fischer, Rethos Outreach & Education Coordinator, at kelly@rethos.org or 651-293-9047.
 The first Zero-Emission Bus Transition Plan will be submitted to the legislature by February 15th, 2022. This plan will identify the short- (2022-2025), medium- (2026-2030) and long- (beyond 2030) term opportunities, risks, and implementation strategies to transition more of Metro Transit’s fleet to zero-emission technology. The plan is guided by technical viability, equity and environmental justice, and financial impact. Metro Transit is seeking the community’s help in prioritizing zero-emission bus implementation.
Throughout November and into early December, Metro Transit has reached out to organizations in Minneapolis and St. Paul to provide a brief presentation and discussion on the Zero-Emission Bus Transition Plan at monthly organization meetings. Members of the public who were unable to attend these presentations can watch a video recording. There is also a survey available until November 30th where members of the public can provide input and help shape the plan.
The Enterprise Sustainable Building Policy has been in the works since 2019, when a City Council resolution called for, “…a sustainable building policy framework to improve the environmental performance ‘…when building or renovating City-owned buildings and facilities, and when leasing buildings.’” After years of work by City staff, including the Sustainability Division’s Bjorn Olsen and Director Kim Havey, City Council adopted the policy on November 19th.
The policy will require City-owned or leased buildings to meet high standards in categories such as energy and water use, building materials, indoor environmental quality, and equity. The buildings must be LEED Gold certified as well.
Seventy-five percent of Minneapolis’ GHG emissions come from buildings, and poorly insulated buildings are not resilient and are overly reliant on fossil gas. The requirements set out in the Enterprise Sustainable Building Policy will help the City reach our sustainability goals, such as 100% Municipal Renewable Electricity by 2023 and Citywide by 2030.
 The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is hosting a webinar about the air monitoring component of the draft PFAS Monitoring Plan on Monday, November 29th, 10-11am PFAS are widely used, long lasting chemicals, components of which break down very slowly over time and can be found in water, air, fish and soil.
The draft plan lays out a path forward for PFAS monitoring at solid waste facilities, hazardous waste landfills, wastewater facilities, air facilities, stormwater facilities, and sites in the Brownfield or Superfund programs. The draft plan does not establish facility-specific requirements. Instead, it outlines how the MPCA intends to prioritize locations for PFAS monitoring and what the monitoring will entail.
During this webinar, MPCA will share more information specifically about the parts of the draft PFAS monitoring plan that apply to air facilities. The agency will also share information about opportunities to help improve the plan before it is finalized. Feedback on the plan is being accepted through December 20th.
Registration is not required to join the webinar. Please join the webinar online or by phone at 1-651-395-7448; Conference ID: 918 122 076#
For additional information, please contact Cory Boeck at cory.boeck@state.mn.us or Kari Palmer at kari.palmer@state.mn.us.
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The EPA invites community members and Environmental Justice (EJ) advocates to participate in the next National Environmental Justice Community Engagement Call on December 7th from 2-4pm ET. The call is free and open to the public.
The purpose of these calls is to inform the community and other stakeholders about EPA's EJ work and enhance opportunities to maintain an open dialogue with EJ advocates. As environmental justice continues to be integrated into EPA programs, policies, and activities, these calls are intended to help reaffirm EPA’s continued commitment to working with community groups and other stakeholders to strengthen local environmental and human health outcomes.
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You can register for the call here. For more information, please email Robinson.Victoria@epa.gov or Motilall.Christina@epa.gov.
Please email Motilall.Christina@epa.gov to request reasonable accommodation for a disability or interpreter services in a language other than English, so that you can participate in the call and/or to request a translation of any of the event documents into a language other than English.
MnDOT is currently updating the statewide multimodal transportation plan – our state’s highest-level plan for all modes of transportation. Community members are invited to attend a stakeholder forum in December to discuss proposed changes to the plan’s policy objectives, performance measures, strategies, and actions. You will hear more about the workshops and public engagement efforts, and join conversations about climate change, equity, and more.
The forums will be held the morning of December 2nd and the afternoon of December 7th. More information about how to attend the forums will be available soon at www.minnesotago.org. The forums will be one of the last opportunities to discuss proposed changes before the draft plan is made available for public comment in early 2022.
The MPCA has approximately $1 million in grant funds to replace or improve heavy-duty off-road diesel equipment. Recipients can use the federal Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) funds for cleaner diesel, alternative fuel, hybrid, or all-electric equipment.
Eligible equipment may include marine engines, locomotives, trailer refrigeration units, terminal tractors, drayage trucks, off-road engines, and other equipment and vehicles used in construction, handling of cargo, agriculture, mining, or energy production.
Visit the MPCA clean diesel off-road DERA grant webpage for full details and application materials. Applications are due by December 1st.
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Climate change caused by air pollution is threatening critical infrastructure and human health across Minnesota. Prepare your community to adapt through a climate resilience planning grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
This funding provides an opportunity to assess vulnerabilities and conduct planning in three areas: stormwater resilience, wastewater resilience, and community resilience to adapt services and public infrastructure for the effects of climate change.
Tribal nations, cities, counties, towns/townships, soil and water conservation districts, water management organizations, water districts, and regional development commissions and the Metropolitan Council are eligible to apply. Applications are due no later than Tuesday, December 21st, at 4:00pm CT.
Find more information on the MPCA climate resilience planning grant webpage.
Got extra cardboard and other recyclables?
From Thanksgiving to New Year's Day, waste increases by more than 25%. Please be kind to our collection crews and to recycling facility staff and break down all boxes.
Large boxes may be placed next to your recycling inside one large box or bundled together with string or twine. To ensure safety and proper sorting, don't bundle boxes using wire or tape and keep bundles to less than 3' x 3' and under 40 pounds.
Extra bottles and cans may be placed next to your recycling cart in cardboard boxes or paper bags. Recycling put in or set next to your cart in plastic bags will be disposed of as garbage. Remember that there's no charge for an additional recycling cart. Contact our office to request another cart if you regularly have more recycling that will fit in your cart(s).
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Gift wrap recycling and reuse.
Wrapping paper (and holiday cards) with glitter, foil, reflective areas or velvet cannot be recycled or composted. These types of gift wrap are often coated with foil or plastic which makes them impossible to recycle or compost and should be placed in the garbage. Also keep in mind that most ribbons and bows are also non-compostable and non-recyclable.
What to do with pie and cookie tins and aluminum pans.
'Tis the season of abundant tinfoil, pie tins, baking trays, cookie tins, and canned goods. Keep in mind that if you give these items a quick rinse so they're free of food, they can go in your recycling cart and be turned into something new.
Remember that aluminum foil should be balled up and at least 3 inches in diameter (about the size of your fist) so it will be properly sorted for recycling. If it's left flat, foil acts more like a piece of paper than a container and may end up in the wrong place.
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 As you start dusting off holiday decorations from storage and begin to transform your home, remember to keep "tanglers" like holiday lights, electrical cords, and hoses out of your recycling cart.
Similar to plastic bags, these items get wrapped around equipment at recycling sorting facilities. These facilities typically shut down operations for two hours every day so workers can climb into the machinery to remove tanglers by hand.
Do your part to protect the safety of recycling collection crews and sorting staff by not placing tanglers in your blue recycling cart. Instead, recycle unwanted cords and string lights at Hennepin County drop-off facilities or other holiday light recycling locations.
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