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Crookston is a 7000+ person community in the northwest corner of Minnesota that has big ambitions to improve the life of its residents by leveraging the clean energy transition. We interview City Council Member Tim Lenard, Exec. Director of Crookston Housing Development Karie Kirshbaum, Exec. Director of NW MN Regional Sustainable Development Program Shannon Stassen, and John Vaughn, Fresh Energy's Managing Director of Community Development to learn about the Empower Crookston effort and how it spawned an I Love Crookston program.
Resources
Empower Crookston websiteCity of Crookston websiteMinnesota information on local climate action grantsFresh Energy website -
The negative impacts of the fossil-fuel based energy system and policies have disproportionately harmed and burdened low-income and BIPOC communities. As we transition to a clean energy economy, how do we make sure that what we put in place is equitable and just? We interview Michelle Vigen Ralston, Principal and Founder at Common Spark Consulting, about the work her team does with cities, counties, advocates, and other organizations to facilitate the creation of equitable energy policy.
Resources
Common Spark websiteTrainings mentionedJemez principles -
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YoGo BikeShare is launching a new 100% e-bike micro-mobility platform in Youngstown, a city of about 60,000 in population. We interview YoGo President Ronnel Elkins and VP of Operations Corey Patrick, and learn about their vision, the obstacles they've faced, and how the service will address the first and last mile problem of public transportation.
Resources:
YoGo websiteBikeshare in Youngstown gets rolling - article in The Vindicator‘These are your bikes:’ City celebrates start of YoGo Bikeshare in Youngstown article in Mahoning Matters -
There's a heat pump revolution happening in Maine. Already over 100,000 of the 600,000 homes in Maine have heat pumps, and their plan is to be over 300,000 by 2027. One out of every 14 heat pumps in the U.S. is going to Maine, though it is only 0.42% of the US's population. We talk to Andy Meyer, Senior Program Manager at Efficiency Maine, to learn how they've done it, and how it's saving Maine residents a lot of money, even in a cold-weather climate.
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Efficiency Maine website -
Lincoln Nebraska may not be the first city that comes to mind when you think of climate action, but maybe it should be. We interview Kim Morrow, Chief Sustainability Officer for Lincoln, about some exciting city programs, including EV infrastructure, an innovative approach to Rental Rehabilitation using Tax Increment Financing (TIF), heat pump rebates, and biochar as well as their efforts on the EPA's Climate Pollution Reduction Grants.
Resources
Resilient Lincoln web page (Resilient Lincoln is the name of the Mayor's priority initiative that involves implementing the Climate Action Plan)Lincoln's Vision for a Climate-Smart Future (this is the background study behind the Climate Action Plan)Climate Action PlanEV Readiness PlanPress release regarding the Rental Rehabilitation ProgramHeat pump incentive programPress release announcing the programHeat pump incentive program web pageLincoln Electric System Sustainable Energy ProgramLincoln Biochar InitiativeLocal Food Plan -
There's a lot of exciting things happening in the world of geothermal power. We explore geothermal in general and examine a novel approach leveraging groundwater to substantially reduce the footprint needed. We interview Darcy Solutions CTO Dan King about how their technology is being used by some cities to provide carbon free heating and cooling.
Resources:
Darcy Solutions websiteWater Well Journal explanatory article -
Abby, Larry, and Isaiah review 2023 and talk about what's coming in 2024.
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On the shores of Lake Superior, Duluth has received publicity as a "climate proof city" though faces distinct challenges with its cold weather climate. With grants, they are pursuing exciting approaches to creating a geothermal district heating system from their waste water treatment plant and separately, creating resilience in their building stock with solar plus storage and microgrids. We interview Sustainability Officer Mindy Granley, Community Resilience Project Coordinator Bret Crecelius, and Americorps service member Ella Stewart about Duluth's unique 5-year at a time approach to climate planning.
Resources
Duluth Climate Action Work PlanGrant for geothermal district heatingRenewables Advancing Community Energy Resilience (RACER) Funding ProgramDuluth Sustainability webpage -
Groundswell's exciting SOUL (Save On Utilities Long term) program is rolling out right now in LaGrange, GA. SOUL is a Pay As You Save model that reduces utility bills by improving home energy efficiency, without upfront costs. It prioritizes households with lower incomes and high energy burdens. We interview Nicole Sonderegger of Groundswell and Leon Childs of Groundswell and a City Councilmember in LaGrange about how the program works and the lives it is changing.
Resources
Groundswell SOUL program websiteLaGrange SOUL programCity of LaGrange website -
Morris is a small community in conservative western Minnesota that is doing groundbreaking sustainability work. Inspired by students at the University of MN Morris and a partnership with Saerbeck Germany as part of a unique "Climate Smart Municipalities" program, local leaders have come up with "The Morris Model" that guides the community's efforts. We interview former City Manager Blaine Hill and Univ. of MN - Morris Vice Chancellor Bryan Hermann to learn how the Morris Model started and about ongoing solar, wind, biogas, battery storage, composting, and EV infrastructure programs.
Resources
The Morris ModelSustainability at University of Minnesota MorrisSaerbeck Germany City Climate Corner episodeClimate Smart Municipalities program at the University of MN's Institute on the EnvironmentFlow Battery proposal mentioned in episodeVolts podcast episode where Larry is interviewed about MN's new climate smart transportation law (mentioned in intro) -
Regenerative Agriculture can improve soil health and water quality, sequester carbon, and increase farmer profits. It has become a key part of Boulder County's climate action. We interview Natural Capitalism Solutions President Hunter Lovins to understand regenerative agriculture's potential, and Boulder County Sustainability Office Director Susie Strife and Sustainability Strategist Tim Broderick to learn about some of the exciting actions underway in the county.
Resources
OSCAR - Boulder County Office of SustainabilityNatural Capitalism Solutions - websiteBoulder County Carbon Removal PlaybookSustainable Food & Agriculture Fund - Grant ProgramSustainable Food & Agriculture Fund - GranteesArticle: CO expands regenerative ag program started in Boulder countyGabe Brown and 5 principles of soil healthColorado's STAR program on soil health4 Corners Carbon CoalitionMushroom bricks / concrete -
Elected Officials to Protect America (EOPA) empowers local elected officials and civic leaders to fight the climate crisis, with a special focus on lawmakers who are veterans. With leaders from all 50 states and Puerto Rico, EOPA is an organizing force for local officials to increase their impact in their own communities as well as on regional and national issues. We interview co-founders Alex Cornell du Houx, and Dominic Frongillo about their programs and some of their work, including banning fracking in NY, supporting offshore wind, and fighting for environmental justice. EOPA is also City Climate Corner's fiscal sponsor.
Resources
EOPA websiteEOPA's Certificate of Public Leadership Program - ApplicationForm to join EOPA as an elected officialMentioned during intro and debriefLarry's Op-Ed in the Minnesota Star TribuneCity Climate Corner episode with Max Gruenig - on running for office as a climate candidate -
Larry recently visited Saerbeck, a village in northwest Germany that has done incredible things with renewable energy, biogas, and now green hydrogen. We interview Martin Sammler, Manager of Saerbeck's Climate Action Department, about how this village of 7200 people is producing 4 times the energy it needs with renewables, is planning to decarbonize its heating system by 2030, and is becoming a proving ground for the production of green hydrogen and electrolyzers.
Resources
Saerbeck - climate projects backgrounder (English)Saerbeck website (in German)Climate Community SaerbeckEnapter's Saerbeck electrolyzer production facility - Article -
With this summer of one climate disaster after another, Abby and Larry talk about how they deal with the depressing parts of climate change, and especially, what gives them hope.
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More and more we're learning that protected bike lanes with physical separation from car traffic are the best at changing behavior and getting a lot more people to cycle. But they can be time consuming to construct. We interview Bike Program Coordinator Kyle Kozar, Mobility Manager Jason Kligier, and Principal Civil Engineer Selim Eren, from the City of Santa Monica, about their efforts creating bike infrastructure, and an innovative use of a construction machine to, effectively, 3D print protected bike lanes.
Resources
Bike Action Plan Amendment3D bike lane printing in action (Twitter video)Protected intersection in Santa Monica (photo)City of Santa Monica Climate Action and Adaptation Plan -
Though Hopkins is one of the smaller Minneapolis suburbs, it packs a big punch on climate action. We dig into two really innovative programs they're doing on reducing the urban heat island effect and speeding deployment of clean energy and energy efficiency solutions with a cost share program. We speak with Hopkins Mayor Patrick Hanlon and Special Projects and Initiatives Manager, PeggySue Imihy Bean, to understand how this small community is taking on big challenges.
Resources
Hopkins Heat VulnerabilityStory map - DEFINITELY look at this!Webpage and background information on studyStar Tribune 5/11/23 article on Hopkins urban heat island programCost Share programs mentioned (Hopkins program is not live yet)Green Cost Share program (Minneapolis)Climate Champions (St Louis Park) -
Transportation is now the #1 source of greenhouse gas emissions in the US. While electrification is the most obvious emissions reduction strategy, it isn't enough. We must reduce VMT, or vehicle miles travelled. We interview Anna Zetkulic, senior associate on the Carbon Free Transportation team at RMI and Miguel Moravec, an Associate with the US program, about how cities and states are tackling the issue, and the huge side benefits that come with VMT reduction.
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Article: Our Driving Habits Must Be Part of the Climate ConversationAnalysis: Minnesotans Would Save up to $91 Billion from Climate-Smart TransportationBuffalo NY: Green codeColorado's Greenhouse Gas programTHE HIDDEN CLIMATE SUCCESS IN MINNESOTA’S NEW TRANSPORTATION LAWAmerica Is All In -
Minnesota recently finished a state legislative session for the ages. Democratic control of state government for the first time in a decade, combined with a historic budget surplus, led to the adoption of transformative investments and policies in most every area of government. We dig into new climate policies that especially impact MN cities. Abby interviews co-host and first-term State Representative Larry Kraft about the recently completed session and gets a run down of some of the key new climate policies that were passed into law.
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Gov Walz signs bill on 100% Clean Energy by 2040Passed MN Climate, Energy, & Environment budget bill Passed MN Transportation budget billObama praises MN accomplishmentsLarry's speech on the House floor about the Energy & Environment budget bill -
In 2015 St. Cloud MN set a goal to get 75% of municipal operations electricity from renewable energy by 2035. Only five years later in 2020, emanating from work at their wastewater facility, they actually hit 100%. We interview Public Services Director Tracy Hodel and Public Service Analyst Liz Kramer about how St. Cloud smashed their initial goal and how their new goal of net zero community-wide greenhouse emissions by 2038 is spurring dramatic and job-creating innovation, including with green hydrogen!
Resources
Plant Profile: Greater Innovation, Improvement and Excellence in St. CloudCity Wastewater Treatment Facility - Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency project summary2038 goal storyGreen Hydrogen story -
We revisit Ann Arbor, Michigan and their dynamic Sustainability & Innovations Director Missy Stults, to check in on their audacious plan to reach net zero by 2030. They are pushing the envelope in so many ways, from their taxpayers approving $7M per year for climate action, to being on the verge of setting up a new Sustainable Energy Utility, to re-thinking how heating will be provided, and more.
Resources
Ann Arbor millage taxSustainable Energy Utility - video overviewSustainable Heating Franchise - project overviewAnn Arbor A2Zero home pageJuly 2021 City Climate Corner episodeCity Climate Corner Bloomberg Cities top 10 - もっと表示する
