Green Coffee Talks | Page 2 | Do It Green! Minnesota

September 29: Minnesota’s Changing Climate

Picture your favorite places in Minnesota. What will they look and feel like in the future with a changing climate? Join us for a presentation and discussion on Minnesota’s changing climate with our special guest speaker, Sr. Climatologist Kenny Blumenfeld from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. In the midst …

August 2020: Composting

Composting is a good way to greatly reduce your waste (and prevent your trash from smelling), and it doesn’t have to be hard! Whether the city where you live provides organics recycling or you’re able to compost in your backyard, come join our conversation to learn about what items can …

June 2020: Edible Gardening

Saturday, June 6 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. Virtual, at your home Have you “bean” wanting to start your own garden at home – vegetables, fruit, herbs, or edible plants and flowers? Or maybe you’ve done your own garden for a while but are “corn-fused” why some things don’t grow or make …

April 2020: Reuse Documentary Discussion

Hold on! Discussion notes will be posted soon. View the documentary:

March 2020: Wasted Food

We are canceling this event to keep our community safe and healthy during this coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and prevent further spread. We are working to reschedule this event and transition future Green Coffee Talks as virtual gatherings. Be well! March 18, 2020, 6:00–7:30 p.m. Peace Coffee, 3262 Minnehaha Ave, Minneapolis …

Green Tips

Support Strong Towns

The automobile era spurred the expansion of highways and the fragmentation of natural habitats and communities. Now, the suburban American lifestyle had led to an obesity epidemic, high levels of resource consumption, and oil dependency. Strong Towns is a nonprofit that helps cities focus on resiliency instead of growth. Find out more.

Start an Organics Recycling Program

Establishing an organics recycling program is a great way to reduce the amount of trash an organization or household disposes. Organics include all food waste and non-recyclable or food-soiled paper products and can make up approximately 25 percent of what we throw away. This article offers tips on how to start your own program.

Learn from Minneapolis

The City of Minneapolis continues to be a national leader in reducing the impact of global warming on our planet. Minneapolis’ sustainability work is guided by 24 indicators that measure our progress at creating a sustainable future for our residents. Check out this article to learn about Minneapolis’ sustainability accomplishments and be inspired.

Green Your Child’s Lunch

Home-packed lunches can be fun, healthy, and green, with very little time or money required. A child’s lunch, including organic fruit, requires less than five minutes on average to prepare and could cost as little as $1.00 per day-compared to over $2.25 for school lunch.

Try these suggestions to green your packed lunches, whether for children, adults, or picnics!

Purchase Sustainable Lumber and Wood Products

Minnesota’s forests are vital to the state economy and environment. The Minnesota wood products industry provides employment to rural communities and serves markets throughout the world. As global trade in forest products grows, forest certification has emerged as a mechanism for consumers to identify wood products produced from sustainably managed forests. Nearly 50 different companies in Minnesota manufacture and market certified products. Retailers and distributors sell a variety of lumber, paneling, and decking products. Numerous local paper and printing companies also offer certified products.

More info here!

Get Your Mayor Involved

More than 600 cities nationwide are not waiting for federal action on climate change—they are taking matters into their own hands. The U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement is one way cities are reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and urging government to take action. Read more about the agreement here, plus learn what Minnesota’s government is doing about global warming.

Host an Art Night

Looking for a new way to connect with your neighbors, get free life advice, and spark your creative juices? Consider hosting an art night at your house, complete with paints, modeling clay, colored pencils and art smocks. Get messy, be creative, and let the conversation flow. For inspiration and resources, check out this article.

Recycle Your Paper Products

Most people don’t realize it, but one way to reduce global warming is to recycle paper products. Recycling one ton of paper saves 17 trees. Each tree helps reduce global warming by capturing and holding carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas. Remember your bottles and cans, too—any recycling you do means fewer of the Earth’s raw materials are used. Learn more here.

Start a Recycling Program at Work

If your office doesn’t have a recycling program, consider being a catalyst for big change by starting one yourself. See our full list of tips on how to get started (including identifying a Recycling Coordinator and selecting a Recycling Company) in our article, Green Your Office.

Check Out This Template for Action

Scientists say a global warming “tipping point” in the Arctic seems to be happening before their eyes. Sea ice in the Arctic Ocean is at its second lowest level in about 30 years. These news flashes are just some of our climate’s changes happening daily. You and your kids can help. Read more here, and then check out Climate Generations’s Take Action! Guide, which offers hands-on activities for grades 3-12.

How Our Food Choices Effect the Planet