Green Coffee Talks

Are you looking to “Go Green” or need help along our Green Journey? Come meet/collaborate with other like-minded, eco-friendly people! We’ll discuss how to overcome the challenges of staying Green and share tips/resources on eco-friendly options! Each meeting has a specific topic to focus on, but the conversations go with the flow. Green Coffee Talks are held monthly at varying locations around the Twin Cities.

Watch this page for specific dates, times, and locations. Topics and meeting details will be added.

Virtual Green Gifts Fair: Breaking Down the Walls of Environmental Apartheid

November 21 @ 6:30-7:30pm

Sponsored by UW River Falls Sustainable Management Online Programs Presented by: Family of Trees panel Join us for a discussion on what environmental justice looks like in our community and…

Virtual Green Gifts Fair: Cultivating Health & Wellness For You & the Earth

November 20 @ 6:30-7:30pm

Sponsored by UW River Falls Sustainable Management Online Programs Presented by: Unny Nambudiripad from Our Wellness and Liberation Taking care of the earth starts with taking care of ourselves! Please…

Virtual Green Gifts Fair: Zero Waste Holidays & Beyond

November 19, 2020 6:30-7:30pm CST

Sponsored by UW River Falls Sustainable Management Online Programs Presented by: – Kristine Kvamme, Do It Green! Minnesota – Colleen Hetzel, MPCA – Kim Erickson & Ashley Kennedy, Zero Waste…

Virtual Green Gifts Fair: Making Sustainability Your Work

November 19, 2020 12-1pm CST

Sponsored by UW River Falls Sustainable Management Online Programs Presented by: – Amanda Goetsch, Program Manager at University of Wisconsin Extended Campus – Angela Whitaker, Program Manager at UW-River Falls…

October 2020: Seed Saving + Giving as Gifts

October 22, 2020

Sponsored by UW River Falls Online Programs in Sustainable Management Presented by White Bear Lake Seed Library Founder Pam Larson Frink Learn how to save vegetable, flower and native plant…

September 29: Minnesota’s Changing Climate

September 29, 2020

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…

August 2020: Composting

August 29, 2020

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…

June 2020: Edible Gardening

June 6, 2020

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?…

April 2020: Reuse Documentary Discussion

April 29, 2020

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

March 2020: Wasted Food

March 18, 2020

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…

Green Tips

Start a Neighborhood Eco-Parent Group

We all want to do the best for our children, especially when it comes to protecting their health and the environment in which they live. Sometimes, knowing the most effective ways to do this can be confusing and challenging, but you don’t have to figure it out alone. Consider starting an eco-parent group in your neighborhood to learn alongside other parents. This article offers some tips.

Plant a Rain Garden

Many people do not realize that rain carries pollutants from our houses, yards, streets, sidewalks and parking lots to the nearest storm drain, leading directly to local lakes, streams and rivers. Rain gardens are designed to have a center depression to help rainwater seep into the soil. This infiltration helps recharge groundwater and reduces polluted runoff.

Check out our article on rain gardens to learn more.

Host a Climate Café

Climate cafés are a relatively new offshoot of the café discussion movement, which takes its inspiration from philosophical discussion groups. These discussion cafés offer a venue for respectful public conversation on the challenging subjects facing us daily. You can host a discussion anywhere and get the climate conversation going. Interested? Check out this article.

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.

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.

Use Reusable Gift Bags

Americans produce 25% more trash during the holiday season, including about 2 million tons of wrapping paper that use an estimated 30 million trees per year! Eliminate your gift waste with creative packaging ideas like making your own from reclaimed fabric!

See our full list of ideas for a No Waste Holiday!

Learn from St. Paul

Wondering what our state’s capitol city is doing about climate change? The city is committed to making St. Paul “The Most Livable City in America” and a leader in sustainable urban living. To accomplish this, the city concentrates on energy efficiency and conservation, clean energy supply, alternative fuels, transportation options, recycling and waste reduction, and other areas. Find out more here.

Reduce Waste When You Travel

Travelers can generate a lot of waste and pollution, even with the best intentions. But it isn’t hard to make a few changes that can help us avoid a lot of trash and otherwise green up our time away from home. It is our responsibility to take care of the places we inhabit, and to show that we respect the place we are traveling to, that others inhabit.

Check out more tips on reducing waste while traveling!

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.

Install a Solar Water Heater

Solar water heating is one of the least publicized but most cost-effective renewable energy options. According to Windy Dankoff of Conergy, solar water heaters capture six times more energy than solar electric at a third the cost.

Read our full article on Solar Water Heaters for more information.

How Our Food Choices Effect the Planet