fuels | Do It Green! Minnesota

The Growing Hipness of Biodiesel

February 26, 2016October 10, 2012

Kai Curry Sundays Energy Imagine a fuel made from soybeans, canola, or any number of crops produced by midwestern farmers. Imagine that fuel can be put into semi-trucks, tractors, buses, and even oil burning furnaces. Imagine this fuel would produce up to 65% fewer emissions. Imagine no more, this …

The Coming of the Solar Age & Clean Energy

February 26, 2016October 10, 2012

Carl Nelson Director of Community Energy, Green Institute We are slowly moving from the dinosaur fossil age to the solar age, but is it fast enough? Minnesota still gets the vast majority of its energy from fossil fuel sources. As we near the peak of world oil production, we can …

Oily Food

February 26, 2016October 10, 2012

Steven L. Hopp Americans put almost as much fossil fuel into our refrigerators as our cars. We’re consuming about 400 gallons of oil a year per citizen-about 17% of our nation’s energy use-for agriculture, a close second to our vehicular use. Tractors, combines, harvesters, irrigation, sprayers, tillers, balers, and other …

Energy Transition

February 26, 2016October 10, 2012

Philipp Muessig Twin Cities Energy Transition Working Group Huge energy price increases. Tight oil supplies. Climate change. Energy conservation. Major investments in renewable energy. To many people, it looks like the world is in the midst of an energy transition. What is driving this transition, where are we going, and …

The Foothills of Peak Oil: Hard Times Come Again

April 13, 2016October 10, 2012

Brian Merchant MN Post Carbon The world may look the same, but it has changed. The combination of $4.00/gallon gasoline, $130/barrel oil, and $12/BTU natural gas in the first half of 2008, sent a shockwave through the economy. The term peak oil, or the point when the maximum rate of …

Green Tips

Host a Clothing Swap

Swapping is a great way to eliminate waste and engage in reuse. Instead of throwing away items that you no longer want, you give them to someone who does, and instead of purchasing brand new items, you can reuse items you receive from others. Swapping can also be a way to provide items to people who cannot afford to purchase them, and it is a wonderful way to meet new people and build a sense of community.

Check out Swapping Made Easy for a full list of tips to hosting your own swap!

Buy Green Office Supplies

“Green” doesn’t necessarily mean “good” when it comes to so-called green office supplies. To help your office green up, consider durability, natural resource and energy use, recycled content and recyclability, toxicity, biodegradability and packaging before you purchase supplies. You can also set up a reuse system for the supplies you already have. For more tips on green office products, check out this article.

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.

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.

Get Engaged!

Individuals’ actions are important in setting sound policy, so become an engaged citizen. Whether you call your legislator’s office, testify in a legislative hearing or attend a rally, you can make your voice heard. Still doubt that you can make a difference? This article addresses couple common concerns about whether civic engagement is worth it.

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.

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.

Install a Programmable Thermostat

A programable thermostat can save $100 per year. Set it 2 degrees higher in summer and 2 degrees lower in winter for an additional money and energy savings.

Check out the Home Energy Checklist for more great ideas!

Support a Local Business

Did you know that roughly 73 cents of every dollar spent at a local business stays within the community, compared to 43 cents for non-local chain stores? When you buy from local businesses, you help that business employ community workers, support other local businesses, and contribute to the community’s overall health. Read more here about the benefits of buying locally.

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.

How Our Food Choices Effect the Planet

The Growing Hipness of Biodiesel

The Coming of the Solar Age & Clean Energy

Oily Food

Energy Transition

The Foothills of Peak Oil: Hard Times Come Again

How Our Food Choices Effect the Planet

Our Sponsors