Archive
Experts explain Minnesota’s smoky, hazy summer
Environmental Initiative recently sat down with experts at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to learn more about air quality forecasting, recent air quality trends, and what people can do to stay safe.
Voluntary stove swap program warms homes, cleans air, cuts costs
Do you heat your home with wood? Burn more than two cords of wood per year? Have an appliance that was manufactured before 1992? You might be eligible for Project Stove Swap! We connect Minnesota residents to local vendors to swap out old, inefficient wood burning stoves for newer models.
Rethinking campus sustainability: A panel discussion recap
The use of offices and corporate campuses has changed considerably over the past three years. How are sustainability programs adapting? Allison Egan, HealthPartners; Marc Olson, Allianz Life; and Fred Rozumalski, Barr Engineering share their perspective and experiences.
Collaborative policy victory: Lottery reauthorization for Minnesota
The Minnesota Legislature recently passed the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund renewal bill. This important legislation will put a question before voters to reauthorize Minnesota State Lottery funds for conservation. It also creates a new $20 million per year community grants program.
Asthma, air quality, and athletes: The community coach’s role
An asthma attack can be a scary situation for coaches and athletes, but it doesn’t have to be! The Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and youth sport coaches collaborated to create a free 35-minute online training course to share information with youth coaches about what to do when a player has asthma symptoms or an asthma attack.
Be air aware with the Air Quality Index
Do you know how air quality can affect your health? You might not be able to see it, but the air you breathe could contain dangerous pollutants. The Air Quality Index can let you know what the quality of the air outside is before you open a window or step out for a walk.
From tap to tapestry: Using art and creativity to protect drinking water
Two artist educators, Sharon and Shirley Nordrum, have been commissioned to creatively engage residents in Little Falls, Minnesota on issues of drinking water and environmental health. The year-long project is initiated by the Source Water Protection Collaborative, a partnership between government agencies, nonprofits, researchers, farmers, and public health experts convened by the nonprofit, Environmental Initiative.
Expanding Lottery funds for the environment, for all
Environmental Initiative is part of a coalition of mainstream environmental organizations advocating for the Minnesota State Legislature to get a question on the ballot in 2024 on whether to continue dedicating state lottery funds to the great outdoors. Our organization is focused on convening conversations for proposed changes that would make the Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund more equitable.
Source water protection and working collaboratively, explained
To protect source water, lasting behavior changes in land and water management practices are needed. Environmental Initiative is convening a statewide network of individuals with experience in source water protection, community outreach, engagement, agriculture, and public health to develop ways to promote land use that protects drinking water.
The EPA plans to tighten air pollution standards, what it means for Minnesota
The U.S. EPA has proposed updated national ambient air quality standards for fine particle pollution, or PM 2.5, for the first time in more than a decade. The stricter standards highlight the importance of Clean Air Minnesota's voluntary emission reduction work to help Minnesota stay in compliance.
