News & Ideas
Report: Conservation practices benefit the environment and local farmer’s bottom line
A recent return-on-investment study of dairy operations in central Minnesota found that profitability and environmental stewardship are complimentary. The study analyzed 10 farms and found that on average the farms demonstrated improved environmental and financial outcomes compared to benchmarks.
Sustainable Growth Coalition hosts deconstruction tour and embodied carbon learning lab
The Sustainable Growth Coalition hosted an embodied carbon deep dive on Sept. 21. Panelists discussed challenges with embodied carbon in the Upper Midwest, opportunities for improving emissions, and equity improvements from building decarbonization.
Introducing Su Legatt, artist-in-residence
Artist, educator, and community organizer Su Legatt was recently commissioned by Environmental Initiative and the Source Water Protection Collaborative to creatively engage Little Falls, Minnesota residents on issues of drinking water and environmental health.
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.
