Resources to Build Resilient Communities

Across the planet and in Minnesota, many communities are already feeling the impacts of climate change. It’s a problem that won’t be solved in our lifetimes. What we can do is learn to build resilient communities who are prepared to adapt to change and live with uncertainty.

You Can Start with Individual Action

An excellent article in YES magazine, “Crash Course in Resilience” suggests three places to start building resilient communities. We’ve added some elements of the “inner Transition” to this list because some (maybe a lot) of the adaptation we need to make will happen within our own minds and hearts.

skillshare-day-2018

2018 Transition Longfellow Skillshare Day

Build Skills with Community Skillshares

  • Learn to repair things, to grow things, to make things. Learn first aid, solar cooking, chicken or beekeeping. Befriend knowledgeable neighbors and offer to help them in exchange for learning new skills. Take a look at the skillshare events by local Transition groups.
  • Improve your interpersonal skills: compassionate listening, conflict resolution, mediation.
  • Develop strategies for dealing with difficult emotions – fear, anxiety, grief, confusion. Find ways to ground and center yourself. Find friends who can truly listen to you. Be one of those friends.
  • Build your tolerance for uncertainty. Take a bus route you don’t know. Get lost and find your way back. Learn a new language.

Learn to Live Local

  • Identify your assets and resources. Do you have the tools you may need in case of emergency? If not, can you borrow from a neighbor? You could help to start a tool library.
  • Identify local sources of food, supplies and services. Begin now to shop with them. If global supply chains become unreliable or unavailable, these will be your lifeline.
  • Become a producer and enter into mutually beneficial barter relationships with your neighbors. Can you make bread? Kombucha? Jam? Provide eggs? Honey? Maple syrup?

Inner Transition ASAP

Self-Care and Celebration

  • Place greater importance on your health – getting enough sleep, exercise, reducing stress, connecting with nature, pets and friends.
  • Strive to become debt free.  Not only does this reduce anxiety, it will give you a wider range of options in life. Vicki Robbin’s book, Your Money or Your Life,is a great resource to help you on the journey to debt freedom.
  • In her poem, “The Summer Day,” Mary Oliver asked “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” DO THAT! Regardless of where these times take us, this is your one precious life and you can find joy and reward in it.

Who Can Help with Outer and Inner Resilience?

This list may not be complete. If there are organizations or companies you would like to see added, please email the webmaster to request consideration for inclusion. Resources found on this website are for informational purposes only and listing does not constitute endorsement. Transition Twin Cities does not receive any financial support from companies listed here.

OrganizationDescriptionCategoriescategories_hfilter
Institute for Local Self-RelianceILSR is working to challenge concentrated economic power by fighting corporate control and supporting local business and industry. ISLR is a research institution that partners with local businesses to help them change the ways they handle their waste streams. Contact: Email: info@ilsr.org , Phone: (612) 276-3456Big Picture, Economy & Sharing, Resiliencebig-picture economy-sharing resilience
Ramsey County Community Emergency Response TeamThis CERT program through the Ramsey County Sheriff’s office partners community members and emergency services personnel together to coordinate responses to catastrophic disasters. CERT provides a 9-week training course to prepare citizens to assist their neighbors in the event of disaster. Contact: Email: CERT@co.ramsey.mn.us , Phone: (651) 266-7333Preparedness, Ramsey County, Resiliencepreparedness ramsey-county resilience
Minneapolis Office of Emergency ManagementMinneapolis’ Office of Emergency Management offers a ton of resources on what to do in the case of emergency or extreme weather, as well as resources to increase personal preparedness and resources for after an emergency such as how to navigate flood insurance. Many of these resources are available in …Hennepin County, Preparedness, Resiliencehennepin-county preparedness resilience
Minnesota Department of Health Center for Emergency Preparedness and ResponseThe MDH Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response works to establish integrated preparedness, response, and recovery planning at state, local, and tribal levels. Their website has resources on personal/family preparedness, preparedness regarding public health, among other information. Contact: Phone: (651) 201-5700 , Online Contact Form: https://survey.vovici.com/se/56206EE31CB50E82Preparedness, Resiliencepreparedness resilience
The American Red Cross Minnesota RegionThe Red Cross works with volunteers to prepare Minnesotans for disasters as well as respond with disaster relief when crisis does strike. Red Cross seeks to strengthen communities by improving community preparedness. Contact: Phone for General Inquiry: (612) 871-7676 , Phone to get help: (612) 871-7676Preparedness, Resiliencepreparedness resilience
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC Twin Cities)LISC Twin Cities works to build community resilience by supporting projects to revitalize communities and bring greater economic opportunity to residents. LISC provides capital, strategy, and know how to its community partners. Contact: Email: Twincities@lisc.org , Phone: (651) 649-1109Big Picture, Economy & Sharing, Resiliencebig-picture economy-sharing resilience
Metropolitan Council Resilience PlanThe Metropolitan has its Resilience Plan available on this site which includes a lot of information as well as resources for understanding resilience across all sectors.Resilienceresilience
Alliance for Sustainability Resilient Cities WorkshopsThe Alliance for Sustainability hosts Resilient Cities workshops once or twice a year where community volunteers and elected leaders convene to discuss resilience in the Twin Cities. Check out this website for more information about upcoming workshops, as well as agendas, notes, and documents from past workshops. Contact: Email: sean@afors.org …Resilienceresilience
Saint Paul Climate Action PlanningAs part of the city’s dedication to reducing the impacts of climate change through policy and action, the City of Saint Paul has released drafts of several plans for climate action related to resilience, energy, and building.  The drafts for these plans are hosted on the website for the St. …Climate, Climate Action, County/City Plans, Ramsey County, Resilienceclimate climate-action county-city-plans ramsey-county resilience
Washington County 2040 Comprehensive Plan: Resilience and SustainabilityWashington County’s 2040 plan includes this section addressing resilience and sustainability in future county operations and outlines a path towards achieving specific goals for resilience and sustainability.Climate, Climate Action, County/City Plans, Resilience, Washington Countyclimate climate-action county-city-plans resilience washington-county
Thrive MSP 2040Thrive MSP 2040 is the Metropolitan Council’s long term plan covering all seven metro counties and addressing issues that transcend any one neighborhood, city, or county.  The plan covers topics including land use, energy, transportation, housing, and natural resources.  Anoka County, Carver County, Climate Policy, County/City Plans, Dakota County, Energy Policy, Hennepin County, Metro-Wide Resource, Ramsey County, Resilience, Scott County, Washington Countyanoka-county carver-county climate-policy county-city-plans dakota-county energy-policy hennepin-county metro-wide-resource ramsey-county resilience scott-county washington-county climate energy
Metropolitan Council Local Planning HandbookThe Met Council has produced a Local Planning Handbook to help communities update their local comprehensive plans in the areas of land use, transportation, water resources, parks and trails, housing, energy infrastructure, resilience, health, economy and social connection. See the workbook at https://metrocouncil.org/Handbook/Plan-Elements/Resilience.aspxClimate Policy, County/City Plans, Energy Policy, Food Systems, Housing, Land Use, Metro-Wide Resource, Policy & Advocacy, Preparedness, Resilience, Transportation, Waste Reduction, Water Protectionclimate-policy county-city-plans energy-policy food-systems affordable-sustainable-housing land-use metro-wide-resource policy-advocacy preparedness resilience transportation wastereduction water-protection climate energy food boost-natural-systems
Post Carbon InstituteThe Post Carbon Institute is a national level partner organization of Transition US. It promotes energy literacy, connects the dots between energy and the economy, and provides a reality check on the stories we’re being told about the energy systems we rely on.Big Picture, Climate, Climate Information, Economy & Sharing, Energy, Energy Policy, Resiliencebig-picture climate climate-information economy-sharing energy energy-policy resilience
Six Foundations for Building Community ResilienceEfforts to build community resilience often focus on growing the capacity to “bounce back” from disruptions, like those caused by climate change. But climate change is not the only crisis we face, nor is preparing for disruption the only way to build resilience. Truly robust community resilience should do more. It should engage …Books/Videos, Preparedness, Resiliencebooks-videos preparedness resilience
Inner Resilience NetworkA national working group for Inner Resilience has begun a google group to encourage discussion on topics of inner resilience, including supporting ourselves and each other, exploring the role of ‘Inner Transition’ in the wider Transition Movement, and building national-level projects to support this heart-and-soul work.Inner Resilience, Resilienceinner-resilience resilience
EcoSattva TrainingThe ecological breakdown unfolds all around us and many of its compounding effects cannot be stopped much less reversed. We don’t know what is to come, what humanity is capable of and how the Earth will respond, but we are living at a pivotal time, an edge. Dharma wisdom along …Inner Resilience, Resilienceinner-resilience resilience
Strong TownsThe Strong Towns approach is a radically new way of thinking about the way we build our world. We believe that in order to truly thrive, our cities and towns must stop valuing efficiency and start valuing resilience, stop fearing change and start embracing a process of continuous adaptation, stop …Resilienceresilience
Resilient Communities Project of CURAThe Resilient Communities Project connects local government agencies in Minnesota with the University of Minnesota faculty and students to advance community resilience and student learning through collaborative, course-based projects.Resilienceresilience
100 Resilient Cities ReportThe Rockefeller Foundation supported the work of Chief Resilience Officers and member cities within the 100 Resilient Cities Network. Learn more about their work in this report.Resilienceresilience
Transition Longfellow Preparedness EmailsBe Prepared It is easier to make the right decisions when the worst happens if you have planned ahead. Transition Longfellow created an Emergency Preparedness Challenge providing weekly emails for 35 weeks to help members create their own preparedness plan and get resources in place. Transition Longfellow gave permission for …Preparedness, Resiliencepreparedness resilience

Resilience Video Resources

Resilience Resources

Resilience Podcast Resources

Mind Over Chatter podcast

Local Resilience Blogs

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Resilient Actions