Resources to Make the Transition
This database includes a list of organizations you can work with to make the transition away from fossil fuels to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions, and to increase your resilience and your community’s preparedness. You, your group, your business or faith community – you can partner with these organizations to take action. To find the Transition resource information you are looking for, use the filters feature. You can find information by subject, by type of resource (like books), and by county (for county-specific programs).
You can find other sources of information on the Local Voices page. And we invite you to contact Transition Twin Cities to find speakers and resources.
This list is, by its nature, incomplete and may, over time, become inaccurate. We appreciate input on dead links. If there are organizations or resources you would like to see added, please email the website coordinator 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.
Organization | Description | Categories | categories_hfilter |
---|---|---|---|
MOVE Minnesota | MOVE Minnesota is a transportation advocacy nonprofit. It supports biking, rail, bus and other transportation options. Contact: Email: hello@movemn.org , Phone: (651) 767-0298 | Transit Advocacy, Transportation | transit-advocacy transportation |
Minnesota Complete Streets Coalition | Complete Streets works with city planners to develop street plans that are safe and accessible for pedestrians, transit riders, bicyclists, and drivers regardless of age or ability. Contact: Fresh Energy, Email: info@fresh-energy.org, Phone: (651) 225-0878 | Transit Advocacy, Transportation | transit-advocacy transportation |
Have Fun Biking | Have Fun Biking is a comprehensive resource for cyclists in Minnesota. From information on bike repairs and upgrades to trail/road maps, this organization is focused on making it easier for Minnesotans to travel by bike. Contact: Email: editor@HaveFunBiking.com , Phone: (612) 723-4511 | Bike Resources, Transportation | bike-resources-transportation transportation |
St. Paul Bicycle Coalition | The Saint Paul Bicycle Coalition strives to establish bicycle friendly culture and infrastructure in Saint Paul, Minnesota through thoughtful public participation and a strong network of cyclists, politicians, and interested citizens working for positive change. Contact: Andy Singer, andy@andysinger.com | Bike Resources, Ramsey County, Transit Advocacy, Transportation | bike-resources-transportation ramsey-county transit-advocacy transportation |
Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota | The Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota(BikeMN) is a member based organization promoting bicycling focused on the following program areas: Advocacy, Education, Encouragement, and Technical Assistance. Contact: Email: info@bikemn.org , More Contacts: http://www.bikemn.org/contact-us | Bike Resources, Transit Advocacy, Transportation | bike-resources-transportation transit-advocacy transportation |
How Walkable is Your Community? | Walkscore is an online tool that provides information about the walkability of different neighborhoods. | Transportation, Walk Resources | transportation walk-resources |
Safe Routes to School (MN Department of Transportation) | Safe Routes to School works to encourage walking to biking to school by providing information about safe routes, traffic safety skills, and the benefits of bicycling and walking. Safe Routes to School also offers grants and funding to help communities improve walking and bicycling to school. Contact: Dave Cowan, Email: … | Bike Resources, Transit Advocacy, Transportation, Walk Resources | bike-resources-transportation transit-advocacy transportation walk-resources |
Sierra Club | The North Star Chapter of the Sierra Club seeks to advance our abundant renewable energy resources and end our dependence on fossil fuels to provide cleaner, healthier air and a stable climate. This group also works on the issues of climate change, conservation, and improving land use. The Clean Energy … | Climate Action, Climate Information, Electric Vehicles, Land Use, Plants & Animals, Renewable Energy, Transit Advocacy, Transportation | climate-action climate-information electric-vehicles land-use plants-animals renewable-energy transit-advocacy transportation climate boost-natural-systems energy |
SouthWoods Center for Ecological Design Education and Training | Daniel Halsey is a private permaculture designer offering PDC’s, digital design for permaculture, and offering residencies in July for students interested in permaculture. Dan is an expert in the field and was the director of the board for the US PRI. Contact: Email: dan@southwoodscenter.com | Boost Natural Systems, Food, Permaculture, Regenerative agriculture | boost-natural-systems food permaculture regenerative-agriculture |
Big River Permaculture | Big River Permaculture offers regular PDC’s, permaculture education, and permaculture design/consultation services. Pricing for PDC’s is $900-1300 on a sliding scale. Contact: Email: PowderhornFeed@gmail.com, mycopolis@riseup.net | Boost Natural Systems, Food, Permaculture, Regenerative agriculture | boost-natural-systems food permaculture regenerative-agriculture |
Clean Energy Resource Teams(CERTs) | Mission: to connect individuals and communities in Minnesota to the resources they need to identify and implement community-based clean energy projects. Good resource for community solar, provides financial assistance for local energy projects. Contact: Email: info@cleanenergyresourceteams.org | Energy, Energy How-To, Renewable Energy | energy energy-how-to renewable-energy |
Citizen’s Climate Lobby | CCL is a good resource for sourcing speakers for educational events about alternative energy and clean community energy solutions. This is a good group to partner with for any sort of legislative efforts. Contact: Email: ccl@citizensclimatelobby.org | Climate, Climate Policy, Energy, Energy Advocacy | climate climate-policy energy energy-advocacy |
Windsource (Xcel Energy) | Windsource is a program through Xcel Energy that allows customers to opt to receive all of their energy from renewable wind sources. On average, this adds only $5 a month to a household’s energy bill. Contact: Email: windsource@xcelenergy.com | Energy, Energy Efficiency, Energy How-To, Renewable Energy | energy energy-efficiency energy-how-to renewable-energy |
Minnesota Center for Energy and Environment | MNCEE helps individuals, organizations, and entire communities improve their energy efficiency. Contact: Home Energy Programs: Kevin Horkheimer, khorkheimer@mncee.org Financing and Loans: Brenda Yaritz, byaritz@mncee.org | Energy, Energy Efficiency, Energy How-To | energy energy-efficiency energy-how-to |
Passive House Minnesota | Passive House Minnesota promotes the “Passive House” building energy standard by marketing, outreach, education, and advocacy. PHM hosts regular meetings, trainings, and open houses for the public to learn more about Passive House building. Contact: Phone: (612) 203-1629 | Energy, Energy Advocacy, Energy Efficiency, Energy How-To | energy energy-advocacy energy-efficiency energy-how-to |
Home Energy Squad | Home Energy Squad is a collaboration between Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy that offers assistance with energy upgrades delivered to your door in order to increase household energy efficiency. Contact: Home Energy Squad hotline: (866) 222-4595 | Energy, Energy Efficiency, Energy How-To | energy energy-efficiency energy-how-to |
Sustainable Resources Center | SRC is dedicated to the universal right to a healthy, efficient home. Their vision is to help families live in homes that are energy efficient, free of mold, and lacking toxins and pests. SRC’s Energy Conservation program helps low-income households and individuals improve their energy efficiency in order to lower … | Energy, Energy Efficiency, Energy How-To, Housing | energy energy-efficiency energy-how-to affordable-sustainable-housing |
Community Action Partnership of Ramsey and Washington Counties | The key energy conservation program sponsored by CAPRW is its weatherization program. This offers free energy audits to customers and then provides eligible customers with weatherization improvements to help conserve energy, maintain temperature, and provide a safe and healthy living environments. Contact: Phone: 651-482-8260 | Energy, Energy Efficiency, Energy How-To, Ramsey County, Washington County | energy energy-efficiency energy-how-to ramsey-county washington-county |
Community Action Partnership of Scott, Carver and Dakota Counties | CAPSCD provides energy conservation programs to households, businesses, and communities in Scott, Carver, and Dakota counties. Their energy services include bill payment assistance, home energy crisis intervention, energy advocacy, and information about utility consumer rights. Contact: Email: info@capagency.org | Carver County, Dakota County, Energy, Energy Advocacy, Energy Efficiency, Energy How-To, Scott County | carver-county dakota-county energy energy-advocacy energy-efficiency energy-how-to scott-county |
Twin Cities Cohousing Network | From their website: “Twin Cities Cohousing Network is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that serves as a clearinghouse for information about cohousing.” Contact: Email: twincities@cohousing.org | Cohousing, Housing | cohousing affordable-sustainable-housing |
Bassett Creek Cohousing | Bassett Creek Cohousing is a proposed cohousing community to be built in Minneapolis. This community is still in the planning/development phase but is anticipated to host 30 households as well as other communal resources such as an industrial kitchen and garden space. Contact: Email: bcrk@cohousing.org | Cohousing, Housing | cohousing affordable-sustainable-housing |
SUITE(Sustainable Urban Intergenerational Transit-oriented Equitable) | SUITE is a cohousing group planning a 67 unit cohousing project near the Westgate Green Line stop in Saint Paul. Contact: https://suitecohousing.wordpress.com/contact/ | Cohousing, Housing | cohousing affordable-sustainable-housing |
Monterey Cohousing Community | Monterey Cohousing Community is an existing cohousing community in St. Louis Park. MCC is a great example of an established cohousing community as it has been active since the early 90’s. Contact: Phone: (952) 479-0660 | Cohousing, Housing | cohousing affordable-sustainable-housing |
Cooperative Energy Futures | CEF is a clean energy cooperative based in South Minneapolis that serves both the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota. CEF develops community solar gardens, offers projects and services to help people save energy and money, and works with neighborhoods to build better energy futures together. Contact: Email: info@cooperativeenergyfutures.com , Phone: … | Energy, Energy Advocacy, Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy | energy energy-advocacy energy-efficiency renewable-energy |
Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light | MNIPL is working to build the interfaith climate movement through leadership development programs and action opportunities. MNIPL provides practical assistance with energy efficiency upgrades for religious communities, as well as leadership on community solar projects and energy organizing for faith communities. Contact: Phone: (612) 810-1577 | Energy, Energy Advocacy, Renewable Energy | energy energy-advocacy renewable-energy |
Energy Smart – MN Chamber of Commerce | Energy Smart is a program run through the MN Chamber of Commerce that helps small businesses reduce energy costs. MN Chamber of Commerce provides financial incentives to small business owners to motivate them to complete energy efficiency projects that may not have been possible without a grant. Contact: info@mnenergysmart.com, Phone: … | Energy, Energy Efficiency, Energy How-To | energy energy-efficiency energy-how-to |
Alliance For Sustainability | The Alliance for Sustainability brings municipalities and community volunteers together to create opportunities to scale up clean energy actions and community sustainability efforts. Contact: sean@afors.org, Phone: (612) 250-0389 | Climate, County/City Plans, Energy, Energy Advocacy, Energy Policy, Renewable Energy, Transportation, Waste Reduction | climate county-city-plans energy energy-advocacy energy-policy renewable-energy transportation wastereduction |
Citizens Utility Board | CUB Minnesota is an advocacy group that provides educational presentations, and free utility bill clinics to help residents and businesses understand how they can lower their energy bills. Contact: info@cubminnesota.org, Phone: 651-300-4701 | Energy, Energy Advocacy, Energy Efficiency, Energy How-To, Renewable Energy | energy energy-advocacy energy-efficiency energy-how-to renewable-energy |
Clean Energy Economy MN | CEEM is an industry-led nonprofit dedicated to strengthening MN’s clean energy ecosystem focused on sharing the stories of clean energy businesses and employees and working across industries and political divides to support a prosperous economy for Minnesotans. Contact: info@cleanenergyeconomymn.org, Phone: (612) 743-9157 | Energy, Energy Advocacy, Energy Policy | energy energy-advocacy energy-policy |
Conservation Minnesota | At Conservation Minnesota we deliver big results in two different ways. First, we impact decisions that affect large numbers of people, like the ones made by state & local governments. Second, we help thousands of people make personal decisions that, when added together, make a huge difference. Contact: info@conservationminnesota.org, Phone: … | Energy, Energy Advocacy, Energy Policy | energy energy-advocacy energy-policy |
Community Power MN | Community Power is a coalition formed non-profit interested in expanding energy options for Minneapolis as well as cities and towns across Minnesota. We support local renewable energy, environmental justice, conservation + energy efficiency, and democratic control of our energy system. Contact: info@communitypowermn.org | Energy, Energy Advocacy, Energy Policy, Housing, Renewable Energy | energy energy-advocacy energy-policy affordable-sustainable-housing renewable-energy |
Environment Minnesota | Environment Minnesota researches the challenges confronting our environment and advocates for solutions. Through research reports, news conferences, interviews with reporters, op-ed pieces, letters to the editor and more, it educates the public about what’s at stake and what can be done. Environment MN helps people make an impact with petitions, … | Energy, Energy Advocacy, Energy Policy | energy energy-advocacy energy-policy |
Fresh Energy | Fresh Energy provides comprehensive info about Minnesota’s transition to a clean energy economy in areas of legislation, regulation, policy, and public outreach. Fresh Energy sponsors programs in the areas of energy access and equity, beneficial electrification, energy efficiency, clean power, and more. Fresh Energy can provide public speakers for events. … | Electric Vehicles, Energy, Energy Advocacy, Energy Efficiency, Energy Policy, Renewable Energy, Transportation | electric-vehicles energy energy-advocacy energy-efficiency energy-policy renewable-energy transportation |
Great Plains Institute | The Great Plains Institute for Sustainable Development is a partnership network transforming our energy system through innovations in energy production, distribution, and consumption. Contact: Phone: (612) 278-7150 | Energy, Energy Advocacy, Energy Efficiency, Energy Policy, Renewable Energy | energy energy-advocacy energy-efficiency energy-policy renewable-energy |
Midwest Renewable Energy Association | MNREA is a regional nonprofit that hosts the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair every summer in Custer, Wisconsin — appropriate for both a lay and professional audience. Sometimes it hosts a similar conference in the Twin Cities. MNREA also provides training in solar and battery technologies. It also promotes a solar … | Energy, Energy Advocacy, Energy Efficiency, Energy How-To, Energy Policy, Renewable Energy | energy energy-advocacy energy-efficiency energy-how-to energy-policy renewable-energy |
Minneapolis Clean Energy Partnership | MCEP is a partnership between the City of Minneapolis, Xcel Energy, and CenterPoint Energy to support the city’s climate action plan and 2040 energy vision. Contact: https://mplscleanenergypartnership.org/contact/ | Climate, Climate Action, Energy, Energy Advocacy, Renewable Energy | climate climate-action energy energy-advocacy renewable-energy |
Minnesota Renewable Energy Society | MRES is a membership-based nonprofit advocating for renewable energy in MN through solar technology education and demonstration projects. MNRES advocates for all forms of renewable energy with an emphasis on solar. It hosts a solar home tour every year. Contact: hello@mnrenewables.org, Phone: (612) 308-4757 | Energy, Energy Advocacy, Energy How-To, Energy Policy, Renewable Energy | energy energy-advocacy energy-how-to energy-policy renewable-energy |
MN350 | MN350 is a volunteer-led climate justice organization working to organize and mobilize Minnesotans to take action on climate issues. MN350 has committees working on energy, food systems, transportation, pipeline resistance, and other areas of climate concern. Contact: Email: info@MN350.org, Phone: (612) 440-5350 | Climate, Climate Action, Climate Justice, Climate Policy, Energy, Energy Advocacy, Energy Policy, Transit Advocacy | climate climate-action climate-justice climate-policy energy energy-advocacy energy-policy transit-advocacy transportation |
Streets.MN | Streets MN is a website sharing information that explores the pressing issues facing our cities, towns, neighborhoods, and the places in between. Streets MN has a focus on transportation, advocating for a people focused transportation system rather than a system catered to private vehicles. Contact: https://streets.mn/contact-us/ | Bike Resources, Transit Advocacy, Transportation, Walk Resources | bike-resources-transportation transit-advocacy transportation walk-resources |
Metro Transit Guaranteed Ride Home | Guaranteed Ride Home is a resource sponsored by Metro Transit that provides emergency transportation for those who use alternative transport(walk, bike, carpool, transit) to get to work or school at least three times per week. This encourages alternative transport by giving people the security of knowing they have a fast, … | Transportation | transportation |
Community of St. Martin Alternative Gas Tax Campaign | The Community of St. Martin’s Alternative Gas Tax Campaign is a group from CMS that agrees to voluntarily pay a “tax” based on their gas spending to go into a communal fund to be contributed to climate change/clean transportation advocacy groups. This extra “tax” on gas is meant to reflect … | Transportation | transportation |
Metro Transit | Metro Transit is the public transportation system serving the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. Check out their website for information on routes, fares, programs, and ways to give feedback to this public service. Contact: https://www.metrotransit.org/contact-us | Bus/Carpool, Transit Advocacy, Transportation | bus-carpool transit-advocacy transportation |
PlugInConnect | PlugInConnect is a great source of information for electric vehicle owners and those considering purchasing an EV. PIX has developed business solutions and strategies for utility company EV programs, apartment building charging, workplace charging, as well as general outreach and education. Contact: https://www.pluginconnect.com/about-us.html | Electric Vehicles, Transportation | electric-vehicles transportation |
Drive Electric Minnesota | Drive Electric Minnesota is a partnership between players in the electric vehicle industry aimed at accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles in Minnesota. DEM is a hub for communities of current and future EV owners. Contact: Email: info@driveelectricmn.org , Phone: (612) 767-7292 | Electric Vehicles, Transportation | electric-vehicles transportation |
Plug Into MN | Plug Into MN is a resource for Electric Vehicle owners that has mapped the locations of EV charging stations in MN in order to help EV drivers use their vehicles for trips longer than their regular commute. Contact: MNrevolt@grenergy.com | Electric Vehicles, Transportation | electric-vehicles transportation |
HOURCAR | HOURCAR is a local nonprofit car-sharing organization serving the twin cities. HOURCAR provides an alternative to public transit for those who cannot afford/choose not to own their own cars. HOURCAR users pick up a vehicle from a specified hub, use the vehicle for as long as needed, and return the … | Car/Bike Sharing, Transportation | car-bike-sharing transportation |
Nice Ride Minneapolis | Nice Ride is a bike sharing company serving Minneapolis that offers affordable bike rental to and from any of its hundreds of hubs. Users can buy either a single ride, day pass, or annual pass to check out a bike from Nice Ride. Contact: https://www.niceridemn.com/contact | Car/Bike Sharing, Transportation | car-bike-sharing transportation |
Our Streets Minneapolis | Our Streets Minneapolis is a volunteer driven and community supported organization working towards a city where biking, walking, and rolling are easy and comfortable for everyone. Contact: Email: info@mplsbike.org , Phone: (612) 568-6227 | Bike Resources, Hennepin County, Transit Advocacy, Transportation, Walk Resources | bike-resources-transportation hennepin-county transit-advocacy transportation walk-resources |
Sunrise Banks | Sunrise Bank is a CDFI(Community Development Financial Institution) dedicated to community engagement, local investment, and financial responsibility. Contact: Phone: (651) 265-5600 | Economy & Sharing, Local Investing | economy-sharing local-investing |
Hennepin County Library Morningstar Investment Research Center | This resource through the Hennepin County Library allows individuals to research exactly what companies and industries their mutual fund/retirement fund/pensions are invested in. This normally expensive resource is free to library patrons. Contact: https://www.hclib.org/contact | Big Picture, Economy & Sharing, Local Investing, Metro-Wide Resource | big-picture economy-sharing local-investing metro-wide-resource |
Hour Dollars | Hour Dollars is a time banking program serving the Twin Cities. Hour Dollars lets members earn hours while providing a service, and then spend earned hours to receive a service from any member in the directory. Contact: Email: info@hourdollars.org | Economy & Sharing, Sharing | economy-sharing sharing |
Minnesota Tool Library | The MN Tool Library offers the community access to tools rather than ownership. Members can check out tools for projects and then return them when done. In addition to providing a vital resource to the sharing economy, the MN Tool Library engages the community in other ways through educational programs … | Economy & Sharing, Sharing | economy-sharing sharing |
Como Community Seed Library | CCSL is dedicated to giving access to sustainable, low cost heirloom, historic variety, and native seed to the Como Park community. Contact: Contact Form: https://comoseedsavers.geopoi.us/ | Economy & Sharing, Food, Ramsey County, Seeds, Sharing | economy-sharing food ramsey-county seeds sharing |
West Side Seed Library | Located out of the Riverview Library, this is a seed bank that is open whenever the library is open. If you are looking for planting/gardening advice, a Seed Librarian is available each Wednesday from 5-7PM. Contact for Riverview library: tel:+1-651-292-6626 | Economy & Sharing, Food, Ramsey County, Seeds, Sharing | economy-sharing food ramsey-county seeds sharing |
MPLS Make | MPLS make is a Makerspace in Minneapolis offering membership and storage at cost 24/7(membership is $220/mo so this is definitely for people who make for a living rather than those who do as a hobby) as well as free training for tools and equipment. Contact: Phone: 507-384-1856. | Economy & Sharing, Sharing | economy-sharing sharing |
CoCreatz | CoCreatz is a coworking space on the border of MPLS/Saint Paul in the Creative Enterprise Zone that offers flexible membership plans at affordable prices. Contact: Email: hello@cocreatz.org , Phone: (651) 317-3388 | Economy & Sharing, Sharing | economy-sharing sharing |
MNvest | MNvest is a local investment portal advocating for the democratization of investment. MNvest is dedicated to helping everyday people invest in local enterprises they want to support in their communities. Contact: info@mnvest.org | Economy & Sharing, Local Investing | economy-sharing local-investing |
NorthEast Investment Cooperative | NEIC is a cooperative that allows MN residents to invest financially to collectively buy and restore commercial and residential property in NE MPLS. NEIC has helped restore several properties into thriving businesses, including Fair State Brewing Cooperative and Aki’s Breadhaus. Contact: Email: board@neic.coop , Phone: 612-562-6342 | Economy & Sharing, Hennepin County, Local Investing | economy-sharing hennepin-county local-investing |
Slow Money MN | Slow Money Minnesota is an emerging network that connects people interested in building a better local food system. SMM works to support local farmers and food makers with knowledge and capital. They offer a Grow a Farmer grant fund that allows people to invest in beginning farmers around the state. … | Economy & Sharing, Food, Food Systems, Local Investing, Slow Money | economy-sharing food food-systems local-investing slow-money |
Land Stewardship Project | The Land Stewardship Project is a private, nonprofit organization working to foster an ethic of stewardship for farmland and promote sustainable agriculture and communities. LSP is a great resource for bringing speakers to come present for Transition groups. Contact: https://landstewardshipproject.org/forms/contact | Boost Natural Systems, Food, Land & Soil, Land Use, Regenerative agriculture, Remediation | boost-natural-systems food land-soil land-use regenerative-agriculture remediation |
Minneapolis Vegan Meetup | Minneapolis Vegan Meetup is a social group for vegans that offers community, support, and guidance for people currently practicing or considering practicing veganism. | Food, Vegetarianism/Veganism | food vegetarianism-veganism |
Vegan Minnesota | Vegan Minnesota is a Facebook group offering information and community for MN vegans. | Food, Vegetarianism/Veganism | food vegetarianism-veganism |
Compassionate Action for Animals | CAA is a nonprofit that works to encourage people to move towards a plant-based diet by building empathy for farmed animals. This is the group that hosts the Twin Cities Veg Fest. Contact: Email: info@exploreveg.org , Phone: 612-276-2242 | Food, Vegetarianism/Veganism | food vegetarianism-veganism |
MN Department of Agriculture Organic Farm Directory | This resource is a directory of organic farms in MN organized by county. Information is offered on what farms grow as well as the type of organic certification they hold. | Food, Food Sourcing | food food-sourcing |
CommmonGround Minnesota | CommonGround is a group of farm women who volunteer their time to share information about farming and food. These women share their personal experiences as well as science and research to educate on topics of food and farming. Contact: Email: hello@CommonGroundMinnesota.com | Food, Youth/Education | food youth-education |
Minnesota Farmers’ Market Association | MFMA provides services, programs and leadership that support and promote farmers’ markets across Minnesota. MFMA offers a directory of farmers markets across the state on its website. Contact: Email: info@mfma.org | Food, Food Sourcing | food food-sourcing |
Minnesota Grown Directory | Minnesota Grown’s farm directory provides a comprehensive directory of local farmers markets, produce/food products, and CSAs. Contact: https://minnesotagrown.com/contact-us/ | Food, Food Sourcing | food food-sourcing |
CSA Farm Directory | The Land Stewardship Project provides a comprehensive list of CSAs delivering to the Twin Cities(as well as greater MN) as well as resources on selecting a CSA based on location, delivery site/day, season, and types of produce/goods. | Food, Food Sourcing | food food-sourcing |
Explore Minnesota’s Farm Tour List | This is a webpage offering descriptions and contact info for farms around the Metro area and Greater Minnesota that offer visits and tours. This is a great option for community members to learn more about farming in our state. Contact: | Food, Food Sourcing | food food-sourcing |
Arrive Ministries | Arrive Ministries’ Refugee Church Gardens program has secured almost 2,000 refugee families garden plots at Twin Cities churches. Arrive Ministries has done this by connecting congregations to refugees interested in growing their own food. Contact: Dennis Murnyak: Email: murnyak@gmail.com, Phone: (651) 332-6463 | Food, Food Growing, Food Justice | food food-growing food-justice |
New City Church | New City Church runs a program of planting fruit trees in neighbors yards as part of their Fruit Tree program. Contact: http://grownewcity.church/contact | Food, Food Growing | food food-growing |
Renewing the Countryside’s Farm to School and Early Care | Renewing the Countryside works to connect childcare providers and young children with local farmers for the purpose of sourcing healthy meals and snacks to serve children during the school day. The goal of this program is not only to support local farmers and provide students with healthy food, but to … | Food, Food Sourcing, Youth/Education | food food-sourcing youth-education |
Homegrown Minneapolis | Homegrown Minneapolis is a citywide initiative sponsored by the City of Minneapolis that brings together key partners from local government, local businesses, community organizations and residents to build a healthy local food system. Homegrown Minneapolis offers resources and information on community gardens, leasing land, food rules, and food businesses. Contact: … | Food, Food Systems, Hennepin County, Policy & Advocacy | food food-systems hennepin-county policy-advocacy |
Grow North MN | Grow North works to create an interconnected, sophisticated, invested, and equitable ecosystem for Minnesota’s entrepreneurs and innovators in food and agriculture. Grow North offers digital database resources for everything from commercial kitchens to food hubs to farmer training programs to soil tests. Contact: Email: hello@grownorthmn.com | Food, Food Systems | food food-systems |
Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board’s Urban Agriculture Activity Plan | The Urban Agriculture Activity Plan is a document produced in 2014 that defines food as a priority to the city of Minneapolis and lays out a plan to boost the city’s local food ecosystem by putting park land and programs to use. Contact: Adam Arvidson, project manager Email: aarvidson@minneapolisparks.org , … | Food, Food Systems, Hennepin County | food food-systems hennepin-county |
Appetite for Change | Appetite for Change uses food as a tool for building health, wealth, and social change in North Minneapolis. They bring people together around food as a way to build community for creating social, racial, and economic justice and change. Contact: https://appetiteforchangemn.org/contact/ | Food, Food Justice, Food Systems, Hennepin County, Policy & Advocacy | food food-justice food-systems hennepin-county policy-advocacy |
Saint Paul Urban Agriculture Ordinances | This resource is the City of Saint Paul’s standards and codes for all urban agriculture practices. This is a great resource to consult for those considering community gardens or urban agriculture enterprises. | Food, Policy & Advocacy, Ramsey County | food policy-advocacy ramsey-county |
The Good Acre | The Good Acre is a food hub offering classes, CSAs, event spaces, and commercial kitchen space that works to connect farmers, food makers, and communities. Contact: https://thegoodacre.org/contact/ | Cooking/Storing Resources, Food, Food Growing, Food Justice, Food Sourcing, Food Systems, Foraging, Youth/Education | cooking-storing-resources food food-growing food-justice food-sourcing food-systems foraging youth-education |
Twin Cities Urban Agriculture Connection | The Twin Cities Urban Agriculture Connection is a hub for urban community food systems enthusiasts. They exist to connect urban ag practitioners, researchers, educators, and the Twin Cities community with each other, in order to foster healthy lifestyles and diets, more opportunities in the urban agriculture space, and sustainability in … | Food, Food Systems, Youth/Education | food food-systems youth-education |
Twin Cities Metro Growers Network | The Twin Cities Growers Network aims to connect anyone who grows produce seriously and seeks education, networking and fellowship. Contact: Email: tcgrowers@sfa-mn.org , Phone: (612) 624-7948 | Food, Food Growing, Policy & Advocacy, Youth/Education | food food-growing policy-advocacy youth-education |
Minnesota Food Association | The Minnesota Food Association works to build a more sustainable food system by operating an educational farm and the Big River Farms food hub to support beginning farmers from diverse backgrounds in starting organic farm businesses. In addition, the farm offers educational resources for youth and family programming. Contact: Phone: … | Food, Food Growing, Food Systems, Youth/Education | food food-growing food-systems youth-education |
Metro Blooms | Metro Blooms is a nonprofit providing ecological design, installation, maintenance, and education services to create resilient landscapes, protect clean water, and provide wildlife habitat. Metro Blooms offers workshops, on-site consultations, equitable engagement, and landscape maintenance. Contact: https://metroblooms.org/contact-us/ | Boost Natural Systems, Food, Land & Soil, Land Use, Metro-Wide Resource | boost-natural-systems food land-soil land-use metro-wide-resource |
The Beez Kneez | Beez Kneez offers a comprehensive 14-week beekeeping course as well as shorter workshops and classes for aspiring beekeepers. Contact: https://www.thebeezkneezdelivery.com/contact | Bees/Bee-keeping, Food | bees-bee-keeping food |
Minnesota Food Charter Network | MN Food Charter Network is a statewide network that supports shared action towards food access. They provide a shared roadmap of policy and systems change strategies designed to increase access to safe, affordable, and healthy food to all MN residents. Contact: Email: info@mnfoodcharter.com | Food, Food Justice, Food Systems, Policy & Advocacy | food food-justice food-systems policy-advocacy |
University of Minnesota Extension | University of Minnesota Extension discovers science-based solutions, delivers practical education, and engages Minnesotans to build a better future. Contact: Email: mnext@umn.edu , Phone: (612) 624-1222 | Food, Food Growing, Land & Soil, Policy & Advocacy, Youth/Education | food food-growing land-soil policy-advocacy youth-education |
Master Gardener Volunteer Program | The UMN Extension’s Master Gardener Volunteer Program uses research-based horticultural knowledge and practices to deliver educational outreach and project-based efforts that inspire change and promote healthy people, healthy communities, and a healthy planet. Volunteer Master Gardeners engage and educate people across the state to help them improve their lives and … | Food, Food Growing, Youth/Education | food food-growing youth-education |
Dovetail Partners Inc. | Dovetail Partners Inc. develops land use projects and partnerships that link sustainable forestry, responsible trade and consumption, and land use. Dovetail offers comprehensive environmental information regarding land use and local food systems. Contact: Email: info@dovetailinc.org , Phone: (612) 333-0430 | Boost Natural Systems, Food, Land & Soil, Land Use | boost-natural-systems food land-soil land-use |
Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture | MISA is a partnership between the University of Minnesota, UMN Extension, and the Sustainers’ Coalition that aims to bring together the diverse interests of the agricultural community with interests from across the University community in a cooperative effort to develop and promote sustainable agriculture in Minnesota and beyond. Contact: Email: … | Food, Food Growing, Food Systems, Land & Soil | food food-growing food-systems land-soil |
Minnesota State Horticultural Society | Minnesota State Horticultural Society offers hands-on classes, lectures, webinars, special events, membership packages, volunteer opportunities, community outreach programs, and the award winning Northern Gardener magazine. Contact: Email: info@northerngardener.org , Phone: (651) 643-3601 | Cooking/Storing Resources, Food, Youth/Education | cooking-storing-resources food youth-education |
Cooperative Development Services | CDS provides organizational and developmental guidance to communities seeking to start new co-ops in all sectors of the economy and planning assistance to existing co-ops seeking to expand. This is a great resource for food and agriculture cooperatives looking to establish themselves or expand their operations. Contact: http://www.cdsus.coop/about/contact | Buy Local, Cohousing, Economy & Sharing, Food, Food Sourcing, Food Systems, Sharing | buy-local cohousing economy-sharing food food-sourcing food-systems sharing affordable-sustainable-housing |
Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota | SFA is a state resource that advances environmental stewardship, economic resilience, and strong, diverse communities through farmer-to-farmer networking, education, demonstration, and research. Contact: Email: info@sfa-mn.org , Phone: (844) 922-5573 | Food, Food Growing, Food Systems, Land & Soil | food food-growing food-systems land-soil |
Seed Sages | Seed Sages is an educational endeavor that is based in the Twin Cities and offers seed services in many regional areas throughout the midwest and beyond. This organization provides seed consultations, designs, trainings, and research for seed production. Contact: Email: seedsages@gmail.com | Food, Seeds, Youth/Education | food seeds youth-education |
Dream of Wild Health | DWH is a intertribal, independent nonprofit that serves the Twin Cities Native American community. DWH owns a 10-acre farm in Hugo MN that provides education to reconnect the urban Native community to preserve native plants and their culinary, medical, and spiritual use. Contact: Email: info@dreamofwildhealth.org , Phone: (612) 874-4200 | Food, Food Growing, Food Justice, Youth/Education | food food-growing food-justice youth-education |
Permaculture Research Institute Cold Climate | While PRICC is laying low in 2019, this organization is a research organization and good source for permaculture education that offers apprenticeships as well as a perennial CSA. Contact: http://www.pricoldclimate.org/contact | Boost Natural Systems, Food, Food Growing, Food Sourcing, Permaculture, Regenerative agriculture | boost-natural-systems food food-growing food-sourcing permaculture regenerative-agriculture |
Geoff Lawton Online | Permaculture educator Geoff Lawton offers an open-access online permaculture masterclass in four installments. | Boost Natural Systems, Food, Food Growing, Permaculture, Regenerative agriculture | boost-natural-systems food food-growing permaculture regenerative-agriculture |
Minnesota Mycological Society | MMS is an educational organization for the study of mushrooms and other fungi. MMS offers guided mushroom hunts(forays) from May to October that are dedicated to teaching mushroom identification skills. Contact: For general communications, contact Richard Pizarro at rpmush@gmail.com | Education, Food, Foraging | education food foraging |
Four Seasons Foraging | Four Season Foraging is an organization providing trustworthy information and educational resources such as classes and workshops for those interested in foraging and native foods. Contact: Email: info@fourseasonforaging.com , Phone: (612) 440-5958 | Food, Foraging | food foraging |
MN and WI Traditional Skills & Earth Connection Meetup | This is a meetup group for MN and WI residents interested in sharing traditional skills and develop a greater connection and appreciation for our Earth. They offer events and workshops bridging topics from foraging, food preservation, and plant based medicine. | Cooking/Storing Resources, Education, Food, Foraging | cooking-storing-resources education food foraging |
Green Lands Blue Waters | GLBW supports the development of and transition to a new generation of multi-functional agricultural systems in the Upper Mississippi River Basin and adjacent areas. This group acts as a connector, collaborator, convener, and communicator serving multiple partners and focusing broad challenges regarding land use. Contact: Email: GLBW@umn.edu , Phone: (612) … | Boost Natural Systems, Food, Land & Soil, Land Use, Policy & Advocacy, Regenerative agriculture, Soil Health | boost-natural-systems food land-soil land-use policy-advocacy regenerative-agriculture soil-health |
Slow Food Minnesota | Slow Food Minnesota promotes healthy farm ecosystems, awareness of the circular food economy, and local organizations doing meaningful work in the food equity space. SFM provides opportunities for volunteering, connecting with like-minded individuals, and donating to make an impact and change our food system so that it works for everyone. … | Economy & Sharing, Food, Food Systems, Slow Money | economy-sharing food food-systems slow-money |
UMN Extension Preservation and Preparation Resources | This resource from the UMN Extension offers information on food preservation methods such as canning, pickling, drying, etc for people interested in preserving food. | Cooking/Storing Resources, Food | cooking-storing-resources food |
Forager Chef | Forager Chef is the website of Twin Cities Chef Alan Bergo. This site contains great information on foraging local mushrooms and wild edibles as well as how to prepare and cook these foraged goods into delicious foods. Contact: alanbergo3@gmail.com | Cooking/Storing Resources, Food, Foraging | cooking-storing-resources food foraging |
Spark-Y Youth Action Labs | Spark-Y is a nonprofit working to empower youth through engaging them in urban agriculture innovation. Spark-Y pairs innovative agriculture systems such as aquaponics with STEM-based curriculum focused on sustainability and entrepreneurship. Contact: Email: info@spark-y.org | Education, Food, Food Growing, Youth/Education | education food food-growing youth-education |
Midwest Food Connection | Midwest Food Connection brings food education to students and their families on topics of health, environment, and life skills. MFC is a partnership between several Twin Cities food co-ops and local schools. Contact: Email: contact@midwestfoodconnection.org , Phone: (651) 373-9878 | Education, Food, Youth/Education | education food youth-education |
Minnesota Community Gardening | Formerly known as Gardening Matters, Minnesota Community Gardening offers many resources to those interested in starting or continuing community gardens in the Minnesota. This website offers the Community Garden Resource Guide which is a .pdf containing a multitude of resource for community gardeners across the state. | Food, Food Justice | food food-justice |
North Country Food Alliance | North Country Food Alliance is a worker-run nonprofit working to increase access to healthy food and share food with people in need. NCFA runs programs that deliver fresh produce to organizations like food shelves and soup kitchens, build community gardens, and prepare community meals. Contact: Email: info@NCFA-MN.org, Phone: (612) 568-4585 | Food, Food Growing, Food Justice, Food Sourcing, Food Systems | food food-growing food-justice food-sourcing food-systems |
Twin Cities Food Justice | Twin Cities Food Justice works to reduce food waste and hunger by linking those willing to help and those in need. TCFJ picks up produce and bread that would otherwise go to waste and delivers it to hunger relief organizations. TCFJ has also worked with other food distribution programs that … | Food, Food Justice | food food-justice |
Institute for Local Self-Reliance | ILSR 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) 276-3456 | Big Picture, Economy & Sharing, Resilience | big-picture economy-sharing resilience |
Do it Green! Minnesota | Do it Green! Minnesota educates Minnesotan’s about sustainable living and waste reduction through community-sourced articles posted on their website, demos, workshops, and community events. This is a great resource for learning more about waste-free living and alternatives to wasteful practices. Contact: Phone: (612) 345-7973 | Reduce, Rethink, Waste Reduction | reduce rethink wastereduction |
Hampden Park Co-op’s Voluntary Simplicity Group | HPC’s Voluntary Simplicity group is a self-study course on voluntary simplicity. The Voluntary Simplicity course runs regularly, so check the Co-Op’s website for more info. Contact: Michael McKenna, Email: hampdenparkcourses@hotmail.com, Phone: (651)775-2112 | Reduce, Rethink, Waste Reduction | reduce rethink wastereduction |
Conservation Minnesota: Minnesota Waters Project | Conservation Minnesota’s Minnesota Waters Project works to build and maintain a network of lake associations, river groups, and conservationists to protect the state’s lakes, rivers, and streams. This project primarily focuses on guiding water policy and education. Contact: Email: info@conservationminnesota.org , Phone: (612)767-2444 | Boost Natural Systems, Reduce, Rethink, Waste Reduction, Water Protection | boost-natural-systems reduce rethink wastereduction water-protection |
Metro Watershed Management Hub | This resource from the MNPCA contains web links for each watershed management district within the Metro area. Watershed management districts are great resources for information and engagement opportunity regarding water use/conservation and water waste. | Boost Natural Systems, Reduce, Waste Reduction, Water Protection | boost-natural-systems reduce wastereduction water-protection |
MN DNR: Water Conservation | MN DNR’s water conservation program provides resources on lowering household water use as well as manages the Water Conservation Reporting System that compiles and releases comprehensive reports of water use and issues across MN. Contact: Carmelita Nelson, Water Conservation Consultant, Email: carmelita.nelson@state.mn.us , Phone: (651) 259-5034 | Boost Natural Systems, Reduce, Waste Reduction, Water Protection | boost-natural-systems reduce wastereduction water-protection |
ReUSE Minnesota | ReUSE Minnesota makes reuse happen by connecting people. They connect customers to reuse businesses and services, and connect these businesses and services with new customers and other similar businesses. Their reuse network is a great place to find more information about reusing in the Twin Cities. Contact: Phone: (612)352-9119 , … | Reuse, Waste Reduction | reuse wastereduction |
Twin Cities Free Market | Twin Cities Free Market is a reuse program from Eureka! Recycling that aims to keep reusable items out of landfills or incinerators by hosting an online marketplace for these items to be “sold” for free. This is a great free alternative to Craigslist! Twin Cities Free Market also hosts a … | Reuse, Waste Reduction | reuse wastereduction |
UMN ReUse Program | The UMN ReUse program collects surplus office furniture, supplies, equipment, and parts from throughout the Twin Cities Campus and makes them available to university departments or individuals for purchase at low cost. This is a great resource to donate to as well as buy from! Contact: Email: reuse@umn.edu , Phone: … | Reuse, Waste Reduction | reuse wastereduction |
Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore | The ReStore is a home improvement outlet that accepts donations of building supplies, furnishings, and furniture and sells them to the public at a fraction of the original cost. Contact: Email: restore@tchabitat.org , Phone: (612) 588-3820 | Reuse, Waste Reduction | reuse wastereduction |
Minnesota Materials Exchange | The materials exchange is an online bulletin board that links organizations that have reusable goods they no longer need to those that can use them. Contact: Phone: (612) 624-4697, Online Contact Form: https://mnexchange.org/?content=feedback | Reuse, Waste Reduction | reuse wastereduction |
Eureka Recycling | Eureka Recycling is a nonprofit recycler that provides recycling services and Zero Waste education to the Metro area. They regularly host facility tours, zero waste events, and community outreach opportunities. Contact: Phone: (612) 669-2783 , Online contact form: https://eurekarecycling.org/contact-us/ | Recycle, Reduce, Waste Reduction | recycle reduce wastereduction |
Recycling Association of Minnesota | RAM works to educate Minnesotan’s about recycling, its benefits and how to recycle, as well as works to create and partner with programs for the recycling of niche or hard to process materials. Contact: Email: ram@recycleminnesota.org , Phone: (651) 641-4589 | Recycle, Uncategorized, Waste Reduction | recycle uncategorized wastereduction |
MN Compost Facilities | This resource on the MN PCA website lists compost drop off facilities across the state as well as provides valuable information on how to compost at home. | Compost/vermiculture, Waste Reduction | compost-vermiculture wastereduction |
Hennepin County Master Recycler Program | Hennepin County offers a 6 week comprehensive master recycler/composter course. Participants are educated on waste prevention, recycling, and composting, and are expected to volunteer 30 hours educating their community on these topics after completing the course. Contact: Program Coordinator: Email: carolyn.collopy@hennepin.us , Phone: (612) 596-0993 | Compost/vermiculture, Hennepin County, Recycle, Reduce, Waste Reduction | compost-vermiculture hennepin-county recycle reduce wastereduction |
Dakota County Master Recycler Program | Dakota County offers a 6-week master recycler/composter program that educates participants on waste prevention, recycling, and composting. After completion of the course, participants are encouraged to volunteer at least 30 hours educating the community on these topics. Contact: Jenny Kedward, Email: jennifer.kedward@co.dakota.mn.us , Phone: (952) 891-7043 | Compost/vermiculture, Dakota County, Recycle, Waste Reduction | compost-vermiculture dakota-county recycle wastereduction |
Minnesota WeatherTalk | WeatherTalk is UMN climatologist and meteorologist Mark Seeley’s blog where he writes weekly about climate and weather observations in Minnesota. Contact: Mark’s Email: mseeley@umn.edu | Climate, Climate Information | climate climate-information |
Jet Streaming | Jet Streaming is a Minnesota Public Radio program that gives in inside look to the states weather and climatology with host Paul Huttner. | Climate, Climate Information | climate climate-information |
Minnesota State Climatology Office | The MN DNR’s Climatology program exists to gather, archive, manage, and distribute climate information answering questions of the impacts of climate and climate change on Minnesota’s population. Contact: Kenny Blumenfeld, senior climatologist: Email: kenneth.blumenfeld@state.mn.us , Phone: (651) 296-4214 | Climate, Climate Information | climate climate-information |
Minnesota Environmental Quality Board | Minnesota Environmental Quality Board publishes reports about climate change, its economic and environmental effects, and how it is effecting Minnesotans. | Climate, Climate Information | climate climate-information |
Climate Generation | Climate Generation is a Twin Cities based organization working to build a youth climate movement by improving climate literacy and education, engaging youth climate leaders, as well as providing valuable momentum to many projects, such as organizing public opposition to shut down Xcel Energy’s coal plants. Contact: Email: info@climategen.org , … | Climate, Climate Action, Climate Information | climate climate-action climate-information |
Cool Planet | Cool Planet is a community empowerment group based in Edina that organizes opportunities for citizens to join together in local, homegrown solutions to climate change. Contact: Email: info@coolplanetmn.org , Phone: (952) 920-1547 | Climate, Climate Action | climate climate-action |
Minneapolis Climate Action | Minneapolis Climate Action works on addressing climate change through neighborhood organizing, education, and by implementing innovative programs such as community solar, home energy efficiency improvements, and reusable bags in Minneapolis communities. Contact: Email: info@mplsclimate.org | Climate, Climate Action, Climate Justice | climate climate-action climate-justice |
100% Campaign | The 100% campaign is a climate justice group working towards an equitable clean energy future for all Minnesotans. The group is building a powerful campaign to pressure industry and government to move towards an 100% clean energy future. Contact: Get in Contact with 100% Campaign by signing up here: https://secure.everyaction.com/u5LidtE0hU2id9-x_J8mVQ2 | Climate, Climate Action, Climate Justice | climate climate-action climate-justice |
Ramsey County Community Emergency Response Team | This 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) 266-7333 | Preparedness, Ramsey County, Resilience | preparedness ramsey-county resilience |
Minneapolis Office of Emergency Management | Minneapolis’ 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, Resilience | hennepin-county preparedness resilience |
Minnesota Department of Health Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response | The 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/56206EE31CB50E82 | Preparedness, Resilience | preparedness resilience |
The American Red Cross Minnesota Region | The 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) 871-7676 | Preparedness, Resilience | preparedness resilience |
Extinction Rebellion Twin Cities | Extinction Rebellion is a International organization with a group in the Twin Cities that works with inner resilience and handling climate grief. Contact: Email: xrtwincities@gmail.com | Climate, Climate Action, Inner Resilience | climate climate-action inner-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) 649-1109 | Big Picture, Economy & Sharing, Resilience | big-picture economy-sharing resilience |
Metropolitan Council Resilience Plan | The 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. | Resilience | resilience |
Alliance for Sustainability Resilient Cities Workshops | The 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 … | Resilience | resilience |
Mastodon Valley Farm | Mastodon Valley Farm, located in the Driftless region of Wisconsin offers Permaculture Design Courses and courses in regenerative farm design/agroecology, as well as consulting for permaculture design. Contact: Email: mastodonvalleyfarm@gmail.com | Boost Natural Systems, Permaculture, Regenerative agriculture | boost-natural-systems permaculture regenerative-agriculture |
Frogtown Farm | Frogtown Farm, located in the Frogtown neighborhood in St. Paul is a massive community farm that host community events, classes and workshops, and is home to permaculture inspired landscape design. Classes are occasionally taught about understanding permaculture guilds and co-plantings, but permanent signs at the farm include valuable information on … | Boost Natural Systems, Cooking/Storing Resources, Education, Food, Food Growing, Permaculture, Pollinators, Regenerative agriculture | boost-natural-systems cooking-storing-resources education food food-growing permaculture pollinators regenerative-agriculture |
Minnesota Land Trust | Minnesota Land Trust collaborates with landowners and organizations to restore land and habitats through its Private Lands Restoration Program. MLT also works with conservation to identify and protect naturally important areas in Minnesota. Contact: Email: mnland@mnland.org , Phone: (651) 647-9590 | Boost Natural Systems, Land Use, Remediation | boost-natural-systems land-use remediation |
DNR Forest Stewardship Program | MN DNR’s Forest Stewardship Program helps woodland property owners manage their woods through advice, education, planning, and financial support. Contact: Connect with a DNR Stewardship Forester through this interactive map that provides contact info for these foresters across the state: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/woodlands/cfm-map.html | Boost Natural Systems, Land Use, Tree care | boost-natural-systems land-use tree-care |
Women’s Environmental Institute | WEI works with environmental and agricultural education and policy relevant to women, children, and other communities threatened by environmental injustice. WEI engages with regenerative agriculture and has done a lot of work with soil remediation. Contact: Email: wei@w-e-i.org , Phone: (651) 583-0705 | Boost Natural Systems, Regenerative agriculture, Remediation, Soil Health | boost-natural-systems regenerative-agriculture remediation soil-health |
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum | The MN Landscape Arboretum features more than 1215 acres of gardens, model landscapes, and natural areas. It hosts classes for adults and children on horticulture, garden design, pollinators, tree care, and more. Contact: arbedu@umn.edu, Phone: (612) 301-1210 | Bees/Bee-keeping, Boost Natural Systems, Food, Food Growing, Pollinators, Tree care, Youth/Education | bees-bee-keeping boost-natural-systems food food-growing pollinators tree-care youth-education |
Minnesota Tree Care Advisor Program | The MN Tree Care Advisor Program is a volunteer program that develops environmental stewards through education and aims to provide communities in MN with a pool of volunteer “tree stewards” that support and enhance urban and community forests. The ~40 hour volunteer training course costs $170 and is offered once … | Boost Natural Systems, Tree care | boost-natural-systems tree-care |
Citizen Pruner Program | The Citizen Pruner Program trains volunteers to work within their communities to assist arborists and urban foresters by tackling small, accessible tree maintenance projects. Citizen Pruners are trained in tree identification and basic pruning techniques. Contact: Email: citizenpruner@mntca.org , Phone: (612) 625-2361 | Boost Natural Systems, Tree care | boost-natural-systems tree-care |
Bee Lab | The Bee Lab at the UMN works to promote conservation, health, and diversity of bee pollinators through research and education. The Bee Lab offers beekeeping classes as well as information on how to make your yard more pollinator friendly and how to help bees thrive in Minnesota. Contact: Gary Reuter, … | Boost Natural Systems, Pollinators | boost-natural-systems pollinators |
Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation | The Xerces Society offers comprehensive information on pollinator conservation in any landscape, as well as resources on how to educate about pollinator conservation and become a pollinator advocate. While this is a national organization, the Xerces society semi-regularly hosts workshops in Minnesota. Contact: Email: pollinators@xerces.org | Boost Natural Systems, Pollinators | boost-natural-systems pollinators |
Ramsey County Fix-It Clinics | Ramsey County regularly hosts fix-it clinics where residents are invited to bring in broken appliances, electronics, clothing, etc. to receive repair assistance and technical help from volunteers. Contact: Ramsey County Environmental Health, Phone: (651) 266-1199 , Contact Form: https://www.ramseycounty.us/your-government/departments/health-and-wellness/public-health/contact-environmental-health | Ramsey County, Repair, Waste Reduction | ramsey-county repair wastereduction |
Dakota County Fix-It Clinics | Dakota County regularly hosts fix-it clinics where residents are invited to bring in broken appliances, electronics, clothing, etc. to receive repair assistance and technical help from volunteers. Contact: Dakota County Environmental Resources; Email: environ@co.dakota.mn.us , Phone: (952) 891-7557 | Dakota County, Repair, Waste Reduction | dakota-county repair wastereduction |
Hennepin County Fix-It Clinics | Hennepin County regularly hosts fix-it clinics where residents are invited to bring in broken appliances, electronics, clothing, etc. to receive repair assistance and technical help from volunteers. Contact: Email: nancy.lo@hennepin.us , Phone: (612) 348-9195 | Hennepin County, Repair, Waste Reduction | hennepin-county repair wastereduction |
Anoka County Fix-It Clinics | Anoka County regularly hosts fix-it clinics where residents are invited to bring in broken appliances, electronics, clothing, etc. to receive repair assistance and technical help from volunteers. | Anoka County, Repair, Waste Reduction | anoka-county repair wastereduction |
Mobile Menders | Mobile Members works to provide clothing care free of charge to those who need it. They regularly host drop-in clinics across the Twin Cities and are also available by appointment. Contact form: https://mobilemenders.weebly.com/about–contact.html Make an appointment: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdwgPS1KIiJGRzkAJF00vNk4MD3ogP4LrU3JUrdQWApKME3jw/viewform | Metro-Wide Resource, Repair, Waste Reduction | metro-wide-resource repair wastereduction |
Tech Dump | Tech Dump is an electronics recycler working to keep electronics out of landfills while creating good jobs in the Twin Cities. Tech Dump accepts donations of all types of electronics. Contact: Phone: (612) 361-4355 , Contact Form: https://www.techdump.org/contact-us/ | Recycle, Waste Reduction | recycle wastereduction |
Free Geek | Free Geek is an electronics recycler & reuser that accepts donations of broken electronics and repairs them for sale at discounted price. Free Geek’s thrift store is a great resource for buying used electronics. Contact: Email: info@freegeektwincities.org , Phone: (612) 223-5967 | Recycle, Reuse, Waste Reduction | recycle reuse wastereduction |
Nordeast Makers | Nordeast Makers is a makerspace in Northeast Minneapolis offering 24/7 access to a range of tools, CNC milling, and laser cutting. Monthly membership is $200. Contact: https://nordeastmakers.com/contact-us/ | Economy & Sharing, Hennepin County, Sharing | economy-sharing hennepin-county sharing |
iLab | iLab is a makerspace offered by Dakota County Libraries offering free access to tools such as sewing machines, 3D printers, digital design tools, and video and audio editing equipment at library locations across Dakota County. | Dakota County, Economy & Sharing, Sharing, Uncategorized | dakota-county economy-sharing sharing uncategorized |
Saint Paul Public Library Innovation Lab | SPPL’s Innovation Lab is a public makerspace offering audio and video equipment/software, sewing and textile equipment, laser cutting, and 3D printing to library members. Contact: Phone: (651) 266-7081 | Economy & Sharing, Ramsey County, Sharing | economy-sharing ramsey-county sharing |
ampUp | ampUp is an app for android and iOS where Electric Vehicle drivers can help other EV owners by sharing chargers and mapping routes for longer trips around existing charging stations. Contact: Email: info@ampup.io | Economy & Sharing, Electric Vehicles, Sharing, Transportation | economy-sharing electric-vehicles sharing transportation |
Minneapolis Toy Library | The Minneapolis Toy Library is a toy lending program for children aged birth to 5. This program began in 2014 when two mothers came together over an idea for toy sharing to help families save money and reduce waste flow from toys that inevitably end up in landfills. Annual membership … | Economy & Sharing, Hennepin County, Rethink, Sharing | economy-sharing hennepin-county rethink sharing wastereduction |
Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) Webinar Series | CLEAN’s webinar series offers free videos and lectures about climate and energy. | Climate, Climate Information | climate climate-information |
How We Live: A Journey Towards a Just Transition | This short film narrated by activist Gopal Dayaneni focuses on the three pillars of every economy, discusses the flaws of our extractive economy and describes what a regenerative economy could look like. How We Live: A Journey Towards a Just Transition is a great introduction to regenerative economics and the … | Books/Videos, Economy & Sharing, REconomy | books-videos economy-sharing reconomy |
Solidarity Economy: Building an Economy for People and Planet | This piece from Emily Kawano of the U.S. Solidarity Economy Network is an insightful introduction to the idea of a solidarity economy, a global movement to build a just and sustainable economy. | Big Picture, Economy & Sharing, REconomy | big-picture economy-sharing reconomy |
Saint Paul Climate Action Planning | As 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, Resilience | climate climate-action county-city-plans ramsey-county resilience |
Minneapolis Climate Action Plan | This climate plan adopted by the Minneapolis City Council in 2013 outlines a roadmap for guiding the City of Minneapolis to its greenhouse gas reduction targets. Contact: Email: sustainability@minneapolismn.gov | Climate, Climate Action, Climate Policy, County/City Plans, Hennepin County | climate climate-action climate-policy county-city-plans hennepin-county |
Washington County 2040 Comprehensive Plan: Resilience and Sustainability | Washington 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 County | climate climate-action county-city-plans resilience washington-county |
Thrive MSP 2040 | Thrive 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 County | anoka-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 |
Anoka Area Climate Action | Anoka Area Climate Action is a grassroots organization based out of Anoka working to: Communicate with Anoka area communities of local legislation that impacts Climate Change Highlight local businesses, group and individuals that are making a positive difference in Climate Change Work with local communities and legislatures in raising concerns and providing solutions to … | Anoka County, Climate, Climate Action, Climate Information | anoka-county climate climate-action climate-information |
Ramsey County Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan | In 2015 Ramsey County Released a plan led by Active Living Ramsey Communities that outlines an approach to supporting walkable and bikeable neighborhoods. Rather than a plan for specific projects, this document contains a set of tools and actions to engage community members and local government in supporting walk and … | Bike Resources, County/City Plans, Ramsey County, Transit Advocacy, Transportation, Walk Resources | bike-resources-transportation county-city-plans ramsey-county transit-advocacy transportation walk-resources |
2040 Hennepin County Bicycle Transportation Plan | Hennepin County’s Bicycle Transportation Plan presents a vision of ways to make bicycling safe and comfortable to people of all ages. This plan includes a map of proposed bike infrastructure to be implemented before 2040. Contact: Jordan Kocak, bike and pedestrian coordinator, jordan.kocak@hennepin.us , (612) 543-3377 | Bike Resources, County/City Plans, Hennepin County, Transportation | bike-resources-transportation county-city-plans hennepin-county transportation |
University of Minnesota Energy Club | The UMN Energy Club is a student organization for people interested in building a cleaner and safer energy system. The group hosts community events and speakers to engage the broader community. Contact: umnec@umn.edu | Energy | energy |
UMN Institute on the Environment Second Mondays | The IonE’s Second Mondays lecture series hosts weekly panels of experts from inside and outside the university to ask big questions and dive into pressing sustainability issues. Second Mondays are free to all, and are hosted at the Institute on the Environment at the UMN Saint Paul campus. These events … | Lecture Series, Webinar | lecture-series webinar |
Macalester EnviroThursdays | EnviroThursdays are a free weekly lecture series on environmental issues hosted by Macalester College each Thursday at noon. Lectures are delivered either by Macalester faculty or visiting lecturers, and have been given by speakers from Gary Snyder to Isra Hirsi. | Lecture Series | lecture-series |
UMN Institute on the Environment Sustainability Film Series | This ongoing series of free film screenings from the University of Minnesota offers community members the chance not only to see these films but to engage in dialogue with a panel of experts after each screening. Contact: Email: ione@umn.edu , Phone: (612) 624-6973 | Lecture Series | lecture-series |
Sunrise Movement Twin Cities | Sunrise is a movement of young people uniting to stop the climate crisis and create millions of good-paying jobs in the process. Sunrise Twin Cities works to mobilize public action on climate change and is a good organization to contact for engaging youth working on climate issues. Contact: sunrise@macalester.edu | Climate, Climate Action, Climate Justice | climate climate-action climate-justice |
Totnes Energy Descent Action Plan | This comprehensive Energy Descent Action Plan from Transition Town Totnes provides a detailed example of what a EDAP could look like for your community. | Transition Resources | transition-resources |
Your Money or Your Life | This book by Transition Whidbey member Vicki Robin is a helpful tool for changing ones relationship with money and achieving financial independence. | Books/Videos, Economy & Sharing | books-videos economy-sharing |
Local Dollars, Local Sense: How to Shift Your Money from Wall Street to Main Street and Achieve Real Prosperity | Local Dollars, Local Sense is a book about how to invest locally while maintaining a strong return on ones investment. This book shows that almost anyone can invest, and that the impact of investment is much more powerful at the local scale than on Wall Street. | Books/Videos, Economy & Sharing, Local Investing | books-videos economy-sharing local-investing |
Weaving the Community Resilience and New Economy Movement | This report from the Post Carbon Institute is the product of interviews with eighteen community leaders working in community resilience or local economic change. This is an excellent resource for exploring how community resilience and local economics intersect in the realm of transition. | Books/Videos, Economy & Sharing | books-videos economy-sharing |
Financing our Foodshed | Financing our Foodshed is a book about how the Slow Money movement has worked to support local food. | Books/Videos, Economy & Sharing, Slow Money | books-videos economy-sharing slow-money |
“Practicing Law in the Sharing Economy: Helping People Build Cooperatives, Social Enterprises and Local Sustainable Economies” | This book provides insight into the sharing economy through the lens of how the practice of law is necessary to validate and legalize the work of many actors in the local economy, such as cooperatives, time banks, cohousing communities, and social enterprises. | Books/Videos, Economy & Sharing, Sharing | books-videos economy-sharing sharing |
The Sharing Solution: How to Save Money, Simplify Your Life & Build Community | The Sharing Solution is a practical and legal guide that explains how to create and maintain successful sharing relationships while addressing issues of liability, communication, and more. | Books/Videos, Economy & Sharing, Sharing | books-videos economy-sharing sharing |
All That We Share: How to Save the Economy, the Environment, the Internet, Democracy, Our Communities and Everything Else that Belongs to All of Us | All That We Share is a field guide to the commons. This book is a tour guide of the commons shared by all of us, and describes how commoners(us) can act to preserve the commons that are so essential to our way of life. | Big Picture, Books/Videos, Economy & Sharing | big-picture books-videos economy-sharing |
Zero Waste Home | This is a great book for learning about zero waste, from the theory behind the movement to the actual practices for reducing ones waste. Bea Johnson’s book is available for purchase in 25+ languages. | Books/Videos, Waste Reduction | books-videos wastereduction |
Waste-Free Kitchen Handbook | This guide from Dana Gunders is a superb guide to reducing food waste and saving money and eating better while doing so. | Books/Videos, Waste Reduction | books-videos wastereduction |
Enerchange | EnerChange is a nonprofit that conducts FREE energy assessments to help other nonprofits and faith communities find ways to save energy. They work with you to implement solutions. The company has audited more than a thousand buildings and consistently found ways to save money and energy in every single building. … | Energy, Energy Efficiency, Energy How-To | energy energy-efficiency energy-how-to |
Metropolitan Council Local Planning Handbook | The 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.aspx | Climate Policy, County/City Plans, Energy Policy, Food Systems, Housing, Land Use, Metro-Wide Resource, Policy & Advocacy, Preparedness, Resilience, Transportation, Waste Reduction, Water Protection | climate-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 Institute | The 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, Resilience | big-picture climate climate-information economy-sharing energy energy-policy resilience |
The Solutions Project | The Solution Project provides an interactive map of renewable energy and how its benefits can be achieved in each of our 50 states. | Energy, Energy Advocacy, Energy Policy, Renewable Energy | energy energy-advocacy energy-policy renewable-energy |
Xcel Programs and Rebates | Find ways to make smart energy choices and help lower your bill if Xcel is your electricity (or gas) provider. Xcel offers a variety of efficiency rebates, and the option to sign up for renewable energy sourcing through WindSource or Solar Rewards. You can also get discounts on energy efficient … | Energy, Energy Efficiency, Energy How-To, Renewable Energy | energy energy-efficiency energy-how-to renewable-energy |
Center for Earth, Energy and Democracy | The Center for Earth, Energy and Democracy’s mission is to ensure that communities and policy makers have the tools and information they need to create just, sustainable energy and environmental policy. CEED researches vulnerability to rising energy costs and the many reasons it is a greater burden in EJ communities. … | Climate, Climate Action, Climate Justice, Climate Policy, Energy, Energy Advocacy, Energy Policy, Preparedness | climate climate-action climate-justice climate-policy energy energy-advocacy energy-policy preparedness |
Passive House MN | A group of Minnesota-based Passive House professionals and practitioners who aim to educate about and promote the Passive House building energy standard. Contact +1 (612) 203-1629 or online | Energy Efficiency, Housing | energy-efficiency affordable-sustainable-housing energy |
WalkScore | How walkable is your community – or the place where you want to move? Use the WalkScore tool to find out. | Walk Resources | walk-resources transportation |
Open Source Bike Share | A free bike-sharing system suitable for smaller communities, university campuses, and companies. You CAN launch your own bikeshare. | Bike Resources, Car/Bike Sharing, Transportation | bike-resources-transportation car-bike-sharing transportation |
Co-op Investment Network | Co-op Investment Network (CoIN) is an investment group for folks who want to promote cooperatives. | Economy & Sharing, Local Investing | economy-sharing local-investing |
HOurWorld Co-op | A global listing of time banks, including some in greater Minnesota | Economy & Sharing, Sharing | economy-sharing sharing |
Shareables | A people-powered solutions for the common good | Economy & Sharing, Sharing | economy-sharing sharing |
Ride Sharing | Connecting drivers and passengers for daily and long-distance commutes. | Economy & Sharing, Sharing | economy-sharing sharing |
Couchsurfing | The free shared housing alternative to AirBnB that DOESN’T pull homes off the market for local residents and drive up housing prices | Economy & Sharing, Sharing | economy-sharing sharing |
Dual Currency Systems | A currency system developed by Minnesota local, Joel Hodroff | Big Picture, Economy & Sharing, REconomy | big-picture economy-sharing reconomy |
Sustainable Economies Law Center | Sustainable Economies Law Center cultivates a new legal landscape that supports community resilience and grassroots economic empowerment. We provide essential legal tools – education, research, advice, and advocacy – so communities everywhere can develop their own sustainable sources of food, housing, energy, jobs, and other vital aspects of a thriving … | Big Picture, Economy & Sharing, Sharing | big-picture economy-sharing sharing |
Transition Network REconomy Project | Want to change the whole system? Here’s help to make a case for change, build local partnerships and create shared vision and strategy. Examples of important projects and activities that provide support and infrastructure to help new and existing local businesses thrive. Interested in starting a new Transition-oriented livelihood or … | Big Picture, Buy Local, Economy & Sharing, Local Investing, REconomy | big-picture buy-local economy-sharing local-investing reconomy |
Berkshire Bucks | The local currency for the Berkshires | Economy & Sharing, Local Investing | economy-sharing local-investing |
Bay Bucks | An alternative currency system operating in the San Francisco Bay area | Big Picture, Buy Local, Economy & Sharing | big-picture buy-local economy-sharing |
Beez Kneez | The Beez Kneez is a pedal-powered honey delivery business that manages 150 urban and rural hives. As a result of two confirmed pesticide kills of its hives, BeezKneez formed an advocacy campaign called Healthy Bees, Healthy Lives that helped get two pollinator-friendly laws on the books in MN. It continues … | Bees/Bee-keeping, Food, Pollinators | bees-bee-keeping food pollinators boost-natural-systems |
Midwest Wild Edibles & Foragers Society | A Facebook group (ask to join) for people wanting to learn about wild edibles and foraging. | Education, Food, Foraging | education food foraging |
Foraging Minnesota | Facebook group for Minnesota foragers. | Food, Foraging | food foraging |
Midwest Permaculture | Located in Stelle, Illinois, Midwest Permaculture offers permaculture design courses in a small rural community setting, and a variety of online resources. Contact: Email: info@midwestpermaculture.com, Phone: 815-256-2215 | Boost Natural Systems, Education, Food, Land & Soil, Land Use, Permaculture, Regenerative agriculture, Soil Health, Water Protection | boost-natural-systems education food land-soil land-use permaculture regenerative-agriculture soil-health water-protection |
Soil Testing Lab | The University of Minnesota College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences is home to the extension service soil testing lab. Land owners can send samples to be analyzed for a small fee. | Boost Natural Systems, Food, Food Growing, Land & Soil, Land Use, Remediation, Soil Health | boost-natural-systems food food-growing land-soil land-use remediation soil-health |
Plant Disease Clinic | The U of M College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources hosts a plant disease lab. Bring in diseased plant material – leaves, branches, etc – and they can disagnose it. | Boost Natural Systems, Food | boost-natural-systems food |
Minnesota Minimalist Meetup | Big Picture, Economy & Sharing, Metro-Wide Resource, Reduce, Rethink, Waste Reduction | big-picture economy-sharing metro-wide-resource reduce rethink wastereduction | |
The Simplicity Collective | The Simplicity Collective is a grassroots ‘network of imaginations’ dedicated to exploring, promoting, and celebrating a materially simple but inwardly rich life. | Reduce, Rethink, Waste Reduction | reduce rethink wastereduction |
TedTalk: My No Spend Year | Personal finance journalist Michelle McGagh gave herself the challenge of spending money only on essentials for a year. Her challenge became a book called “The No Spend Year.” In this Ted Talk, we hear what Michelle learned about herself, consumerism and why we spend. | Reduce, Rethink, Waste Reduction | reduce rethink wastereduction |
Save the Food Toolbox | 40% of America’s food is wasted. This website is all about helping you save, with a dinner party food calculator, meal planning and shopping list so you buy just the right amount, and a food storage guide. | Cooking/Storing Resources, Education, Food, Reduce, Reuse, Waste Reduction | cooking-storing-resources education food reduce reuse wastereduction |
The True Cost of Fast Fashion (movie) | This is a story about clothing. It’s about the clothes we wear, the people who make those clothes and the impact it’s having on our world. | Reduce, Rethink, Waste Reduction | reduce rethink wastereduction |
Lulu’s Guide to Selling, Donating and Recycling Old Clothes | The average American throws out around 70 pounds of textiles every year. To reduce waste, consider how you can donate, sell or recycle your used clothes. | Recycle, Reduce, Reuse, Waste Reduction | recycle reduce reuse wastereduction |
New Dress a Day Upcycling Project | One woman’s challenge to upcycle an inexpensive item of used clothing every day for a year. | Recycle, Repair, Reuse, Waste Reduction | recycle repair reuse wastereduction |
Capsule Wardrobe: Creating a Minimalist Wardrobe | Tips on creating a minimalist wardrobe | Reduce, Rethink, Waste Reduction | reduce rethink wastereduction |
Water Reuse Report | Advancing Safe and Sustainable Water Reuse in Minnesota: 2018 REPORT OF THE INTERAGENCY WORKGROUP ON WATER REUSE Minnesota Department of Health – Environmental Health Division | Reuse, Waste Reduction, Water | reuse wastereduction water |
Water Conservation: DNR | Water conservation advice and tools from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources | Reduce, Reuse, Waste Reduction, Water | reduce reuse wastereduction water |
Conservation Minnesota: Our Minnesota Waters Project | Our Minnesota Waters project aims to build and maintain a network of lake associations, river groups, and individual members focused on protecting our lakes, rivers, and streams. We engage members across the state in water policy and create educational opportunities. | County/City Plans, Metro-Wide Resource, Reduce, Waste Reduction, Water, Water Protection | county-city-plans metro-wide-resource reduce wastereduction water water-protection boost-natural-systems |
Report: The Impact of the Reuse Economy in Minnesota | Reusing materials and products, salvaging and refurbishing materials, extending a product’s life through repair, or renting products may reduce virgin-material demand and solid waste. This study examines the economics associated with reuse | Recycle, Repair, Reuse, Waste Reduction | recycle repair reuse wastereduction |
Kids Recycling Toolkits | The Bottle Store offers a variety of documents and toolkits to help kids understand recycling. | Recycle, Waste Reduction | recycle wastereduction |
Washington County Fix-It Clinic | Bring up to 3 broken items to a Washington County Library Fix-It Clinic and get them repaired for FREE. First Come, First Served. You must remain with your items while fixers work alongside you to disassemble, troubleshoot, and repair them. | Repair, Waste Reduction | repair wastereduction |
White Bear Township FixIt Clinic | At Fix-It Clinics, residents bring in small household appliances, clothing, electronics, mobile devices and more to receive free guided assistance from volunteers with repair skills to disassemble, troubleshoot and fix items. | Repair, Waste Reduction | repair wastereduction |
Minnesota Composting Council | The Minnesota Composting Council is the MN State Chapter of the United States Composting Council. As a state affiliate of the USCC, the MNCC is dedicated to the development, expansion, and promotion of the composting industry based upon sound science, principles of sustainability, and economic viability. | Compost/vermiculture, Waste Reduction | compost-vermiculture wastereduction |
Six Foundations for Building Community Resilience | Efforts 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, Resilience | books-videos preparedness resilience |
Inner Resilience Network | A 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, Resilience | inner-resilience resilience |
EcoSattva Training | The 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, Resilience | inner-resilience resilience |
Strong Towns | The 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 … | Resilience | resilience |
Resilient Communities Project of CURA | The 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. | Resilience | resilience |
100 Resilient Cities Report | The 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. | Resilience | resilience |
Zap Twin Cities | ZAP Twin Cities is a bicycle commuting program for anyone who wants to save money, improve their health, and win prizes by attaching a tracker on your bike. If you’ve never biked to work or school before, ZAP rewards you for giving it a try. If you bike commute already, … | Bike Resources, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Transportation | bike-resources-transportation hennepin-county ramsey-county transportation |
Fund Milwaukee | Fund Milwaukee aims to foster growth in projects that support our community, our planet, and our investments. Do you have a business that meets these requirements and is open to local investors? | Economy & Sharing, Local Investing | economy-sharing local-investing |
Circle of Aunts and Uncles | The Media Circle of Aunts & Uncles is a Transition Town Media project, modeled on the Philadelphia version started by Judy Wicks, to offer low-interest loans and social capital to under-resourced new and existing entrepreneurs in order to co-create a more equitable, compassionate, sustainable, and vibrant local economy in the … | Economy & Sharing, Local Investing | economy-sharing local-investing |
Financial Literacy: Disaster Preparedness | Learn more about financial planning to deal with expected and unexpected emergencies, like a job loss or damage from extreme weather. | Preparedness | preparedness |
Transition Longfellow Preparedness Emails | Be 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, Resilience | preparedness resilience |
Pet Emergency Preparedness | Emergency Planning: Week Make an Emergency Pet Evacuation Plan This week you’ll find a 3-month pantry To-Do at the bottom of the page, but we wanted to pick up an important Preparedness element – preparing to care for or evacuate your pets. Don’t Leave Your Love Behind If you leave … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Car Emergency Preparedness | Get Ready for Extreme Weather: Week 1 Car Emergency Preparedness This is the first in a series of emails to help you become more prepared for extreme weather emergencies, brought to you by volunteers @ Transition Longfellow. Set aside some time to take these actions or use our To Do … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Get Ready: Emergency Car Supplies | Get Ready for Extreme Weather: Week 2 Emergency Car Supplies This week we are looking at things you should have in your vehicle in case of an emergency. Check your car. If you don’t have them, create a shopping list and buy them now, or put this on your To … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Get Ready: Signal for Help | Get Ready for Extreme Weather: Week 3 Communicating That You Need Help This email series — brought to you by neighborhood volunteers at Transition Longfellow — is designed to help you become more prepared for extreme weather emergencies. This week is short and sweet: if you are stuck in your … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Get Ready: Stranded, Now What? | Get Ready for Extreme Weather: Week 4 What to Do If You are Stranded in Your Car Did you know that Canadian arctic rescue teams suggest that drivers carry a can of dog food in their cars? Why? Because when people get stranded in snow in the arctic they tend … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Preparing Your Home for Extreme Cold | Get Ready for Extreme Weather: Week 5 Prepare Your Home for Cold In the next three e-newsletters, we will talk about protecting you and your home in cold weather if you lose power (no fan for a forced-air furnace and no heaters), or if your boiler breaks (for radiator heating). … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Extreme Cold and Plumbing | Get Ready for Extreme Weather: Week 6 Extreme Cold and Plumbing Power outages in extreme cold can cause water in your home’s pipes to freeze. This can ruin your home when it thaws. It takes a while for a home to freeze. You may get the heat or electric problem … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Prepare to Live in a Cold Home | Get Ready for Extreme Weather: Week 7 Living in a Cold Home If you have another housing option, seriously consider leaving your home and returning when the heat is back on. But it is possible to live in a cold home – in fact, our ancestors did it for centuries … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Start Your Communications Plan | Get Ready for Extreme Weather: Week 8 Start Your Communications Plan In the next 4 emails, we will look at communications. How will you communicate with family and friends in an emergency situation? Devices can get wet or run out of power. Cell phone towers can become overloaded and transmit … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Communication Plan: Emergency Phone Numbers | Get Ready for Extreme Weather: Week 9 Carry Your Emergency Numbers with You Wallet Contact List This week, we will make an Emergency Contact Card to keep in your wallet. It’s a key part of your personal and family emergency communications plan. You can customize a card for each member … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Communication Plan: Create a Meetup Plan | Get Ready for Extreme Weather: Week 10 Create a Meeting Place Cascade In case of emergency – whether at the household level or the community level – it’s important to know where you will meet up or check-in with family and friends if you are separated. Depending upon the nature … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Communication Plan: How to Get Emergency Information | Get Ready for Extreme Weather: Week 11 Know Where to Get Accurate Emergency Information The City of Minneapolis has a useful webpage listing a variety of places where you can get emergency information. You can also sign up for emergency email and phone updates from the City. Invest in a … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Shelter In Place: Water Storage | Get Ready for Extreme Weather: Week 12 Shelter in Place – 3 Day Water Storage Shelter in place is about ensuring that you can meet your family’s basic needs for a set amount of time without needing to go out and buy things. Emergency experts talk about a 3-day minimum … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Shelter in Place: 3 Day Food Supply | Get Ready for Extreme Weather: Week 13 Shelter in Place – 3 Days of Food Snowed in? No car? Your home should have a minimum of 3 days of stored food for each person. This week we are going to set aside 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, and 3 dinners, plus … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Shelter in Place: Home First Aid Kit | Get Ready for Extreme Weather: Week 14 Shelter in Place – Your Home First Aid Kit Every Home Should Have First Aid Supplies A bleeding knee from a fall on the sidewalk A burn from a hot pan on the stove A cut from a piece of broken glass A … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Shelter in Place: Security & Sanitation Supplies | Get Ready for Extreme Weather: Week 15 Shelter in Place – Security and Sanitation Supplies What supplies would you need if your home was damaged in an extreme weather event? What if a large tree branch fell on your roof during a storm? What if the drain backed up in … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Shelter in Place: Stay Entertained | Get Ready for Extreme Weather: Week 16 Shelter in Place: Comfortable? Are the Kids Entertained? Todays’ task is short and sweet. Put into your “disaster supply kit” at least one item for each person that battles boredom or provides comfort. Good choices might be a paperback book, playing cards, a … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Evacuate: Identification | Get Ready for Evacuate: Week 17 Bring All Your Identification Document preparedness is overwhelming to many, so we are going to break it down into really small pieces and it will take us four weeks to finish this part. This first week, let’s get our identity archived. Take a picture … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Evacuate: Medical & Insurance Documents | Get Ready To Evacuate: Week 19 Document Preparedness: Medical Records This task will be a little harder, but you have momentum, and you can do this! Start by taking a picture of all your health insurance cards. These might have been in your wallet, in which case that part was … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Evacuate: Financial Records | Prepare for Extreme Weather: Week 19 Evacuate: Bring Your Important Financial Records This is the third, and the hardest of the documentation tasks but you’ve got momentum. Taxes: Get copies of the last 3 years of tax forms, and take pictures of the fronts and backs of every one. Financial … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Evacuate: Wrap Up Your Documents | Get Ready To Evacuate: Week 20 Wrap Up Your Documents This is the fourth and last of our Documentation preparedness series. We are going to check what we have against a Vital Documents Checklist. Its time to make sure everything is complete, or to finish up the final pieces. Depending … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Evacuate: Clothes for Your Go Bag | Prepare to Evacuate: Week 22 Get Your Go-Bag Ready Now we’re going to pull together everything you need for your Go Bag, in case you have to evacuate. This week, we are going to gather 3 days of emergency clothing for each person in your family. Set Aside a Change … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Evacuate: Get Your Go Bag | Prepare to Evacuate: Week 21 Pulling it all together: Create a Go Bag In previous months we pulled together everything we need to be safe in our car and in our home should we get trapped in bad weather conditions. Now we’re going to look at what you will need … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Evacuate: What to Expect at a Navigation Center | What to Expect When You Evacuate – Week 23 The Evacuation Center Recently, we’ve been hearing stories about hundreds of people being evacuated from flooding in the Northeast. That is the most likely scenario for evacuation from our neighborhood! You have to leave your home, and no one is available … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Evacuation and Special Populations | Evacuation and Special Populations: Week 24 Personal Care Needs for Evacuation “Special Populations”: This group of people is so large and diverse, there is no way to address all scenarios. You need to look at the individuals in your life and discuss a particular situation with them. Guidelines for considering … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Emergency Food Supply: 3 Month Pantry | Emergency Food Supply: Week 25 The 3-Month Pantry Our next project is a big one. We’re going to start our emergency pantry by setting aside a 3-month supply of food. Why Store Extra Food? Earlier in the series, we set aside a small emergency food supply of a few days. … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Emergency Food Supply: What Food to Store? | Emergency Food Supply: Week 26 What Kind of Food to Store There are two kinds of food storage. Think about the time frame and the type of emergency you are planning for when you start your food storage pantry. First, there is short-term food storage; food that is in constant rotation. … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Emergency Food Supply: Protect from Oxygen | Emergency Food Supply: Week 28 The Enemy of Stored Food: Oxygen We talked earlier about different kinds of storage containers to ensure your food remains insect and rodent-free [this email has been lost]. But there is one other food thief you need to plan for, and that’s oxygen. In the … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Emergency Food Supply: Breakfast | Emergency Food Supply: Week 29 Breakfast Food to Add to Your Pantry Breakfast for 90 Days We hope you’ve been paying attention for a few weeks now to the foods your family eats on a regular basis – and that you’ve made a list of the things you already have … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Emergency Food Supply: Finding Space | Emergency Food Supply: Week 27 Finding Space for Food Storage Where Are We Going to Put It All? The ideal food storage area is cool, dry, dark, and protected from pests. A basement room often fits these criteria, but what if your house doesn’t have a basement? What if you … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Emergency Food Supply: Lunch | Emergency Food Supply: Week 30 What’s For Lunch? Lunch for 90 Days Back to that list of favorite foods you put together. Now we’re going to look at lunches. In the U.S., lunch is usually a lighter meal than dinner so you may find canned goods are a quick meal … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Emergency Food Supply: Snacks | Emergency Food Supply: Week 32 Snacks, Sweets, Drinks, and More! Variety is the Spice of Life This week we go back to the list we made of things our family likes to eat. What do you like to eat for snacks? For beverages? In an emergency situation, you will want … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Emergency Food Supply: Dinner | Emergency Food Supply: Week 31 What’s For Dinner? Dinner foods are often very similar to lunch foods. We talked about canned foods in our last newsletter. In this issue, we’ll talk about frozen and freeze-dried foods, including specialized “emergency preparedness” foods. The Freezer Freezing is an ideal way to store … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
Emergency Food Supply: Special Diets | Emergency Food Supply: Week 33 Plan for Special Dietary Needs This month we’re going to talk about food storage tips if you or a family member has a medical condition that requires a particular diet. We don’t have room – or expertise – to talk about every type of special … | Uncategorized | uncategorized |
The Guide to Sustainable, Zero-Waste, Ethical Weddings | This webpage covers a lot of territory for those planning a zero waste wedding. It’s from the UK so you’ll need to convert from pounds to dollars. | Reduce, Rethink, Waste Reduction | reduce rethink wastereduction |
Telling a New Story to Create a New Future | Revitalizing Our Cultural Imagination Rob Hopkins is the founder of the Transition Town movement, a global grassroots groundswell of people taking personal and collective action to solve pressing global problems. Rob has spent the last 15 years observing the small and large solutions that arise when everyday people, neighborhoods and … | Blog | blog |
You Cannot Go Where You Cannot Imagine Going | In 2019, a Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that 76% of respondents would describe climate change as a crisis or a major problem. Despite that large number, 62% said tackling climate change would require little or no sacrifice on their part. More than half of respondents said they wouldn’t … | Blog | blog |
“You’re on Your Own” | I have been part of a story gathering project for the past six months with Transition US, a national (and global) resilience-building movement. I’ve been interviewing people across the nation to learn about they had taken action to make their communities more caring, connected, sustainable, and resilient. In January I … | Blog | blog |