In most cases, when something endures for 60 years it is cause for celebration. In Burnsville, Minnesota, however, the celebration last week was about something that was ending after 60 years – coal. The last coal train has rolled to…
Mere months after releasing one of the country’s most ambitious climate action plans, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced a “down payment” of $127 million in spending to implement the measures laid out in the new policy. In the world…
When we think about the range of climate solutions, it isn’t often that we consider systemic choices made by city planners and commercial developers over a span of many decades. This may be beginning to change. Suburban sprawl is the…
Developing new climate solutions isn’t always easy, and often times the clearest paths to making an impact are the ones that are most challenging. This is especially the case in cities, where climate action plans focusing on mass transportation, city…
Local governments typically own and maintain fleets of vehicles, such as police cruisers, government cars, and garbage trucks, that burn millions of gallons of gasoline. Fleets represent large costs to governments, and account for tons of climate pollution. Local leaders…
There are many opportunities to improve the energy performance of your local buildings while reducing energy costs. An energy audit is a comprehensive assessment of the building’s heating, cooling, water, lighting, ventilation, and energy systems. The audit will show you…
Transitioning to renewable energy, such as wind or solar, will prepare and provide a healthy future for your citizens’ well being. There are many ways you can make a positive impact. Start by assessing your community’s energy needs and abilities.…
New York State continues to demonstrate climate leadership with last week’s annoucement of its new energy plan, which aims to double its use of renewable power sources (hydro, wind and solar) within 15 years, while amping up energy efficiency efforts. The…
Duluth Mayor Don Ness thinks about infrastructure a lot these days. Warmer Minnesota winters have brought more freeze and thaw cycles, which means more potholes to patch and more roads to replace. Storm and wastewater systems pose even bigger problems,…
American citizens view climate change as more important than they did two years ago, according to the annual Pew Research Center policy priorities survey published earlier this month. ‘Dealing with global warming’ ticked up a substantial 10 points since the…