City Climate Corner

In our final scheduled episode, we talk both about the horrible things happening in our home (Minneapolis), and the inspiring (and high-energy) community building work of Sabina Sethi Unni, who has created a street theater play about flood sensors. Yes - flood sensors. Specifically, a flood sensor working in a chai shop. Sabina is on to something here - having strong community connections can be the difference between life and death during extreme weather events. We are also seeing the importance of those kind of connections in Minnesota right now, with the trauma being inflicted by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Resources:Flood Sensor Aunty websiteSabina Sethi Unni websiteArticle about Flood Sensor Aunty

Future Climate Collective was founded to equip youth with knowledge and skills to be prepared for a changing world. We interview Board Director and Founder Dominique Johnson about this exciting new effort in Oregon, the curriculum they've put together, and how youth are getting involved. Make sure to listen for info about the upcoming Climathon - a young person's "hackathon for climate solutions."ResourcesFuture Climate Collective website

You've heard about a climate action plan, but what about a municipal heat plan? In January 2024, Germany passed a law requiring every municipality to develop a heat plan to decarbonize heating. We interview Paula Möhring, Senior Consultant at Hamburg Institut Consulting GmbH, about the ongoing transformation of the heating sector in Germany. She has been working with municipalities across Germany on heat plans. Larry met Paula on a November clean energy trip organized by the University of Minnesota's Institute on the Environment.Resources: (Some of these will require google translate or something like it) City Climate Corner - 60 Best Climate Change podcasts (we're #24!)Heat map of Norderstedt - 84,000 population, near Hamburg. Copyright HIC Hamburg Institut Comsulting GmbH.Expansion of the grid is in light orange (Wärmenetzausbaugebiete)Examination areas where it is not yet clear are in pink (Prüfgebiete).Dark Orange are existing district heating grids.White is decentralized heating (e.g. heat pumps)Heat Planning and heat transition in Denmark - comprehensive report (English): Organisational Structures in the Danish District Heating ...Deutsche Energie-Agentur (dena)https://www.dena.de › Projektportrait › CoLABAct on Heat Planning and Decarbonization of District Heating (in German, translate in Browser) WPG - nichtamtliches Inhaltsverzeichnis "Energy in Buildings Act“ / Act on Energy Conservation and the Use of Renewable Energies for Heating and Cooling in Buildings (in German, translate in Browser) GEG - nichtamtliches InhaltsverzeichnisOfficial Guidelines for Heat Planning in Germany (German, pdf) via this site: https://www.bmwsb.bund.de/Webs/BMWSB/DE/themen/stadt-wohnen/WPG/WPG-node.htmlExample 1 of Heat Planning City of Hamburg: https://www.hamburg.de/politik-und-verwaltung/behoerden/bukea/themen/energie/kommunale-waermeplanungExample 2 of Heat Planning City of Norderstedt: https://www.norderstedt.de/Aktuelles-und-Service/Aktuelle-Projekte/W%C3%A4rmeplanung-/Example 3 of Heat Planning City of Freiburg https://www.freiburg.de/pb/1847688.htmlEvaluation of 136 existing heat plans in Baden-Württemberg, south-west Germany (German pdf): https://www.ifeu.de/fileadmin/uploads/Publikationen/Energie/Waermegipfel/2024-10-21_Waermegipfel_Auswertung_Waermeplaene_ifeu.pdf

Crookston is a 7000+ person community in the northwest corner of Minnesota that has big ambitions to improve the life of its residents by leveraging the clean energy transition. We interview City Council Member Tim Lenard, Exec. Director of Crookston Housing Development Karie Kirshbaum, Exec. Director of NW MN Regional Sustainable Development Program Shannon Stassen, and John Vaughn,  Fresh Energy's Managing Director of Community Development to learn about the Empower Crookston effort and how it spawned an I Love Crookston program.ResourcesEmpower Crookston websiteCity of Crookston websiteMinnesota information on local climate action grantsFresh Energy website

The negative impacts of the fossil-fuel based energy system and policies have disproportionately harmed and burdened low-income and BIPOC communities. As we transition to a clean energy economy, how do we make sure that what we put in place is equitable and just? We interview Michelle Vigen Ralston, Principal and Founder at Common Spark Consulting, about the work her team does with cities, counties, advocates, and other organizations to facilitate the creation of equitable energy policy.ResourcesCommon Spark websiteTrainings mentionedJemez principles

YoGo BikeShare is launching a new 100% e-bike micro-mobility platform in Youngstown, a city of about 60,000 in population. We interview YoGo President Ronnel Elkins and VP of Operations Corey Patrick, and learn about their vision, the obstacles they've faced, and how the service will address the first and last mile problem of public transportation.Resources:YoGo websiteBikeshare in Youngstown gets rolling - article in The Vindicator‘These are your bikes:’ City celebrates start of YoGo Bikeshare in Youngstown article in Mahoning Matters

There's a heat pump revolution happening in Maine. Already over 100,000 of the 600,000 homes in Maine have heat pumps, and their plan is to be over 300,000 by 2027. One out of every 14 heat pumps in the U.S. is going to Maine, though it is only 0.42% of the US's population. We talk to Andy Meyer, Senior Program Manager at Efficiency Maine, to learn how they've done it, and how it's saving Maine residents a lot of money, even in a cold-weather climate.ResourceEfficiency Maine website

Lincoln Nebraska may not be the first city that comes to mind when you think of climate action, but maybe it should be. We interview Kim Morrow, Chief Sustainability Officer for Lincoln, about some exciting city programs, including EV infrastructure, an innovative approach to Rental Rehabilitation using Tax Increment Financing (TIF), heat pump rebates, and biochar as well as their efforts on the EPA's Climate Pollution Reduction Grants.  ResourcesResilient Lincoln web page (Resilient Lincoln is the name of the Mayor's priority initiative that involves implementing the Climate Action Plan)Lincoln's Vision for a Climate-Smart Future (this is the background study behind the Climate Action Plan)Climate Action PlanEV Readiness PlanPress release regarding the Rental Rehabilitation ProgramHeat pump incentive programPress release announcing the programHeat pump incentive program web pageLincoln Electric System Sustainable Energy ProgramLincoln Biochar InitiativeLocal Food Plan

There's a lot of exciting things happening in the world of geothermal power. We explore geothermal in general and examine a novel approach leveraging groundwater to substantially reduce the footprint needed. We interview Darcy Solutions CTO Dan King about how their technology is being used by some cities to provide carbon free heating and cooling.Resources:Darcy Solutions websiteWater Well Journal explanatory article

Abby, Larry, and Isaiah review 2023 and talk about what's coming in 2024.

On the shores of Lake Superior, Duluth has received publicity as a "climate proof city" though faces distinct challenges with its cold weather climate. With grants, they are pursuing exciting approaches to creating a geothermal district heating system from their waste water treatment plant and separately, creating resilience in their building stock with solar plus storage and microgrids. We interview Sustainability Officer Mindy Granley,  Community Resilience Project Coordinator Bret Crecelius, and Americorps service member Ella Stewart about Duluth's unique 5-year at a time approach to climate planning.ResourcesDuluth Climate Action Work PlanGrant for geothermal district heatingRenewables Advancing Community Energy Resilience (RACER) Funding ProgramDuluth Sustainability webpage

Groundswell's exciting SOUL (Save On Utilities Long term) program is rolling out right now in LaGrange, GA. SOUL is a Pay As You Save model that reduces utility bills by improving home energy efficiency, without upfront costs. It prioritizes households with lower incomes and high energy burdens. We interview Nicole Sonderegger of Groundswell and Leon Childs of Groundswell and a City Councilmember in LaGrange about how the program works and the lives it is changing.ResourcesGroundswell SOUL program websiteLaGrange SOUL programCity of LaGrange website

Morris is a small community in conservative western Minnesota that is doing groundbreaking sustainability work. Inspired by students at the University of MN Morris and a partnership with Saerbeck Germany as part of a unique "Climate Smart Municipalities" program, local leaders have come up with "The Morris Model" that guides the community's efforts. We interview former City Manager Blaine Hill and Univ. of MN - Morris Vice Chancellor Bryan Hermann to learn how the Morris Model started and about ongoing solar, wind, biogas, battery storage, composting, and EV infrastructure programs.ResourcesThe Morris ModelSustainability at University of Minnesota MorrisSaerbeck Germany City Climate Corner episodeClimate Smart Municipalities program at the University of MN's Institute on the EnvironmentFlow Battery proposal mentioned in episodeVolts podcast episode where Larry is interviewed about MN's new climate smart transportation law (mentioned in intro)

Regenerative Agriculture can improve soil health and water quality, sequester carbon, and increase farmer profits. It has become a key part of Boulder County's climate action. We interview Natural Capitalism Solutions President Hunter Lovins to understand regenerative agriculture's potential, and Boulder County Sustainability Office Director Susie Strife and Sustainability Strategist Tim Broderick to learn about some of the exciting actions underway in the county.ResourcesOSCAR - Boulder County Office of SustainabilityNatural Capitalism Solutions - websiteBoulder County Carbon Removal PlaybookSustainable Food & Agriculture Fund - Grant ProgramSustainable Food & Agriculture Fund - GranteesArticle: CO expands regenerative ag program started in Boulder countyGabe Brown and 5 principles of soil healthColorado's STAR program on soil health4 Corners Carbon CoalitionMushroom bricks / concrete

Elected Officials to Protect America (EOPA) empowers local elected officials and civic leaders to fight the climate crisis, with a special focus on lawmakers who are veterans. With leaders from all 50 states and Puerto Rico, EOPA is an organizing force for local officials to increase their impact in their own communities as well as on regional and national issues. We interview co-founders Alex Cornell du Houx, and Dominic Frongillo about their programs and some of their work, including banning fracking in NY, supporting offshore wind, and fighting for environmental justice. EOPA is also City Climate Corner's fiscal sponsor.ResourcesEOPA websiteEOPA's Certificate of Public Leadership Program - ApplicationForm to join EOPA as an elected officialMentioned during intro and debriefLarry's Op-Ed in the Minnesota Star TribuneCity Climate Corner episode with Max Gruenig - on running for office as a climate candidate

Larry recently visited Saerbeck, a village in northwest Germany that has done incredible things with renewable energy, biogas, and now green hydrogen. We interview Martin Sammler, Manager of Saerbeck's Climate Action Department, about how this village of 7200 people is producing 4 times the energy it needs with renewables, is planning to decarbonize its heating system by 2030, and is becoming a proving ground for the production of green hydrogen and electrolyzers.ResourcesSaerbeck - climate projects backgrounder (English)Saerbeck website (in German)Climate Community SaerbeckEnapter's Saerbeck electrolyzer production facility - Article

With this summer of one climate disaster after another, Abby and Larry talk about how they deal with the depressing parts of climate change, and especially, what gives them hope.

More and more we're learning that protected bike lanes with physical separation from car traffic are the best at changing behavior and getting a lot more people to cycle. But they can be time consuming to construct. We interview Bike Program Coordinator Kyle Kozar, Mobility Manager Jason Kligier, and Principal Civil Engineer Selim Eren, from the City of Santa Monica, about their efforts creating bike infrastructure, and an innovative use of a construction machine to, effectively, 3D print protected bike lanes.ResourcesBike Action Plan Amendment3D bike lane printing in action (Twitter video)Protected intersection in Santa Monica (photo)City of Santa Monica Climate Action and Adaptation Plan

Though Hopkins is one of the smaller Minneapolis suburbs, it packs a big punch on climate action. We dig into two really innovative programs they're doing on reducing the urban heat island effect and speeding deployment of clean energy and energy efficiency solutions with a cost share program. We speak with Hopkins Mayor Patrick Hanlon and Special Projects and Initiatives Manager, PeggySue Imihy Bean, to understand how this small community is taking on big challenges.ResourcesHopkins Heat VulnerabilityStory map - DEFINITELY look at this!Webpage and background information on studyStar Tribune 5/11/23 article on Hopkins urban heat island programCost Share programs mentioned (Hopkins program is not live yet)Green Cost Share program (Minneapolis)Climate Champions (St Louis Park)

Transportation is now the #1 source of greenhouse gas emissions in the US. While electrification is the most obvious emissions reduction strategy, it isn't enough. We must reduce VMT, or vehicle miles travelled. We interview Anna Zetkulic, senior associate on the Carbon Free Transportation team at RMI and Miguel Moravec, an Associate with the US program, about how cities and states are tackling the issue, and the huge side benefits that come with VMT reduction.ResourcesArticle: Our Driving Habits Must Be Part of the Climate ConversationAnalysis: Minnesotans Would Save up to $91 Billion from Climate-Smart TransportationBuffalo NY: Green codeColorado's Greenhouse Gas programTHE HIDDEN CLIMATE SUCCESS IN MINNESOTA’S NEW TRANSPORTATION LAWAmerica Is All In