The Central Minnesota Chapter of The Climate Reality Project
Representing Minnesota and surrounding areas
A diverse group of passionate individuals who’ve come together to solve the greatest challenge of our time - Climate Change.
We are activists, cultural leaders, organizers, scientists, storytellers and students committed to building a sustainable future together.
Featured
From Acts to Action:
Fact Sheet to Explain the Credits
Quick reference to explain the current tax credits specified in the Inflation Reduction Act
CMC Action Tracker
Upcoming Events
Wed Jun 7
6:30-7:30pm Zoom Meeting
Leadership Zoom Meeting
Thu June 15
6:30pm-7:30pm
Chapter Zoom Meeting
Topic: TBD
Wed July 5
6:30pm-7:30pm
Leadership Zoom Meeting
Thu July 13
6:30pm-7:30pm
Chapter Zoom Meeting
Wed Aug 2
6:30pm-7:30pm
Leadership Zoom Meeting
Recent Events
Healthy, Equitable, Local Food
Posted May 7 2023
Food insecurity can affect anyone but it disproportionally affects individuals and communities that hold marginalized identities. This presentation will examine food access inequities and how Homegrown Minneapolis has been working to facilitate conversations and coordinate action around building a healthy, equitable, and local food system.
Biochar
Posted Apr 15 2023
The Minneapolis Carbon Sequestration Program uses carbon negative actions to remove and sequester carbon. This is done through biochar, a special type of charcoal made by heating waste biomass in the absence of oxygen, which turns wood waste into biochar.
The (Electric and Efficient) Heat is On
Posted Feb 28 2023
Alexis Troschinetz gives an introduction about how air source heat pumps work in Minnesota's cold climate for heating and how they are a great option when adding or replacing air conditioning.
Clothing and Climate Change
Posted Jan 12 2023
Maddy Bartsch of Three Rivers Fibershed will walk us through how the textiles we wear (yes, even your socks) intersect with a number of issues that contribute to climate change. Grab your favorite pair of socks and learn about how your socks can be a part of one solution to climate change.
Solutions
Solutions that are scalable, reliable and proven are the key to fighting climate change - we need both policy and ingenuity to solve the issues of a warming world.
The proposed solutions below lead us in the right direction, and provide hope that we can win the fight against global warming.
Decarbonizing Aviation - Synthetic Fuels
The Future of Nuclear Power in an Evolving Energy World
Members
Updated May 19 2023
Green Bank Initiative
The MNCIFA legislation has passed both the House and Senate, and is headed to the Governor's desk.
From MPR News:
The Minnesota House and Senate have officially passed $45M to establish a Climate Innovation Finance Authority that will help them compete for IRA funds, plan and fund a just transition, mandate a Justice40 standard, and create good paying union jobs!
"State lawmakers have reached an agreement on what backers say is a historic environment, energy and climate budget bill that will make transformative investments to help Minnesota combat climate change and move more aggressively toward a carbon-free economy.
The $2 billion package tackles big conservation issues like so-called “forever chemicals,” or PFAS, and chronic wasting disease, while also addressing long-standing environmental justice concerns.
And it invests hundreds of millions of dollars in dozens of initiatives to cut greenhouse gas emissions, from funding for solar panels on schools to electric vehicle rebates."
- MPR News
Climate Image Archive
Updated Feb 18 2023
We've been working on a new Climate Image Archive to use in presentations and other materials, and the archive is now live! The images are free to use and distribute with any climate presentation.
We have created two separate collections of high quality climate photos at Unsplash and Pixabay.
Photo by Raychel Tanner from Unsplash
There are concrete steps that we can take to both prepare for a warming world and fight against the sources of that increasing warmth. Check out these presentations from chapter members that highlight the specific ways you can make a difference.
25% by '25 Climate Action Plan Update (2023)
with Mary Britton
Beyond Recycling and Composting
with Kellie Kish
with Isaac Evans
with Bill Middlecamp
with Mary Britton
Sustainable Fashion
with Wendi Russo
We Need You!
We need your help to provide content and fight climate change! Submit your ideas for presentations, news, information or other relevant topics to info@climaterealitymsp.com
We also need your assistance in presenting topics to the chapter. Signup for a short talk and demonstrate your passion in fighting for the future of the planet.
Science
Planetary Dashboard
Global Temps
This number is the increase over 1900-2000 average surface temperatures.
As more of the infrared radiation (heat) is trapped by the atmosphere, surface temperatures have also increased.
+.98° C
Arctic Sea Ice
This value represents the total ice coverage minimum during the summer in the arctic. As the atmosphere warms, ice melts faster in the summer. Additionally, less ice coverage increases the dark areas of the arctic, which further increased the absorption of sunlight and leads to further warming of the arctic waters.
4.72 million sq km
2021 summer minimum sea ice levels
Mountain Glaciers
This graph charts the decline of mountain glacier mass over the past 30 years. Melting glaciers are the primary driver of sea rise, along with the expansion of warming ocean water.
Ocean Heat
Warming waters cause sea level rise, glacial melt and coral bleaching. Much of the heat trapped since the beginning of the industrial revolution has gone into the ocean.
Sea Level
This chart shows the steady increase of sea level since the 1800's. Driven by melting glaciers and the expansion of warmer water, this rise leads to coastal flooding and saltwater intrusion, which damages homes and crops, and threatens hundreds of millions around the world who live in these threatened coastal areas.
CO2
418 PPM
This is the current concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. A principal cause of global warming since the beginning of the industrial revolution, this reduces the ability of the Earth to radiate generated heat into space, trapping more of the heat and leading to increased surface and ocean temperatures.
