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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

Let us know what you've been up to! Record your actions to fight climate change or help the environment by clicking the button below.

Recent Events

Healthy, Equitable, Local Food

Posted May 7 2023

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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.

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Biochar

Posted Apr 15 2023

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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.

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The (Electric and Efficient) Heat is On

Posted Feb 28 2023

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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.

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Clothing and Climate Change

Posted Jan 12 2023

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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. 

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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.

Biochar

Community Solar

Decarbonizing Aviation - Synthetic Fuels

Revisiting Nuclear Power

The Future of Nuclear Power in an Evolving Energy World

Solutionary Rail

Sustainable Design

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

 

Heat Pump Basics

with Isaac Evans

Home Heating Analysis

with Bill Middlecamp

 

Home Natural Gas Reduction

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

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

 

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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.

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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.

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