Ideas at work

Find initiatives and collaborations working on improving the environment and learn about effective strategies for action.

Initiatives and collaborations

1000 Friends of Minnesota
Promotes development that creates healthy communities while conserving natural areas, family farms, woodlands, and water.

Alliance for Metropolitan Stability
Promotes equitable economic development, affordable housing, public accountability in urban planning, and environmentally responsible growth patterns.

Conservation Minnesota
Formerly the League of Minnesota Conservation Voters. Informs voters on issues related to conservation of land and water, provides tools to work with elected officials on conservation issues.

Center for Energy and Environment
A nonprofit organization that works to promote public interest through the responsible and efficient use of natural and economic resources.

Embrace Open Space
Acollaborative among Twin Cities organizations concerned about protecting open space in our region.

Eureka Recycling
One of the largest nonprofit recycles in the U.S. and a leader in demonstrating the best waste reduction and recycling practices not only for the Twin Cities metro area, but for the nation.

Minneapolis Public Schools Goes Green
District students, teachers, parents, staff and community volunteers have made great strides in the past few years towards “greening” our schools.

Minnesota Food Association
Works to build a more sustainable food system by growing and distributing food, bringing new farmers into farming, and networking, partnering and sharing with many diverse community-based organizations.

Trust for Public Land
A national, nonprofit, land conservation organization that conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, community gardens, historic sites, rural lands, and other natural places, ensuring livable communities for generations to come.

Windustry
Promotes progressive renewable energy solutions and empowers communities to develop wind energy as an environmentally sustainable, community-owned asset.

Research-based strategies

Listed below are proven, effective strategies linked to reports that provide data and information about how the strategies were implemented.

Conservation efforts (2)
- U.S. and Canada green city index:Assessing the environmental performance of 27 major U.S. and Canadian cities
  Siemens/Economist Intellegence Unit, July 2011, 71 pp.
  The green city indices assess and compare cities in terms of their environmental performance. This report, which includes Minneapolis, presents the key findings and highlights from the index, and is intended to be a tool to help cities in the region learn from each other regarding the common environmental challenges they face.
- The Economic benefits of land conservation
  The Trust for Public Land, January 2007, 54 pp.
  Five essays present current studies, new original research and topics for further study on the economic benefits of land conservation. Select essays address: the way parks and open space generate increased property tax revenue and yield a better return on investment than development; the economic value of urban trees; and the role of parks and open space in attracting businesses and retirees.
Toxics reduction (4)
- Clean energy lead by example guide: Strategies, resources, and action steps for state programs
  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, June 2009, 192 pp.
  Guide for states implementing clean energy policies and programs in buildings, facilities, operations, and fleets under their control. The guide outlines the value of clean energy programs and activities, a set of activities that states are successfully implementing, and a process for developing, implementing, and tracking a comprehensive clean energy program at the state level.
- ERP states produce results: States' experience implementing the Environmental Results Program
  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, December 2007, 36 pp.
  Describes the Environmental Results Program and the results and benefits state projects are generating. ERP is an integrated approach to addressing environmental problems associated with various business sectors having large numbers of small facilities. Completed ERP projects have yielded improvements in sectors such as auto shops and dry cleaners.
- Nutrient concentrations in the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes nearly returned to presettlement conditions
  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, September 2005, 2 pp.
  Fact sheet describing the practices used to make measurable progress toward achieving water quality goals. State-by-state success stories are featured on the Environmental Protection Agency's Section 319 Success Stories website at http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/Success319/index.htm#pdf.
- Our health and the health of the environment: How are they connected? What can we do to improve both?
  The Collaborative on Health and the Environment, September 2004, 19 pp.
  Explains the links between chronic illness, toxic chemicals, and other environmental contaminants. Provides examples of legislative and corporate policies aimed at improving our health and the health of the environment.

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