City Climate Corner: Recent Episodes
Abby Finis, Larry Kraft
Explores how small and mid-sized cities are tackling climate change and moving toward an equitable and sustainable future.
Co-hosted by Abby Finis and Larry Kraft.
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 website
- Sabina Sethi Unni website
- Article 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."
Resources
- Future 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 › CoLAB
- Act 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 Inhaltsverzeichnis
- Official 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.html
- Example 1 of Heat Planning City of Hamburg: https://www.hamburg.de/politik-und-verwaltung/behoerden/bukea/themen/energie/kommunale-waermeplanung
- Example 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.html
- Evaluation 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.
Resources
- Empower Crookston website
- City of Crookston website
- Minnesota information on local climate action grants
- Fresh 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.
Resources
- Common Spark website
- Trainings mentioned
- Jemez 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 website
- Bikeshare 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.
Resource
- Efficiency 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.
Resources
- Resilient 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 Plan
- EV Readiness Plan
- Press release regarding the Rental Rehabilitation Program
- Heat pump incentive program
- Press release announcing the program
- Heat pump incentive program web page
- Lincoln Electric System Sustainable Energy Program
- Lincoln Biochar Initiative
- Local 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 website
- Water Well Journal explanatory article
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.
Resources
- Duluth Climate Action Work Plan
- Grant for geothermal district heating
- Renewables Advancing Community Energy Resilience (RACER) Funding Program
- Duluth 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.
Resources
- Groundswell SOUL program website
- LaGrange SOUL program
- City 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.
Resources
- The Morris Model
- Sustainability at University of Minnesota Morris
- Saerbeck Germany City Climate Corner episode
- Climate Smart Municipalities program at the University of MN's Institute on the Environment
- Flow Battery proposal mentioned in episode
- Volts 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.
Resources
- OSCAR - Boulder County Office of Sustainability
- Natural Capitalism Solutions - website
- Boulder County Carbon Removal Playbook
- Sustainable Food & Agriculture Fund - Grant Program
- Sustainable Food & Agriculture Fund - Grantees
- Article: CO expands regenerative ag program started in Boulder county
- Gabe Brown and 5 principles of soil health
- Colorado's STAR program on soil health
- 4 Corners Carbon Coalition
- Mushroom 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.
Resources
- EOPA website
- EOPA's Certificate of Public Leadership Program - Application
- Form to join EOPA as an elected official
- Mentioned during intro and debrief
- Larry's Op-Ed in the Minnesota Star Tribune
- City 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.
Resources
- Saerbeck - climate projects backgrounder (English)
- Saerbeck website (in German)
- Climate Community Saerbeck
- Enapter'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.
Resources
- Bike Action Plan Amendment
- 3D 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.
Resources
- Hopkins Heat Vulnerability
- Story map - DEFINITELY look at this!
- Webpage and background information on study
- Star Tribune 5/11/23 article on Hopkins urban heat island program
- Cost 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.
Resources
- Article: Our Driving Habits Must Be Part of the Climate Conversation
- Analysis: Minnesotans Would Save up to $91 Billion from Climate-Smart Transportation
- Buffalo NY: Green code
- Colorado's Greenhouse Gas program
- THE HIDDEN CLIMATE SUCCESS IN MINNESOTA’S NEW TRANSPORTATION LAW
- America Is All In
Minnesota recently finished a state legislative session for the ages. With historic investments and transformative policies being adopted in most every area of government, we dig into new climate policies that especially impact MN cities. Abby interviews co-host and first-term State Representative Larry Kraft about the recently completed session and gets a run down of some of the key new climate policies that were passed into law.
Resources
- Gov Walz signs bill on 100% Clean Energy by 2040
- Passed MN Climate, Energy, & Environment budget bill
- Passed MN Transportation budget bill
- Obama praises MN accomplishments
- Larry's speech on the House floor about the Energy & Environment budget bill
In 2015 St. Cloud MN set a goal to get 75% of municipal operations electricity from renewable energy by 2035. Only five years later in 2020, emanating from work at their wastewater facility, they actually hit 100%. We interview Public Services Director Tracy Hodel and Public Service Analyst Liz Kramer about how St. Cloud smashed their initial goal and how their new goal of net zero community-wide greenhouse emissions by 2038 is spurring dramatic and job-creating innovation, including with green hydrogen!
Resources
- Plant Profile: Greater Innovation, Improvement and Excellence in St. Cloud
- City Wastewater Treatment Facility - Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency project summary
- 2038 goal story
- Green Hydrogen story
We revisit Ann Arbor, Michigan and their dynamic Sustainability & Innovations Director Missy Stults, to check in on their audacious plan to reach net zero by 2030. They are pushing the envelope in so many ways, from their taxpayers approving $7M per year for climate action, to being on the verge of setting up a new Sustainable Energy Utility, to re-thinking how heating will be provided, and more.
Resources
- Ann Arbor millage tax
- Sustainable Energy Utility - video overview
- Sustainable Heating Franchise - project overview
- Ann Arbor A2Zero home page
- July 2021 City Climate Corner episode
- City Climate Corner Bloomberg Cities top 10
We're back to Boise Idaho to hear about the big role that geothermal energy plays in heating the city. We again interview Director of Public Works, Steve Burgos, and Communications Manager Natalie Monro, this time to learn the long history of geothermal heat in Boise as well as how it's working today, and what's next.
Resources
- Boise Geothermal webpage
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory geothermal resources
- What's going on with geothermal (industry update) - Volts podcast episode
In December 2020 Santa Fe County adopted a resolution to conserve 30% of its land and water by 2030. We interview County Sustainability Manager Jacqueline Beam to understand how the resolution happened, what it means, and how it's being implemented. Plus, we even learn the role beavers are playing!
Resources
- Santa Fe County Sustainability webpage
- Resolution adopting 30 X 30 goal
- Infographic status reports from 2022 and 2021
Abby and Larry review some of their highlights from the year's episodes and share some big news about the podcast.
As Boise is in the high desert, water is increasingly a precious resource. In 2021 Boise voters approved a 20-year $570M bond for water renewal, including a major focus on recycling wastewater. We interview Director of Public Works, Steve Burgos, and Communications Manager Natalie Monro, about how the bond referendum was approved, and how they have engaged the public to generate acceptance for keeping water local.
Resources
- City of Boise Climate Action Roadmap
- TV spot and article: City of Boise partners with local breweries to make beer from recycled water
- Article: Boise voters overwhelmingly pass sewer bond
- Words on Water podcast: Haley Falconer on Sustainability in Boise
- Struvite production from Water Renewal Process
Solar energy's direct benefits are well known. But Bob Blake, CEO of solar installation company Solar Bear, and Executive Director of Native Sun Community Power Development, has a much more expansive vision for the Red Lake Nation (in Minnesota) and other tribal nations. In our interview with Bob, we learn how he's using solar to reduce energy burden, do workforce development, and address poverty on tribal lands, in addition to contributing to a more resilient energy system.
Resources:
- Solar Bear website
- Native Sun Community Power Development website
- Red Lake Solar Project: Aspiring to energy sovereignty (video and article from Clean Energy Economy, MN)
- MN House of Representatives - HF 1647 bill (mentioned during interview)
Beautiful urban forest -- abundant green spaces -- easy to get around without a car -- and a commitment to climate protection. Freiburg seems to have it all. We interview Freiburg City Council Member Sophie Schwer and learn how Freiburg does it, and how over the past 40 years car use has been cut almost in half, and bike use has more than doubled. This is our last Europe episode from Abby's summer trip - we saved Abby's favorite for last!
Resources
- Freiburg Sustainability Map
- Vauban District
- Dietenbach - yet to be built eco-district
- Sustainability in Freiburg booklet (in German - but some easy to understand graphics)
- Freiburg sustainability reports (some of older ones in English)
** The Inflation Reduction Act is a monumental and transformative piece of legislation. For the first time the federal government has passed a law that "meets the moment" and puts us within striking distance of reaching critical climate goals. We interview Dr. Pete Wyckoff, Sr. Policy Advisor for Climate Energy and the Environment in the Office of Minnesota Senator Tina Smith, one of the key legislative leaders on climate policy, to learn about how this legislation happened, and what's in it for cities.
** - Our apologies as there was an audio processing error in the initial recording we released. It is corrected in this version.
Resources
- National League of Cities information on IRA
- National Association of Counties Legislative Analysis of the IRA
- BlueGreen Alliance: A User Guide to the Inflation Reduction Act
Heidelberg is nearing completion of the Bahnstadt, one of the world’s largest carbon neutral districts. Built on a former brownfield site, this development includes passive-house construction, a combined heat and power station with district heating, green infrastructure to reduce the risk of flooding, access to transit, biking and walking paths, and more. We interview Wiebke Grosskopf, from the Heidelberg Office of Environmental Protection, to learn how the Bahnstadt works and what's next in its development.
Resources
- Bahnstadt background
- Case study: How Heidelberg built one of the world’s largest carbon-neutral districts
- Heidelberg website
Will rooftop solar be the cornerstone of a modern clean energy system? We interview Anya Schoolman, executive director of Solar United Neighbors and learn how this growing organization is helping neighborhoods go solar around the country, and how this is transforming our energy system.
Resources
- Solar United Neighbors website
- Solar resource guides, educational tools, and issues
- Allegheny Solar Fest (mentioned in episode)
Rotterdam, and The Netherlands in general, have a long history of fighting water. But how are they adapting to climate change where they can have both too much and too little water? We interview Johan Verlinde, Program Manager for Rotterdam's Climate Adaptation Plan about their efforts to make Rotterdam climate proof by 2030. This is an episode coming from Abby's summer trip touring sustainability infrastructure in several European cities.
Resources
- Rotterdam Climate Adaptation Program
- Article on drought threatening Dutch homes built on wooden poles
- Benthemplein Water Square
- In action - Instagram video 1 (look how happy Abby is that it's raining)
- In action - Instagram video 2
- In action - Instagram video 3
- In action - Instagram video 4
- In action - Instagram video 5
- Sponge Garden
- Sparta Stadium and underground water storage
- ZOHO rain barrels and garden
- Miscellaneous photos from Abby's time in Rotterdam
How do you make sure your city's zoning isn't unintentionally slowing down residential solar and ideally encouraging equitable solar development? And for communities with farmland or less developed areas, how do you proactively guide larger scale solar to maximize benefits to the community? We interview Brian Ross, Vice President of Renewable Energy at the Great Plains Institute, and learn about these and many more solar related zoning and permitting issues.
Resources
- Great Plains Institute (GPI) website
- GPI Model Solar Ordinances
- Article on Minneapolis training program including solar
- Bloomberg article on Menlo Park & Bloc Power
- Local article on Ithaca's relationship with Bloc Power
Building off of Abby's recent sustainability tour of several European cities, we interview Holger Robrecht, Deputy Regional Director of Sustainable Resources, Climate and Resilience for ICLEI Europe. We learn some similarities and differences to how European cities pursue climate action and sustainability, hear about a terrific success around wood building construction, and get some powerful insight for cities everywhere.
- ICLEI Europe - website
- Overshoot day (discussed in episode)
- Växjö - Europe's First Modern Wooden City - article
- Växjö - Info from Swedish Forest Industries website
There's no such thing as a free lunch, right? Well, maybe there is in solar. Cities participating in the free Solsmart program have been shown to have almost 20% more solar installations than cities that don't. We interview Theresa Perry, Solsmart Program Director at the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) about some of the hidden and soft costs around solar deployments and how Solsmart helps cities address them and make solar easier.
Resources
- Solsmart website
- Solsmart case study and analysis
- IREC website
Driven by community members, in 2020 Flagstaff declared a climate emergency and adopted an aggressive goal of carbon neutrality by 2030. We interview Flagstaff Climate Analyst Ramon DC Alatorre and learn how that goal led the city to identify carbon removal as a necessity and about their first "concrete" steps to implement a carbon removal program.
Resources
- Flagstaff Carbon Neutrality Plan website and the plan itself
- "Carbon Dioxide Removal" - Presentation to Flagstaff City Council - Ramon Alatorre, 5/11/21
- Flagstaff Climate Program - website
- Grist article: Why Boulder County and Flagstaff are enlisting cities to suck carbon out of the atmosphere
- OpenAir Carbon Removal Collective - website
You wouldn't expect a clean energy revolution to be emanating from a small county in northeastern Iowa. Yet, Winneshiek County has something like 10X the solar per capita deployments compared to the rest of Iowa, has one of the first green banks in the Midwest, and has become a model for about ten other counties. We interview Andy Johnson, Director of the Winneshiek Energy District, and learn why they've been so successful and their vision for how to scale their success.
Resources
- Winneshiek Energy District website
- Greenpenny.com bank
- Oneota Tag Carbon Offsets
- Energy District Geography of Change - the Energy District model and opportunity
We're on a mid-summer break, and are re-releasing the Tempe AZ episode from a few months ago, in recognition of the extreme heat being seen in many parts of the US. We'll be back with new content next week.
Extreme heat is now commonplace in Tempe, with 100 days per year over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and 30 days a year over 110. And those numbers are increasing. We interview Dr. Braden Kay, Tempe's Director of Sustainability, to learn how Tempe's is adapting while trying to change its built environment to reduce the urban heat island effect.
Resources
- Climate Action Plan
- Climate Action Plan Update
- 2020 Sustainability and Resilience Annual Report
- EnVision Tempe
- Sustainable Tempe website
- NPR report on Tempe resilience hubs
Having met their initial goal of 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 (from a 2005 baseline), officials in Fort Collins, Colorado, realized they needed to do something transformational to hit their next goal of 80% reduction by 2030. We interview Energy Services Manager John Phelan and Climate Program Manager Honoré Depew from the City of Fort Collins about how they are implementing their new people centered approach to climate action.
Resources
- Fort Collins Climate Action webpage
- Community Consultant Project Descriptions
- Climate Action Dashboard
- Community Carbon Inventory
How would you run for local office on a climate platform? We interview Max Gruenig, co-founder of Climate Candidates, about their program that provides knowledge, insights, and a peer support group for climate champions running for local and state office.
Resources
- Climate Candidates website
Larry interviews Abby about her trip to Europe that is happening as the episode releases. We talk about what she hopes to learn from visits with officials in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, Bremen, Heidelberg, and Freiburg in Germany, and Barcelona in Spain.
Rotterdam
- Climate Proof Neighborhood
- Benthemplein: the largest water square in the world, and other sites around the Zoho neighborhood
- ZoHo rain garden: Functional gathering space that collects and reuses rain water
- Floating Bridge: 400m floating pedestrian bridge
- DakAkker: Rooftop farm and water management system
- Sponge Garden: Rain garden and green space designed to capture and reuse water
Bremen
- Bike City
- Bike Share: the city’s bike share program
- City Center Bike Tour: Recommended tour on city website
- Bicycle Zone - Neustadt District: 12-block zone in the city that prioritizes cycling
Heidelberg
- Carbon Neutral District
- Bahnstadt District: World’s largest passive house settlement
- Kindergarten Schwetzinger Terasse: Net-zero kindergarten
Freiburg
- City of the Future
- Vauban: example of one of the most sustainable neighborhoods in the world
- Model projects: the city has a map of various sustainability projects around the city, I will go to as many as I can
Barcelona
- David Roberts Vox article: Super Blocks
- Superblocks and other sustainable neighborhood demonstrations
Though near the Bay Area, Contra Costa County has very different political dynamics when it comes to climate change. And yet a group of organizations are collaborating to get climate action language into cities' general plans and even getting climate emergency resolutions adopted. We interview Lynda Deschambault, President and Co-founder of Contra Costa County Climate Leaders and Zoe Siegel, Sr. Director of Climate Resilience at Greenbelt Alliance, about their approach and specifically how they're using Sustainable, Mixed-use, Affordable, Resilient, and Transportation-friendly (SMART) housing to make progress.
Resources
- Contra Costa County Leaders website (LOTS of resources)
- Greenbelt Alliance website
- The Resilience Playbook - from Greenbelt
- Contra Costa County Climate Emergency Resolution and Announcement
The Quinault Nation is on the front line of impacts from climate change, having experienced a dramatic drop in their blueback salmon fishery, as well as rising sea levels forcing the relocation of one of their two main villages. We interview Fawn Sharp, the Vice-President and former President of the Quinault Nation in Taholah Washington, and the 23rd President of The National Congress of American Indians. We hear her story of how local impacts have driven her to lead state, national, and international action on climate change.
Resources
- Quinault Nation website
- Taholah Village Relocation Master Plan
- National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) website
- NCAI Climate Action Task Force
- Washington Climate Commitment Act
What are microgrids and how can they save money, reduce air pollution and provide carbon-free power and backup power? We interview Rachel DiFranco, Fremont's Sustainability Manager about the trail they blazed five years ago when they installed microgrids on three fire stations. And we're joined by Menlo Park Council Member Cecilia Taylor and Menlo Spark Executive Director Diane Bailey, to talk about how they are integrating a microgrid into the rebuild of a Menlo Park community center.
Resources
- Fremont Sustainability page
- CA.gov info on Fremont Microgrid project
- MicrogridKnowledge.com article
- Gridscape website
- Webinar done by Fremont and Gridscape
- Fremont Green Challenge
- Menlo Park main website page and climate action plan page
- Menlo Spark
- New community center breaks ground - article
- Case studies, backgrounder, and slide deck on Fremont and Menlo Park
Extreme heat is now commonplace in Tempe, with 100 days per year over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and 30 days a year over 110. And those numbers are increasing. We interview Dr. Braden Kay, Tempe's Director of Sustainability, to learn how Tempe's is adapting while trying to change its built environment to reduce the urban heat island effect.
Resources
- Climate Action Plan
- Climate Action Plan Update
- 2020 Sustainability and Resilience Annual Report
- EnVision Tempe
- Sustainable Tempe website
- NPR report on Tempe resilience hubs
Climate change discussion is often filled with science, data, and graphs. But to move people, organizations, and governments to action requires emotional connections and empathy. It requires storytelling. We interview Jothsna Harris, founder of Change Narrative, who is dedicated to building capacity in the climate justice movement through the power of stories.
Resources
- Change Narrative website
- Change Narrative on Instagram
In March, 2020, inspired by a small city in California, Honolulu sued 8 oil companies for their role in causing local climate change damages. A few months later Maui County did the same. We interview some of the key people involved to learn how it happened, why they did it, and what they expect to gain from it. Our guests are the former Mayor of Honolulu, Kirk Caldwell, Maui County Council Member Kelly Takaya King, and Alyssa Johl, Legal Director for the Center for Climate Integrity.
Resources
- KEY UPDATE: Honolulu Scores A Win Against Big Oil In Climate Change Lawsuit and Energy Cos. Can't Dodge Climate Claims In Hawaii State Court - are two articles, from 2/27/22 and 2/23/22, that report on a key ruling that is discussed in the episode, but hadn't yet happened.
- Center for Climate Integrity website
- Climate Liability Litigation - website and resources
- Honolulu sues petroleum companies article
- Maui county sues - article
- Maui Has Begun the Process of Managed Retreat. It Wants Big Oil to Pay the Cost of Sea Level Rise
- Federal ruling favors Maui county
Keene NH, population 23K, has been leading on climate action for over two decades. While their first formal action was in 2000, they've since done a Climate Action Plan, Climate Adaptation Plan, and now a Sustainable Energy Plan. We interview Mayor George Hansel and Planner Mari Brunner, to learn about the powerful alliance of citizens, elected officials, and staff that has pushed Keene forward.
Resources
- Jan 2021 Sustainable Energy Plan
- Webpage
- Plan document
- Jan 2019 Resolution - led to the Sustainable Energy Plan
- Keene Energy Week
- Energy & Climate Committee
- Keene Sustainability webpage
- Keene Local Stories (including podcast like recordings - halfway down page)
- 21 in 21 Program
- Article in local paper about 21 in 21
- 2007 Climate Adaptation plan
- 2004 Climate Action Plan
Columbia Missouri is a "One Stop Shop" city, with their own utilities in electricity, water, solid waste, stormwater, and sewer. We interview Office of Sustainability Manager Eric Hempel and explore how their electric utility is an integral part of Columbia's climate goals. We also learn about a Habitat for Humanity net zero home project that has had a wide-ranging impact. Plus, hear from Larry about 15+ MN cities declaring a climate emergency at the same time.
Resources
- Columbia Office of Sustainability
- Columbia - Getting Started with Solar
- Columbia Solar Programs
- Habitat for Humanity Net Zero home news article and info from Habitat
- 10MW solar facility article
MN Climate Emergency campaign resources
- One page overview
- Climate emergency resolution template
- Radio interview and two articles (one, two)
ICLEI, Local Governments for Sustainability, has been helping local governments with climate action for three decades. Learn how they're evolving with some exciting new tools, cohorts, and programs. And hear how the Race to Zero is showing cities that it's possible to cut carbon emissions 60% in 8 years. We interview Executive Director Angie Fyfe, Sr. Program Officer Kale Roberts, and Zero Carbon Cities Advisor Josh Radoff.
Resources
- ICLEI USA website
- Race to Zero webpage
- Race to Zero white paper
- LEARN Forest and Trees Emissions Mapping Tool
- ICLEI Atlas of Sustainability Action Planning
We review our first year of podcasts, including what we've learned, emerging themes, and our biggest takeaways.
See out our episode map for a geographic view of our episodes.
Support City Climate Corner on Patreon and check out our store.
On July 20, 2021, Santa Barbara City Council voted unanimously to ban natural gas from all new construction in the city. A powerful partnership, encompassing grass roots activism, staff analysis, and city council support, led the way. We interview Council Member Kristen Sneddon, Acting Sustainability & Resilience Director Alelia Parenteau, and Sierra Club Santa Barbara Chair Katie Davis and learn how they did it.
Resources
- City of Santa Barbara information on natural gas ban (FAQ, electrification resources, webinar recording, more)
- Santa Barbara Natural Gas Ban Ordinance
- Sustainability Department webpage
- Article from the Santa Barbara Independent newspaper
- Matter of Degrees podcast episode with more information on natural gas bans
The National League of Cities (NLC) is the oldest and largest organization in the country representing local governments and has been ramping up their climate change and sustainability support. We interview Cooper Martin, Director of Sustainability & City Solutions, about tools they have and especially about lessons learned from grants and support given to 33 smaller cities over five years in their Leadership in Community Resilience program.
Resources
- NLC Sustainability and Resilience webpage
- NLC City Solutions webpage
- Leadership in Community Resilience program and cohort info
- NLC SolSmart resources
- NLC and Reloop - Beyond Recycling: Policy to Achieve Circular Waste Management
- Smart Surfaces Coalition
- America's All In
- Race to Zero
- COP26 explanatory twitter thread (mentioned in episode)
Etna, a small suburb of Pittsburgh, became the country's first certified EcoDistrict in 2019. From a place that saw 25% of its homes flood in 2004, learn how collaboration within and between communities made it possible for Etna to green its infrastructure and undergo a grassroots revival. We interview Borough Manager Mary Ellen Ramage and Megan Tuñón, Executive Director of the Etna Community Organization.
Photos
- Etna Riverfront - before and after
- Etna EcoPark - creation
Resources
- Borough of Etna website
- Etna Green Infrastructure projects
- Etna EcoDistrict Plan
- Etna Community Organization
- Triboro EcoDistrict website
- River Bend Comprehensive Plan (for Etna, Sharpsburg, and Millvale)
- EcoDistricts - website for background information
- evolveEA environmental consulting firm in Pittsburgh
- Etna EcoDistrict info
- Triboro EcoDistrict info
Eugene Oregon has some hugely impressive trees and canopy management tools. We interview City of Eugene Urban Foresters Scott Altenhoff and Heidi Lakics, and learn how trees are intimately woven into Eugene's climate action plan and how Giant Sequoias are a key part of their urban forest.
Resources:
- Interactive map of Eugene street & park trees
- TreePlotter Canopy Tool (new) produced by Plan-it Geo
- American Forests Tree Equity Score tool
- Eugene Climate Action Plan 2.0
- Mapping Eugene's urban heat island
- Approved street tree list and planting guide
- 2021 Giant Sequoias in 2021 - video
- Eugene tree stories
- The Biocycle Farm and biochar production at the farm
Duck Hill, a town of about 1000 people in north central Mississippi, experienced constant flooding until a team of young "Creek Rangers" took it upon themselves to address it. We interview high school senior and Creek Ranger Mersie Watkins, and Romona Taylor Williams, Executive Director of Montgomery Citizens United for Prosperity, about the program and how it has impacted the lives of the young people involved and the residents of Duck Hill.
Resources
- EcoAdapt
- ASEEDS initiative
- Local Foods, Local Places Report: Duck Hill MS (Creek Rangers on pg 3)
- Greening Youth Foundation
- National Adaptation Forum
- Hechinger Report: How some Mississippi teens are saving their town from climate change
Ithaca, NY, adopted a Green New Deal in June 2019. Their goal is achieving carbon neutrality community-wide by 2030, while ensuring benefits are shared so as to reduce historical inequities. We interview Luis Aguirre-Torres, Ithaca's dynamic new Sustainability Director, about his big plans for achieving Ithaca's goals, and how he's already raised $150M by creating ground-breaking relationships between private capital, business, government, and philanthropies.
Resources
- Ithaca Green New Deal website
- Ithaca's Energy Efficiency Retrofitting and Thermal Load Electrification Program - RFP
- Federal Green New Deal - House of Representatives resolution
- Federal Green New Deal - background from NY Times
- Sunrise Movement national and Sunrise Ithaca
Recast photo by Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Asheville, NC adopted a food policy action plan in 2013 and updated it in 2017 to ensure residents have access to healthy, nutritious food in the context of creating a thriving and resilient city. We delve into what the plan is, how it relates to climate change, and how it has impacted the city in this interview with Asheville Sustainability Coordinator Kiera Bulan and Keith McDade, a member of Asheville's Sustainability Advisory Committee and a Professor of Sustainability at Lenoir-Rhyne University.
Resources
- Food Policy Action Plan information and resolution links
- 2013 resolution establishing plan
- 2017 resolution updating plan
- Asheville Buncombe Food Policy Council website
- Asheville Edibles map
- Climate Justice initiative and Climate Justice data map
- Bountiful Cities organization
- Asheville Sustainability Department
- Lenoir-Rhyne University Sustainability Studies program
In 2018, Savannah received a grant to create an urban tree nursery to grow their tree canopy, mitigate the increasing impacts of climate related flooding, do workforce development, and engage the community. We interview Savannah's Director of Sustainability Nick Deffley, University of Georgia Marine Extension's Coastal Resilience Specialist Jill Gambill, and program apprentice and now owner and operator of Corinthian Gardens, Robert Hartwell. We learn how the program has gone and the life changing impacts it has had.
Resources
- Urban Tree Nursery Program webpage
- Green Infrastructure to Green Jobs presentation
- Savannah's Office of Sustainability
- UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant
- Savannah Tree Foundation
- Corinthian Gardens (Robert's business)
- Loop It Up Savannah (kids that decorated the tree pots)
We interview three young people who, as University of Wyoming students, were a key part of Laramie's climate action efforts. Hear from Chelsea Taylor, Jarad O'Brien, and Zach Isler about their projects, their impact on Laramie, and the "town-gown" relationship that is developing between the University and Laramie.
To hear Laramie's powerful story of climate action in coal country, check out our 10th episode from early July.
Note - we're taking a short summer vacation break from general episodes this week, but will be back on Aug 31st with our next city episode.
Resources
- Article - Students as Change Agents for Community–University Sustainability Transition Partnerships, by Rachael Budowle
Over a decade ago Lexington adopted a stretch energy code for buildings. Then about 20% better than the existing code, this stretch code was adopted statewide and eventually in 47 other states. Now Lexington has built several all electric buildings and is looking to do more, including ban new fossil fuel infrastructure. We interview Lexington Select Board Member Mark Sandeen about his and Lexington's years of leadership and learn how a small town can have a big impact.
Resources
- Lexington’s Sustainable Action Plan
- Lexington’s Getting to Net Zero roadmap
- Sustainable Lexington Committee
- WBUR story on Lexington's efforts to ban fossil fuel infrastructure
About a year ago Ann Arbor adopted an audacious plan of reaching carbon neutrality by 2030 with a total investment of $1 billion. This is faster than just about any other city in the country. We speak with Missy Stults, Ann Arbor's Sustainability and Innovations Manager, about the plan, how Ann Arbor is doing so far, and how they're going to achieve their goal.
Resources
- A2ZERO Carbon Neutrality home page for Ann Arbor
- A2ZERO week - 1 year anniversary celebration
- Smart Cities Dive article on Ann Arbor's adoption of A2ZERO
39% of the nation's coal comes from Wyoming. Yet there are some strong local movements for renewable energy and climate action. Learn how a unique and powerful coalition of climate activists, university students, and city officials inspired Laramie's recent commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. We interview Monika Leininger of the Powder River Basin Resource Council, Professor Rachael Budowle of the University of Wyoming, and Laramie City Council member Brian Harrington.
Resources
- Laramie Resolution committing to carbon neutrality by 2050
- Article about Laramie's resolution
- Alliance for Renewable Energy - Laramie organization
- Powder River Basin Resource Council
- Excellent High Country News article summarizing local climate efforts in Wyoming
- Article - Students as Change Agents for Community–University Sustainability Transition Partnerships, by Rachael Budowle
In December 2019, Tacoma Washington, in coordination with the Puyallup Tribe, declared a climate emergency. We examine why they did it and how it has been a springboard for more aggressive climate goals and an increased focus on climate justice. We interview Patrick Babbitt from the City of Tacoma and Emma Keese from Citizens for a Healthy Bay which has led much of the community outreach for Tacoma.
Resources
- Tacoma Climate Emergency Resolution: Press Release and Resolution text (Resolution 40509 starting on page 28)
- Puyallup Tribe Climate Emergency Resolution: Press Release and Resolution text
- Tacoma citizen groups
- Environmental Justice Leaders Workgroup
- Climate Action Ambassadors
- Citizens for a Healthy Bay (Emma Keese's org)
- Puget Sound Climate Preparedness Collaborative
The NAACP has created comprehensive tools that cities can learn from and leverage in service of climate justice. We interview Jacqui Patterson, Senior Director of the NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice program. Having run the program since its inception in 2009, Jacqui shares examples of cities that have used some of their tools as well as an inspiring vision of a climate justice community.
Resources
- NAACP Environment & Climate Justice webpage
- Our Communities Our Power - toolkit
- Unleashing the Power of the People: Lessons on Public Engagement for Environmental and Climate Justice
- Report: Lights out in the Cold - Reforming Utility Shut-off Policies as if Human Rights Matter
- Just Energy: Reducing Pollution, Creating Jobs Toolkit
- Manual: Engaging With Public Utilities and Public Service Commissions
- 10,000 Steps to Environmental and Climate Justice Project Toolkit
Boulder Colorado is embarking on a hyper-local neighborhood-based approach to climate action. We interview Boulder Sustainability Coordinator Elizabeth Vasatka, and climate activist David Takahashi, about an exciting new program to get residents involved and create social capital in the process.
Resources
- Accelerate Neighborhood Climate Action (ANCA) website
- Boulder ANCA effort
- More ANCA info from ICA, one of three founding partner organizations
- Sample ANCA forum document
- ANCA Denver Facebook page
- The Keeling Curve - website
- Charles David Keeling -wikipedia entry
In February 2021 Fayetteville was the first city in the US to be awarded the designation of Bike City by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the world governing body of cycling. We talk with Dane Eifling, Fayetteville's Mobility Coordinator, about their approach to cycling infrastructure in this northwest Arkansas city of about 85,000 people.
Make sure to check out our bonus youth episode, where you'll learn the story of our unique podcast music.
Resources
- Bicycle Fayetteville info
- Fayetteville's Active Transportation Plan
- Bike City on UCI website page
- Fayetteville's Energy Action Plan
- Fayetteville's Response to Climate Change
We interview 17-year old Amelia Southern about her path to climate justice activism in Fayetteville, that includes a Miami influence. And we reveal the source of our podcast music!
For more information about Fayetteville, check out episode 6.
Resources
- Zero Hour Arkansas
- Zero Hour - National organization
We interview now college freshman Dylan Steury about his role, and the role of young people in general, in Goshen climate action. Hear about how he and his peers presented to City Council and got their unanimous support.
For more information and links check out episode 5.
Goshen is a northern Indiana city of 35,000 people that has had a Republican majority City Council and a Democratic mayor for decades. Yet they've made strong progress on climate action. Learn how (hint - young people played a significant role).
Check out our bonus youth episode where we talk to one of the student leaders that helped inspire the Council to action.
Resources
- Goshen Climate Action Planning webpage
- Climate Action Plan presentation to City Council - June 2020
- Mayor Stutsman's letter to City Council establishing Dept of Environmental Resilience
- Ordinance establishing the Department of Environmental Resilience
- Goshen greenhouse gas emission inventories (city operations and community)
We interview 19-year-old Samantha Smithies about her role in climate action in Albany, CA. Hear about how she participated on, and then led, the city's Climate Action Committee.
For more information, check out episode 4 on Albany and funding climate action.
Resources
- Albany Measure DD - Utility Users' Tax
- Albany Climate Action Committee
- Carbon Free Albany - website
- Albany Climate Action Coalition - citizen group
How does a small city fund climate action? Albany came up with a creative answer. We interview newly elected council member Preston Jordan and Climate Action Committee member Nick Peterson, about their recently approved utility tax ballot measure.
Check out our bonus youth episode where we interview an Albany youth leader about her role in Albany climate activism.
Resources
- Albany Measure DD - Utility Users' Tax
- Albany Climate Action Committee
- Carbon Free Albany - website
- Albany Climate Action Coalition - citizen group
High School students in St. Louis Park, MN initiated what became the most aggressive climate action plan in the state. Abby interviews co-host Larry Kraft about how youth forever changed the course of the city and how they remain involved.
Check out our bonus episode where we interview St. Louis Park youth leaders.
More Information and Links
- City of St. Louis Park website
- St. Louis Park Climate Action Plan adopted by St. Louis Park City council on 2/5/2018
- Climate Inheritance Resolution adopted by St. Louis Park City Council on 5/16/2016
- Climate Leadership Resolution adopted by St. Louis Park School Board on 5/10/2019
- High School Students present to St. Louis Park City Council on 3/21/2016, starting the process that led to St. Louis Park's Climate Action Plan.
Youth from the St Louis Park High School Environmental Club initiated St. Louis Park's Climate Action Plan over five years ago and remain involved today. We interview the leader that started the work five years ago and the current leader of the club.
For more information and links, check out Episode 3.
What does it look like to engage in a just transition? How can city climate action benefit from inclusive engagement? How do you change an entrenched fossil fuel story about the Alaskan economy? We interview Ruth Miller of Native Movement, Polly Carr of the Alaska Center, Kendra Closter of Native Peoples Action, and Shaina Kilcoyne with the City of Anchorage and learn about the impact local entities can have when they work together to address big issues.
Make sure to also check out our Anchorage youth episode where we interview 16 year old Emily Taylor about her climate story.
Resources:
- Anchorage Climate Action Plan
- Video: Restoring to Balance: Climate change and a vision for Alaska
- Native Peoples Action
- The Alaska Center
- Native Movement
We interview 16 year old Emily Taylor of Anchorage and Bristol Bay about her story and the impacts of climate change on her, her family, and Alaska.
If you haven't already, make sure to check out our Anchorage episode with four amazing women leaders.
Resources
- Emily's climate change essay
- Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA)
Intro to the podcast followed by an analysis of clean energy efforts by 30 small cities around the country. We interview Dave Ribeiro, director of local policy at the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE), and explore the application to small cities of a scorecard previously used only for large cities.
More Information and Links
- Press Release 1/12/2021: "ACEEE Analysis Finds Small Cities Can Lead on Clean Energy, Too"
- ACEEE City Clean Energy Scorecard
- Do it yourself! Local Clean Energy Self-scoring Tool
- Blog post 2/12/2021: "Small but Mighty: How Three Small Cities are Saving Energy and Embracing Renewables"