MN Statewide Environment Commissions Conference Saturday May 20 2023 9am to Noon at the Ridgedale Library – details to be posted soon https://www.conservationminnesota.org/
Notes from Last Year’s Environment Commissions Conference
Sat April 20, 2922 at the Ridgedale Library
Energy Efficient Buildings – City Policy Options PP Katie Jones, MNCEE,
Electric Vehicles Resources for Cities Presentation (Diana McKeown, CERTS)
MN Cities Climate Caucus Presentation (Larry Kraft, SLP) – ZOOM RECORDING
Resources to help you launch or strengthen your environmental commission and/or Green Team or Citizen Sustainability Coalition.
One on one support for cities to start or strengthen environmental commissions and/or city staff green teams. Contact: Sean Gosiewski, Green Step Best Practice Advisor, BPA #24.1 612 240-0389 sean@rccmn.co
Environmental Commission Chair Networking Calls sharing goals, next steps, challenges and successes.
County Clusters – adjacent cities working together to meet city and county equity, sustainability, and resilience goals Commission and community coalition volunteers meet regularly by county to share successes & challenges and plan ways cities and their county can work together. Contact us to get involved.
- Addressing the Sustainability Gap in the Development Review Process (GSC and Michael Orange, 2021). The guide has 8 main sections: climate change future – a call to action; the third “E” in Sustainability – equity, and climate refugees; environmental advocacy and the development review process; Minnesota programs for local governments; municipal development code; 2 case studies; and resources.
GreenStep City Best Practices: Resilient Economic and Community Development
#24.1 – Benchmarks and Community Engagement
Contact: Sean Gosiewski, Green Step Best Practice Advisor, BPA #24 612 240-0389 sean@rccmn.co
BPA 24.1 Use a city commission, or committee to lead, coordinate, and report to and engage community members on implementation of sustainability best practices.
Many GreenStep cities use an existing group, such as a city environmental commission or an existing civic group, as their GreenStep implementation or “green” team. Those forming a new committee to lead, coordinate and report on the implementation of GreenStep best practices
Helpful Resources
- Tips for creating and maintaining successful green teams
- PowerPoint on commission formation,
- Organizing Guide from GreenStep.
- RCC’s New-Resources-GSC-BP-24-Benchmarks-Community-Engagement
- Forming a Team (Section 4) Sustainability Planning Toolkit (ICLEI, 2009)
- Read about how green teams work in the cities of Scandia and Crosslake.
- New : The GreenStep Green Team Work Plan covers tips for creating and maintaining successful green teams and much more: case studies, testimonials, and step-by-step guidance on how Green Teams might move forward on Benchmarking Public Buildings (BP 1.1) and Comprehensive and Related Plans (BP 6).