Mankato Area Environmentalists

"We have not inherited the earth from our parents; we have borrowed it from our children."

Wondering what to do with those burned out compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs)? Home Depot stores will take them nationwide, and Menards stores will take them in Minnesota. In both cases, there is no charge.

Many other local stores will take them for a small fee to cover the cost they're charged by the recycling companies. These include Mutch Hardware in North Mankato ad DenCo Lighting in Mankato.

Meetings of interest:

Region 9 Renewable Energy Task Force. Meets every month at the Region 9 Development Commission, Nichols Office Location, 410 E Jackson St., Suite 400, Mankato. Phone: 507-387-5643 or toll free 800-450-5643. Contact Katy Wortel (507-345-4494) for information.

Envision 2020 Energy Conservation Task Force (formerly Energy/ Peak Oil Task Force). Meets the 4th Thursday every month at 8:00 AM at Technology Plus, 1961 Premier Drive, Mankato. Contact Ted Downey (507-420-6370) or Lou Schwartzkopf (507-389-5745).

Bend of the River Million Tree Project

The Bend of the River Million Tree Project is the community-wide reforestation project for the greater Mankato-North Mankato area.

  

Mankato

City of Mankato Sustainability Plan

  

Blue Earth County

Blue Earth County Climate Change Resolution

  

Putting Green

Putting Green is an environmental adventure park featuring an 18-hole miniature golf course located in New Ulm.

Minnesota Environmental Partnership

Minnesota Environmental Partnership
St. Peter Regional Office
201 West Park Row, Suite D
St. Peter, MN 56082
(507) 934-4821

Do It Green! Minnesota

Do It Green! educates Minnesotans about green and sustainable living and promote building healthy, local communities

Networking with Other Environmental Groups

MAE receives information from and partners with many statewide and national environmental groups. (Those marked in bold focus on greater Mankato-North Mankato area environmental issues.)

Cooperative Projects with Other Environmental Groups

MAE advocates:
  1. Cleaning up polluting feedlots in the Minnesota River Basin by passing responsible state feedlot rules, responsible local ordinances, and responsible state laws that provide assistance to "clean" producers.
  2. Preserving and protecting the Minnesota River by promoting full funding for and full implementation of the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), which will permanently set aside flood plain and riverbank buffer land.
  3. Enhancing water quality by advocating for sustainable agricultural and urban storm water management.
  4. Promoting whenever possible an overall ethic of environmental stewardship in urban and rural areas.
  5. Raising awareness of food security and food safety issues, and promoting environmentally sound shopping to support environment-friendly farming practices and good stewardship of the land.
  6. Promoting a clean and sustainable energy policy at the state and national level, including more regional power production and further research into biomass projects that can provide new markets for Minnesota farmers.

Local Environmental Concerns

MAE strives to keep an eye on as many local environmental issues as possible, including:
  • The proposed DM&E Railroad expansion project
  • County planning and zoning issues in support of sustainable development
  • County river basin planning
  • The fate of the Rapidan Dam on the Blue Earth River
  • County and city government energy efficiency and environmental planning

Proposed DM&E Expansion

While MAE supports the DM&E Railroad's crucial services in serving the rural upper Midwest, particularly in bringing grain to market, it opposes the railroad's proposed plan to ship coal from Wyoming to coal-fired power plants in the eastern half of the United States. The reasons for opposing this plan are numerous, but they boil down into two broad categories:
  1. The U.S. should not be investing new capital in highly polluting, inefficient 19th century energy technology in a 21st century world.
  2. The effect of 20+ coal trains a day running through many of our Wyoming, South Dakota, and Minnesota communities would harm the quality of life of the citizens of those communities, particularly those close to the tracks and who are most economically disadvantaged.

Environmental Resources from the State of Minnesota

Reduce Waste

MPCA The Minnesota River Basin

MOEAMinnesota Office of Environmental Assistance

mnseek.net

Next Step

Minnesota Office of Energy Security

Recommended books
James Gustave Speth has been warning us for decades about the consequences of homo sapiens overusing a planet that has fixed limits. Humankind simply cannot continue on the same trajectory as it has been over the last 200 years. Plan B 3.0 is the most important book you'll read in 2008. These are the issues that the presidential candidates should be discussing but sadly are not. Fred Krupp and Miriam Horn detail the many positive technological innovations being pursued today to deal with the climate and energy crisis.

U.S. Mayors Climate Protection

Minnesota cities that have signed onto the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement

  • Apple Valley
  • Aurora
  • Austin
  • Bemidji
  • Buhl
  • Burnsville
  • Chisholm
  • Duluth
  • Eagan
  • Eden Prairie
  • Edina
  • Golden Valley
  • Hibbing
  • Hutchinson
  • International Falls
  • Lake City
  • Mahtomedi
  • Mankato
  • Milan
  • Minneapolis
  • Mount Iron
  • Nevis
  • Oak Park Heights
  • Park Rapids
  • Red Wing
  • Rochester
  • Rosemount
  • Roseville
  • Sauk Rapids
  • St. Cloud
  • St. Paul
  • Sunfish Lake
  • Tower
  • Turtle River
  • Virginia
  • White Bear Lake
  • Winona
  • Woodbury

College & University Presidents Climate Commitment

Minnesota colleges and universities that have signed onto the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment:

  • Augsburg College
  • Carleton College
  • Century College
  • College of Saint Benedict
  • Dakota County Technical College
  • Gustavus Adophus College
  • Macalester College
  • Metropolitan State University
  • Minneapolis Community & Technical College
  • Minnesota State Community & Technical College
  • Rochester Community and Technical College
  • Saint John's University
  • University of Minnesota
  • University of Minnesota, Morris
  • Vermilion Community College
  • Winona State University
Our Precious Planet The mission of MAE is to be an ongoing voice for environmental quality, a resource to other environmental and community groups, and a source of action to shape environmental policies and practices in the Minnesota River Valley - Bend of the River area of south-central Minnesota.

About MAE

MAE is a grassroots 501(c)6 organization funded by grants and donations from friends and members

1411 Pohl Road, Mankato, MN 56001-5751 • Phone: (507) 345-4494 email: enviros@hickorytech.net • email: gschmitz@ssndmankato.org