- Minneapolis is in the process of equipping a public works facility with the largest urban solar array in the upper Midwest, funded with a $2 million grant.
- Minneapolis already has three solar arrays producing power - Fire Station No. 6, the Currie Equipment facility, and Royalston Maintenance facility - producing a total of 11.8 kilowatts of power and saving the city on its electricity bill.
- The city is turning its vehicle fleet green. So far the Minneapolis Green Fleet has almost 300 green vehicles.
- All city-owned buildings must be built to a "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" (LEED) silver-level quality—a national benchmark for high performance green buildings. The new Hiawatha Maintenance Facility will be LEED gold-level certified.
- Minneapolis received the U.S. EPA's Clean Air Excellence Award for a range of actions the city took to improve air quality.
Benchmarks and accolades:
- In 2007 Minneapolis became the first city in the nation to award micro-grants to support grassroots activities that motivate residents and businesses to take action to reduce global warming. This year Minneapolis is offering micro-grants (up to $1500) and innovation grants (up to $10,000) to businesses, neighborhoods and nonprofits to implement projects that fight global warming. This innovative program led to Minneapolis being named one of the top greenest cities by Popular Science magazine.
- Minneapolis formed a partnership to launch the Minnesota Energy Challenge, in which residents across the city have committed to reducing millions of pounds of global warming pollutants annually.
- Minneapolis banned the purchase and sale of mercury in thermostats and medical devices and for use in schools prior to the 2007 state ban.
- Minneapolis was recognized for its efforts to address global warming at the first-ever Mayors' Climate Protection Awards in June, 2007 during the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Minneapolis was also recognized for its partnership with Tree Trust to enhance urban forests through reforestation efforts with the CityTrees program.
- Minneapolis formed the Mayor's Initiative on Green Manufacturing with leaders from environmental, labor, business and non-profit organizations to examine how to attract more green manufacturers and jobs to Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
- The city partners with organizations, community groups and neighborhoods to support sustainable practices
- Minneapolis enacted a comprehensive sustainability initiative to reduce the city’s carbon footprint 12 percent by 2012
- “GreenPrint” was put in place by city officials as a road map for environmentally-friendly practices
- An anti-idling ordinance has been issued city-wide to decrease air pollution
- The 18,560-square-foot green roof atop the new library creates a model for other downtown buildings and developments and promotes a clean, sustainable city
- Low-growing prairie plants reduce storm runoff
- The roof conserves energy by reducing cooling and heating loads and improves downtown air quality
- The roof’s design mimics the flow of the Mississippi River
- A 5,800-square-foot green roofing project was recently completed
- The roof was the centerpiece for green roof design in Minneapolis during the 5th Annual Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities Conference which took place in Minneapolis in 2007
- The nearby Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) will provide heat for the stadium and convert garbage into electricity, pending approval
- Upon completion, the project will be reviewed by the U.S. Green Building Council with hopes of becoming a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified ballpark
- The compact, urban location has great access to public transit, including light rail, commuter rail, bus, and bike trail. Over 300 bicycle parking spaces will be available within 200 feet of a ballpark entrance
- The park encompasses 7.5 acres in the heart of Minneapolis’ Mill District.
- The park has close to 300 mature trees including maples, lindens, hackberries, oaks and catalpas
- The new four-acre park at the Walker will be an eco-friendly green space and act as a green roof for the underground parking garage
- There is no heating system in the mall; it relies on body heat, lighting and skylights for warmth
- Leftover food from restaurants is picked up daily by a local hog farmer
- The MCC has taken steps to become environmentally friendly and is looking at several more projects, the result of a grant from Hennepin County
- Food waste is sent to a hog farm for animal feed
- Recycling bins are placed throughout the center
- In 2008, an energy-efficient light system was installed in the center’s 5,000 light fixtures
- The council promotes green roofs with tours, workshops and other events for developers, architects, engineers, roofers, building owners and policy makers
- A 115,000 sq. ft. green roof was completed in 2009, a $5.3 million project
Shop Green
- Key North, offering socially and environmentally responsible clothing like natural-dye jeans, organic silk, cotton and hemp
- Birch Clothing, repurposing seat belts, billboards, car tires and other recycled materials into clothing for Eco-minded shoppers
Eat Green
- Red Stag Supperclub, the first LEED-certified restaurant in America, located in Northeast Minneapolis
- Café Brenda, serving organic and vegetarian cuisine since 1986. Its chic sister restaurant, Spoonriver, offers similar fare on the riverfront
- Chambers Kitchen, serving food made with organic ingredients since it opened in 2006
- Galactic Pizza, delivers vegan or hemp pizza in an electric mini car
- Ecopolitan Restaurant, Minnesota's first raw food restaurant
- Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant, the finest jazz club in town combined with the absolute best in local cuisine, with food from independent and sustainably operated farms
Play Green
- Brit's English Garden Pub, one of the city’s most frequented bars, equipped with a green bowling lawn on its rooftop
- Bakken Museum, the historic mansion, now a museum focusing on electricity, is located on Lake Calhoun and features a green roof
- The Historic Minneapolis Riverfront, home not only to the mighty Mississippi, but also park trails and St. Anthony Falls
Green City
- Minneapolis has parks, paths and lakes galore!
- 22 lakes within city limits
- More than 150 parks
- No resident is more than 6 blocks from a park
- Minneapolis SculptureGarden—an 11–acre park combining culture and park land
- Grand Rounds Scenic Byway—50 miles of hiking, biking, skiing and driving paths, linking the city’s lakes and parks
Did you know?
- There are 80 green rooftops in the metro area—more than half are in Minneapolis
- Minneapolis has been ranked as the second-friendliest bicycling city in the nation and has 40 miles of dedicated bicycle lanes along Minneapolis streets
- Starting in 2009, downtown property owners will contribute $6.5 million a year to make downtown cleaner, greener, safer and better
- The Minneapolis Bike Share Program will create the nation’s largest municipal bike-share system, with a full launch expected in 2010
Have you Heard?
- Minneapolis is the 8th greenest metro area in the country— Country Home magazine, 2008
- Minnesota ranked as the 3rd state in the nation for wind production, 2nd for wind power— American Wind Energy Association, 2008
- Minneapolis is the 7th-least wasteful city in the nation— Nalgene Least Wasteful Study, 2009
- Minneapolis has one of the highest number of co-ops per capita in the country
- Minneapolis MetroTransit is one of the country’s most extensive mass-transit systems
Green Markets
- The Minneapolis Farmers’Market started in 1937, providing fresh produce and products to the metro area. Every Thursday in the summer, a smaller version of the market sets up on Nicollet Mall, downtown’s main thoroughfare.
- Every Saturday, from May to October, the Mill City Farmers’ Market takes place near the Guthrie on the Mississippi riverfront, offering fresh, local produce
- Take a few minutes to figure out your own personal carbon footprint. There are a number of websites that have calculators to assist you with this process. Working together we can all make a difference!
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