What does Pluto loosing its status as a planet have to do with Minnesota’s environment?  Nothing.  But since various media outlets around the state are sharing their opinions on the topic, I thought I’d share why I think the world’s astronomers are sending a bad message to children. (updated 8-28-06)
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Today’s Topics:Agriculture, Eco Experience, Energy, Great Outdoors, Lake Superior, Mercury, Transportation, and Water.
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Today’s topics: Agriculture, Community Rights, Dedicated Funding, Energy, Land, Non-Native Invasive Species, North Dakota, Off-Highway Vehicles, the State Fair, Transportation, Waste, and Water.
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Metro Transit is replacing 300 buses by purchasing 150 new hybrid buses over the next five years and introducing 164 new buses with lower emissions and better engine technology. The hybrids are part of Metro Transit’s “Go Greener” initiative, which will reduce exhaust emissions by 168 tons a year and replace 1.2 million gallons a year of fossil fuel with soy-based biodiesel and hybrid technology.

300 new buses with better mileage and reduced emissions? Great. No further comment.

Today’s Topics: Energy, Forests, Genetically Modified Organisms, Global Warming, Lake Superior, Transportation, Waste, Water, and Wildlife.
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Heady title for an introductory entry, perhaps. But we thought you might want to check out a BBC piece that reports on Portland, Oregon’s efforts to overhaul public transit.

In the 1970s, the state’s Republican governor took “radical” steps to prioritize public transport over roads. Using the freeways levy, Oregon pioneered one of the “most integrated and dynamic public transport provisions anywhere in the world.”

Best part, local communities have a voice in the process. As Sayeeda Warsi, the Vice Chairman of Great Britain’s Conservative Party (and the article’s author) notes, Portland’s transit system equals “true direct democracy in action.”

Also goes to show that gubernatorial candidates can be leaders in promoting transportation choices–they just need the will to do something about it.

Check out the article, and learn the vision (and statistics) behind Portland’s success.

Hi folks – welcome to Loon Commons.

Thank you for joining in with this experiment.  As you will hopefully notice while looking around the site, we are working to make this a forum for discussion and information sharing on current and emerging environmental and conservation issues in Minnesota. 

To start this off, we will be featuring topics on:

• Energy
• Food and Sustainable Agriculture
• Land Conservation
• Transit and Transportation
• Water

We are also expecting to use this forum to provide updates on the Legislative-Citizens Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR), the Clean Water Council, and other miscellaneous items.  In addition, this will be a place to find a near-daily listing of what’s in the news around Minnesota regarding our environment.

So, sit back, grab a key board, and engage.  And thank you for helping make this adventure a success. 

Today’s Topics: Development, Energy, Mining, Open Space, Transportation, and Water.

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Today’s topics: Diversity, Energy, Environmental Review, Forests, Great Lakes, Great Outdoors, Ground Water, Recycling, and Wildlife (more…)