At it’s final meeting before the end of the year, the LCCMR got busy trimming the fat. (more…)

This is just interesting. New German Town Models Car-Free Living

“The Vauban development – 2,000 new homes on a former military base 10 minutes by bike from the heart of Freiburg – has put into practice many ideas that were once dismissed as eco-fantasy but which are now moving to the center of public policy.

With gas prices well above $6 per gallon across much of Europe, Vauban is striking a chord in Western Europe as communities encourage people to be less car-dependent. Just this week, Paris unveiled a new electric tram in a bid to reduce urban pollution and traffic congestion.

Across Europe, similar projects are popping up. Copenhagen, for instance, maintains a fleet of bikes for public use that is financed through advertising on bicycle frames.

But what makes Vauban unique, say experts, is that “it’s as much a grass-roots initiative as it is pursued by the city council,” says Mr. Scheurer. “It brings together the community, the government, and the private sector at every state of the game.”

Today’s topics: Department of Natural Resources, Energy, Funding, Great Lakes, Great Outdoors, Mining, Off-Highway Vehicles, Solid Waste, Transportation, and Water.
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Today’s topics: Development, Energy, Executive Branch Changes, Food Scraps, Great Lakes, Lead, Mining, Trails, Transportation, and Water.
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It’s year-end crunch time and the race is on to wrap things up at the LCCMR. (more…)

I took a long weekend up to the South Shore of Lake Superior to visit a friend and it seems we got some new commissioners while I was out.
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On Dec. 12, more than 100 Twin Citians gathered in the basement of the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in South Minneapolis to discuss federal farm policy reform at a meeting organized by the Land Stewardship Project and Oxfam America. Who cares about farm policy—in Minneapolis of all places? These people, who came from a variety of backgrounds (few of them having much to do with production agriculture), care, and here’s why you should too. (more…)

Today’s topics: Development, Electronics Waste, Energy, Gift Ideas, Natural Areas, Off-Highway Vehicles, Solid Waste, and Transportation.
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Here’s a little Christmas cartoon for your enjoyment, courtesy of MEP member group Clean Up the River Environment.

(click for the full image)

Today’s topics (actually catching up for the week): Department of Natural Resources, Development, Electronics Waste, Energy, Food, Funding, Great Lakes, Mining, Natural Areas, Off-Highway Vehicles, Recycling, Transportation, and Water.
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