With Christmas quickly approaching, last weekend my husband and I embarked on the annual pilgrimage to the attic to retrieve our large Tupperware containers filled with festive decorations. As relatively new homeowners, the task of holiday decoration is still fresh and exciting for us, so I opened the boxes with the energy of a four-year-old on Christmas morning, eager to start decorating (I have been informed by more veteran homeowners that this chore loses appeal with each passing year).
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By Elena Velkov, media center coordinator, Fresh Energy

Representatives and partners of ElectriCharge Mobility visited Fresh Energy yesterday to talk about some exciting developments in the field of electric vehicle transportation. Partner Paul Axt said people often view the development of the industry as a chicken-and-egg problem between the vehicles and their charging stations. What must come first to grow the other? ElectriCharge Mobility and charging-station developer Coulomb Technologies believe we first need to show people charging stations are widespread and accessible, in order for people to purchase electric vehicles. (more…)

By J. Drake Hamilton, science policy director, Fresh Energy

As Congress debates clean energy jobs and emissions reduction policy to address climate change and grow a clean energy economy, 18 leading scientific organizations have sent a letter to U.S. senators stating the consensus scientific view on climate change. Read the letter and view the signatory organizations. (more…)

By Rick Fuentes, senior media specialist, Fresh Energy

President Obama must truly tire of all the comparisons to FDR: the booming voice, the easy charisma, and an administration that must deal with an economic disaster that could choke a goat. But wait, there’s more… (more…)

By Kate Ellis, senior policy associate, Fresh Energy

According to a new report released today by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), energy efficiency provisions in the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES – H.R. 2454) with improvements could create more than 569,000 new jobs nationwide in the next 10 years and provide hundreds of dollars in annual savings for every household in America. (more…)

By Ethan Fawley, transportation connections coordinator, Fresh Energy

Complete Streets means that our roads are designed and operated to be safe and accessible for pedestrians, transit riders, bicyclists, and drivers–all users, regardless of age or ability. Why is this important? Because too often we build roads that simply aren’t safe for pedestrians, people with disabilities, bicyclists, transit riders, and older drivers. Everyone is impacted by “incomplete” streets, which lead to more injuries, fatalities, and very real barriers in our transportation system. (more…)

By Elena Velkov, media center coordinator, Fresh Energy

Messaging has always been at the core of the Media Center’s work. There is almost nothing more important than learning how to make our information resonate to a large, diverse audience. That’s why the Media Center traveled to focus groups around the region in the last year, in order to revamp its research. The strongest message that came out of the focus groups was the idea of transition and moving forward. People responded very favorably to the idea of moving into a modern energy system. However, I recently learned about another effective message that we didn’t test. (more…)

There has never been a more important and urgent time to contact members of Congress on federal climate policy. For the first time in history, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that would place limits on global warming pollution and require significant investments in clean energy technology and energy efficiency. The American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES), sponsored by Congressmen Waxman and Markey, is a strong federal climate policy to limit and lower global warming pollution that will create economic opportunities for the Midwest while protecting Minnesota’s precious natural resources from the worst impacts of global warming. (more…)

By Ethan Fawley, transportation connections coordinator, Fresh Energy

On June 11, the Minnesota Environmental Partnership hosted the first forum for the 2010 gubernatorial race, and transportation and land use were key issues in the discussion. Two gubernatorial candidates explicitly mentioned (and others echoed the sentiments) the need to finalize the Building Sensible Communities bill as an important part of simultaneously addressing global warming pollution and other quality of life issues such as air pollution, congestion, personal transportation costs, and dwindling open space.
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by Lynne Bly, Fresh Energy

We’re supposed to have our first 80-degree day today; flowers are poking up in gardens; but perhaps one of the surest signs of spring was the morning news report that yesterday’s House session lasted until after midnight.

The end of this year’s session is only a few weeks away, and the crunch is hitting.

Take a few minutes to let your legislator know (again) what issues are important.

And take the opportunity to thank them for their service. It’s a difficult year with tough choices all round.