Clean Energy Resource Teams

 
February 2-3, 2011
Saint Cloud Civic Center
10 4th Avenue South, Saint Cloud, MN 56301

Join CERTs and hundreds of other Minnesotans for our fourth biennial conference! CERTs connects you and your community members with resources to identify and implement energy efficiency & renewable energy projects. The conference website will continue to grow as the event approaches at 2011.MNCERTs.org.

CERTs 2011 will be a great place for your organization to be seen!
CERTs 2011 sponsor and exhibitor info will be available soon! We anticipate that our rates will be similar to last year, so download the 2009 Sponsor & Exhibitor Packet so that you can plan CERTs 2011 into your budget now. Sign up to stay in the loop at Updates.MNCERTs.org.

Nominate a CERTs 2011 Planning Committee Member Today!
CERTs is working to put together a Planning Committee for next year’s conference, and we need your help. Tell us about an energy geek or sparkplug in your community who would be an outstanding addition to our team! And don’t be afraid to nominate yourself! Email the person’s name, title, organization, email and phone, along with why you think they would make a great Planning Committee member to Maggie Kozak at makozak@umn.edu.

• What makes a good Planning Committee member?
  • Expertise or interest in energy efficiency, renewable energy, or community development
  • Can attend eight conference calls from May to December and work a little in between
  • Connected to the community in a significant way
  • Enthusiastic about working collaboratively as part of a group
  • Interest and experience planning events
  • Understands CERTs’ audience
  • Plans to attend CERTs 2011 on February 2-3, 2011
• What will the Planning Committee members do?
  • Help set goals and key themes for CERTs 2011
  • Identify and recruit event sponsors and exhibitors
  • Outline overall agenda sessions, keynote speakers, and more
  • Plan individual sessions in their area of expertise or interest
  • Spread the word about the conference in their circles of influence
  • Attend CERTs 2011 and enjoy the fruits of their labor!
  • Get recognized for your leadership by people across the state!

Learn more about the CERTs 2011 and past events at 2011.MNCERTs.org.

The Rochester Area 2010 Think Green Fair will take place from 10am-9pm on June 26th, 2010 at the Olmsted County Fairgrounds, Graham Park. Join us for this full full day celebration of green living and sustainability in southern Minnesota!

What is Thinking Green? Thinking green means learning to live in a way that will reduce your impact on the environment, improve your quality of life, and save you money. Thinking Green is about coming together with neighborhoods, communities, organizations, and businesses to ensure that the choices we make today will not compromise the quality of life for future generations.

The fair will include a green expo, workshops, speakers, musical entertainment, local food, artisans and children’s activities providing you the opportunity to think green in all aspects of your life.

The goal of the fair is to educate attendees in the areas of:

• Efficiency/Renewable energy
• Conservation/Protection of water and/or air
• Earth friendly home and garden products
• Waste reduction
• Durable/Reusable products
• Natural or locally produced foods (free-range, pesticide-free)
• Green certification (USDA Organic, Energy Star, Fair Trade, LEED, other)
• Health and Wellness
• Promotion of environmental values

If your environmental business or organization would like to be a vendor or sponsor, visit www.rneighbors.org/thinkgreen.

 
WASHINGTON, DC – As part of the Obama Administration’s commitment to increasing energy efficiency and reducing costs, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy announced today the creation of the State Energy Efficiency (SEE) Action Network. This network is meant to help states achieve maximum cost effective energy efficiency improvements in homes, offices, buildings and industry by 2020. Strengthening energy efficiency initiatives across the country helps to save money and protect the environment at the same time.

“In the clean energy future, energy efficiency is action number one. We can cut greenhouse gases and protect our environment while we save money for homeowners, schools and businesses,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “With strong federal support, our state partners can realize these benefits even faster than expected and move aggressively into a clean, affordable energy future.”

 
Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) is seeking up to three communities who want to learn how to capitalize on the assets of renewable energy to increase their local economies. As part of the grant, SMIF will provide up to $15,000 for community projects along with training and coaching.

SMIF’s grant uses an asset-affirming approach, called the Community Growth Initiative, which puts a strong spotlight on collaboration, local assets, and creativity that generates long-term change.

“Through our Community Growth Initiative, we encourage communities and organizations to draw on their own assets to create change rather than looking to ‘outside xperts’ for answers and assistance,” states Tim Penny, SMIF President & CEO.

Many communities in southern Minnesota are hoping to develop alternative energy sources and the jobs that go along with them. Several communities hosted wind energy forums during the past year in an effort to leverage local opportunities. This new grant partnership will capitalize on that interest and assist communities in growing economic partnerships related to renewable energy of all kinds.

Currently 25 communities within southern Minnesota are partners in this process. These communities are identifying and achieving goals,learning about and leveraging their assets, developing volunteer leaders, and increasing citizen involvement.

Interested communities should send a completed “Renewable Energy Entrepreneurism-Community Growth Initiative” application by February 19, 2010 to Elise Davis at 507-455-3215.

Application and guideline information is available at http://www.smifoundation.org.

 
The Minnesota Renewable Energy Society is turning 30 years old, and they have big plans for their celebration on Friday, February 19, 2010 at Crowne Plaza Hotel in St. Paul.

Come join them and be inspired by keynote speaker Paul Hawken, author of many best selling books including Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Movement in the World Came into Being and Why No One Saw it Coming, Ecology of Commerce, Natural Capitalism, and Growing A Business. You will not want to miss this evening of fun as MRES launches the theme Working together in this Blessed Unrest: Creating the next steps to a sustainable society.

During the evening MRES will commemorate their 30th anniversary and inaugurate their 4th decade of public service. Join CERTs in honoring their efforts as MRES takes a retrospective look at a number of milestones in their history, celebrates their accomplishments, and lays out their vision for the future. There will be fun for all at this festive event!

The aim of the 30th Anniversary Gala and Symposium is both to celebrate 30 years of accomplishments and to create progressive dialogue around the challenges we face as a society; and, from this platform, to launch the next 30 years—during which society must address these formidable problems. To achieve their aim, they will join in partnership with a diversity of organizations, including CERTs, to share the work of creating synergistic solutions to severe energy, climate, security, natural resource, economic and social problems, and to work for a better and more sustainable world.

The gala celebration will also recognize and highlight the winners of MRES’ First Annual Excellence in Renewable Energy Awards. We hope you will join MRES and CERTs for this amazing evening.

Visit MRES’ website at http://www.mnrenewables.org/gala to learn more about the event and register to attend, or read more to see the full evening’s schedule.

 
Retailers and interested members of the public should join the Minnesota Office of Energy Security for a webinar on January 15th from 11am-12pm to review the upcoming appliance rebate program that will be specific to Minnesota residents.

The webinar agenda is as follows:
    1. Program Overview
    2. Program Eligibility & Requirements
    3. Program Delivery & Online Experience
    4. Eligible Products
    5. Retailer Responsibilities

Space is limited, so click here to reserve your webinar seat now!

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements for PC-based attendees: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista

System Requirements for Macintosh®-based attendees: Mac OS® X 10.4 (Tiger®) or newer
 
 

 
As we kick off 2010, we are excited to announce the projects awarded CERTs seed grants in each of the seven Minnesota CERTs regions. These catalyzing grants of up to $11,000 will help projects garner further funding and bring communities together in identifying and implementing energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
Read on for all of the details!

Thank you to everyone who submitted an application. If you want to learn more about past projects, are interested in our proposal process, or want to prepare for future funding, visit our Request for Proposals page.

Jump to Region: Central | Metro | Northeast | Northwest | Southeast | Southwest | West Central

 
As big storms and frigid temperature descend on the Twin Cities, some lucky homeowners are getting expert help battening down the hatches and lowering their utility bills. The bonus? It’s costing them peanuts.

Image by David Joles, Star Tribune

Two Twin Cities nonprofits are making homes more energy-efficient. The cost to homeowners: $30 each. Their utility-bill savings average $127 a year. The Center for Energy and the Environment (CEE) in Minneapolis and Neighborhood Energy Connection (NEC) in St. Paul, both nonprofits dedicated to energy efficiency, began pilot programs in the fall in select neighborhoods. Metro CERT is supporting organizing efforts in St. Paul.

Read full stories at Star Tribune and Twin Cities Daily Planet.

 
NW CERT is hiring a coordinator to help staff their region of Minnesota. The Coordinator will be instrumental in working with various organizations and individuals to move community-scale projects forward within the region by connecting people with the technical resources they need to identify and implement local energy efficiency and clean energy projects.

The ideal candidate for this position will be someone with knowledge of clean energy practices, models and technologies and someone who is good at working with people. Travel is required to perform the responsibilities of this position; a personal vehicle is required, with reimbursement of travel to be made according to State policies.

Applications are due on January 20, 2009 at 4:30pm. An official release, as well as position general responsibilities, qualifications and additional information can be accessed at http://www.cleanenergyresourceteams.org/about/press/01/10/northwest-clea....

 
This map shows all of the locations officially participating in the winter 2009-2010 Recycle Your Holidays™ program where you can drop off your non-LED holiday lights to be recycled!

What is Recycle Your Holidays™? The Recycling Association of Minnesota (RAM) in partnership with WCCO TV, Xcel Energy, Snyders Drug Stores and the Clean Energy Resource Teams, announces the launch of Recycle Your Holidays™. This is a first-of-its-kind effort in the country starting mid-November and going through January 2010 all throughout the state.

Click here to learn more about the program and find recycling locations near you >>