Community Solutions for a Resilient Future

The city of Crosslake is on a steady journey to becoming a more sustainable city. On a warm afternoon in May, people gathered in Crosslake to hear stories of the city’s work through the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s GreenStep Cities and Tribal Nations program. Patty Norgaard began Crosslake’s journey with the GreenStep program in 2018 when she was mayor, inspired by her granddaughters’ passion for the environment. The program seemed a natural fit for a community that prides itself on welcoming residents and tourists alike.

Crosslake’s GreenStep team found that working together is the most important part of the process. Each member, including current city staff and elected officials, is a part of creating that resiliency. In the beginning, they didn’t realize all the steps they had already taken until looking through the benchmarks and receiving guidance from GreenStep staff. It was nice to have some goals ready to be checked off, and then determine what next steps made the most sense for the community. The city reached Step 3 in 2024 and is excited to complete steps 4 and 5 within the next two years.

After the Crosslake team answered audience questions, Erica Bjelland with the GreenStep program discussed the overall structure and benefits of the steps. They showcased the efforts accomplished by the 150+ cities and Tribal nations that have joined the program. The event was also a celebration of reaching 150 Minnesota communities in 2025, highlighting that more than half of Minnesota’s population lives in a GreenStep community.  

Another option for communities is the Gold Leaf challenge. Once enrolled, the community receives a tree-shaped display that encases leaves representing the sustainability measures the community takes. This program is available for all types of communities, including those that may not fit perfectly into the GreenStep framework. 

After Heidi Auel and Keely Rau shared information and answered questions about CERTs’ Community Energy Ambassador program, there was time for connection and discussion. The event successfully brought together rural and urban resources, where all could learn from each other. The success of the GreenStep program is the ability to play to each community’s strengths, and Crosslake has plenty to share.