| Do It Green! Minnesota

Seeking the simple life, time to begin.

So, I’m giving another shot to this whole blog process for a number of reasons. First off, I want to be a better writer. You write in college and in school, and your writing gets judged, edited, you move forward. I’ve always been in advanced writing classes, but I feel like my creative writing has never been pushed and satisfied. My Dad wouldn’t say this, but somehow being categorized as smart and funny as a kid (my brother was the artistic and sporty one) kind of kept me focused on those two aspects of myself.

Earth Day in the River Gorge : Reboot!

We couldn't just let the late April snows take away this year's River Gorge Stewards Earth Day cleanup! We have rescheduled this community cleanup and hope you will join us at East 36th Street and West River Parkway on Tuesday, July 23 from 6 - 8 p.m.

No preregistration is required for this event, unless you plan to come with a group of 15 or more. In that case, please contact FMR Registrar Lindsay Hefferan (lhefferan@fmr.org) so she can ensure we are properly equipped.

Hope to see you there!

"State of the River" Presentation in Apple Valley

Friends of the Mississippi River partnered with the National Park Service's Mississippi National River & Recreation Area unit to develop the "State of the River Report." The report provides a clear, concise snapshot of the health of the Mississippi River. The report highlights the swimming, fishing, aquatic life and emerging contamination issues facing the river.

Being a Green Bibliophile

I love to read, and more than that, I love books, and I’ve always thought of it as a good thing. But a few years ago, when I was trying to jam more than 1400 books into my tiny one-bedroom apartment, I started thinking that maybe having so many books wasn’t necessarily a good thing, and not just because of the space constraints.

The Energy Fair

Come to the 24th annual Energy Fair!

The only fair of it's type in the country!

We offer 200 workshops on things like solar,wind, sustainable construction

make your own paint,bee keeping and so much more!

Sustainable demo's

The fair is also run on RE (renewable energy).

Great sustainable food and beer!

And when night falls bands play each night for entertainment!!!

Used Bike Extravaganza

The Hub is having its 9th annual Used Bike Extravaganza the weekend of June 15th and 16th!

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The Extravaganza is an opportunity for customers to sell their bikes and get the full amount in store credit!

Worknight in Pine Bend Bluffs

Volunteers will learn about Pine Bend Bluffs Scientific & Natural Area and assist with critical habitat restoration work in this hidden gem. The Pine Bend Scientific & Natural Area (SNA) is known for some of the best views of the Upper Mississippi River, and is an award-winning restoration project!

10th Annual Lake Superior Day

Since 2004, the Lake Superior Binational Forum has promoted an annual celebration of the world's largest freshwater lake on the third Sunday in July. This day is for anyone who lives near, visits, dreams about, makes a living with, manages, or cherishes the waters and land of the Lake Superior basin.

The Lake Superior Binational Forum encourages residents and friends of the Lake Superior basin and beyond to celebrate their connection to the lake and its human and natural environments. In 2012, more than 60 groups and communities participated in some way by offering:

2013 MAEE Conference: Exploring Our Communities

We all believe in the power of education to transform our communities. But who lives in our communities? How do we reach them? Explore these questions and more.

This Twin Cities-based conference is designed to be a la carte, so you can choose the events that fit your schedule and interests. Register here: www.minnesotaee.org/2013.

Going Paperless at the Office

Having just begun a new job in an office setting where a lot of paperwork is involved, I’ve made it one of my personal goals to reduce my office’s paper trail significantly. In the particular field that I work in, it would be nearly impossible to get rid of paper entirely; however, there can still be great gains even from just making reductions in the amount of paper that flows through the office. Here are some reasons to go paperless: