GreenStep City Best Practices Resilient Economic & Community Development
Benchmarks and Community Engagement
no. 24
Adopt outcome measures for GreenStep and other city sustainability efforts, and engage community members in ongoing education, dialogue, and campaigns.
Two MN organizations help students engage with city government: Youth Environmental Activists Minnesota (YEA! MN) and Youth Eco Solutions (YES!). Also working in this arena of city energy/climate action is the teenage organization iMatter that formed in Minnesota and calls upon young activists to secure commitments from local governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Student involvement in Youth in City Government Day; student group engaged with city on a project; student/intern help with GreenStep action entry. Report under action 24.4 city staff efforts to support schools/youth to improve their own schools.
Student involvement in a city green committee / commission; separate youth/student committee or commission (note to what extent it focuses on sustainability issues); high school student internships offered in city government; formal city volunteer program focused on youth.
3 or more youth/students involved in an iMatter youth group working directly with your city council; 2 or more dedicated youth positions on a city environmental commission; ongoing connection between a high school environmental club and city commission that has youth positions; regular student interns to work on sustainability issues.
Date action report first entered: 04/30/2018
Date of last report update: 04/30/2018
Action completed after joining GreenStep?
Yes
Implementation details: Much of the work on the Green Step City Program has been accomplished through an Intern from Metropolitan State University, especially in the areas of B3 and solar/renewable energy options. we hope to continue to use this approach for this program
For more information contact: Mark Nagel (City staff) | mnagel@ci.enm.mn.us | 952-461-2777
Date action report first entered: 12/08/2017
Date of last report update: 12/12/2017
Action completed after joining GreenStep?
No
Implementation details: The City does not have an green committee/commission however the Planning Commission works on many related green goals through the adopted Comprehensive Plan. The City has a student liaison on the Planning Commission. Although the student cannot officially vote their input and comments bring a unique perspective and is highly valued by the Commission. The liaison essentially represents the youth in our community.
Date action report first entered: 01/30/2019
Date of last report update: 01/30/2019
Year action initially completed: 2017
Action completed after joining GreenStep?
No
Implementation details: Students from the Crosslake Community School were encouraged to write an essay entitled "If I Were Mayor for a Day". The students were invited to the monthly city council meeting where they read their essay and were presented with Friends of the City certificates. November 2017-January 2018.
For more information contact: Martha Steele (Community volunteer) | steeles@brainerd.net | 218-765-4041
pending means a star rating has not yet been assigned to this city
greenstep advisor
Philipp Muessig, GreenStep Cities Program Coordinator, MN Pollution Control Agency: 651/757-2594, philipp.muessig@state.mn.us
Sean Gosiewski, Alliance for Sustainability, for work with citizen & student groups and faith organizations: 612/331-1099, sean@AforS.org, http://www.AforS.org
no. 24 
