Public Education for Action: Conduct or support a broad sustainability education and action campaign, building on existing community relationships, networks & events involving:

Behavior Change: 

• The Psychology of Sustainable Behavior (Christie Manning: 2009) introduces research-based tips from psychology to help in efforts to empower sustainability in residents and the workplace. 
• The GreenStep Workshop, Creating Cultural and Behavior Shifts in Sustainability (Oct. 2020) includes presentations from Clean Energy Resource Teams, Dr. Elise L. Amel - University of St. Thomas, and examples from the Cities of Faribault and Richfield. 
• Community-Based Social Marketing: What it is and what it means to me and you (CERTs, 2011)
• See a list of behavior change campaigns in Minnesota (RCC)

Friendly Front Yards: 

• The Friendly Front Yard Toolkit helps community members and placemakers to remake the common and generally underutilized residential front yard into a community engagement space - a space that fosters serendipitous social interactions in service of community-building. Created by The Musicant Group, a Minnesota placemaking and public space management firm, the Toolkit can engage neighbors and retailers in different and easier ways than blocks clubs and neighborhood associations.
• Hopkins project adds novelty to Mainstreet Storefronts (Star Tribune, 2017)

Environmental Education: 

• Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light works in partnership with faith and spiritual communities to build transformative power and bring the lights of people’s unique gifts to addressing the climate crisis.
• The Environmental Education Toolkit for Congregations (Hennepin County: 2011) serves as a comprehensive resource for congregations who wish to actively respond to environmental issues that currently affect our families and communities.
• See MDH resources to help schools improve their environmental health and performance, covering facility operations and purchasing, waste and recycling, toxicity, and environmental education. 
• See The EE Portal @ MAEE  (Minnesota Association for Environmental Education): Minnesota's interactive directory of environmental education resources.
• GS has compiled a list of environment/energy/climate educational resources that are available in languages other than English (Spanish, Hmong, Somali, etc.).

Youth and Schools: 

• Youth Environmental Activists of MN is a network for Minnesota youth action on the systems perpetuating the climate crisis, a program of Climate Generation, founded by Will Steger. 
• Youth Eco Solutions was founded by Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center and the Southwest Initiative Foundation to empower youth to create solutions to today's ecological challenges through hands-on action projects.
• The non-profit organization Spark-Y empowers youth with hands-on education rooted in sustainability and entrepreneurship (with a focus on urban agriculture).
• Teach Outdoors! MN shares benefits and resources. 
• The national Green Ribbon Schools program highlights K-12 schools in Minnesota and across the nation that are saving energy and reducing operating costs, creating environmentally friendly learning spaces, promoting student health and providing environmental education to incorporate sustainability into their curricula. The Minnesota GreenStep Schools program, based upon Green Ribbon Schools and Minnesota GreenStep Cities & Tribal Nations programs, is open for pilot participants from public and private K-12 schools/school districts, green clubs, and resource organizations. 
• See the American college & university Presidents' Climate Leadership Commitments program and the STARS credit checklist (Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating System) of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

Community Engagement: 

• The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) used a “Citizen Jury” process in 5 counties to discuss climate and generate a place-based response. The philosophy, structure, and outcomes of the Rural Climate Dialogues are available on their website.
• Try gamification! Check out Sarah-Kristin Thiel’s article, Let’s Play Urban Planner: The Use of Game Elements in Public Participation Platforms.
• Would you like to work with your community more to design and implement quality programs? The North American Association for Environmental Education’s Community Engagement: Guidelines for Excellence focuses on community wellness and is designed to help environmental educators create inclusive environments that support effective partnerships and collaborations.
• Effective community engagement seeks to better engage the community to achieve long-term and sustainable outcomes, processes, relationships, discourse, and decision-making in a community-context sensitive environment. The Engagement Toolbox (University of Pennsylvania, 2017) is designed to provide you with a brief and practical guide to the major concepts, considerations, tools and strategies to develop an effective engagement effort.
• RacialEquityTools.org provides a page of resources for public engagement with an equity lens. 
• Let’s Talk Communities and Climate: a communication guide for city and community leaders from the National League of Cities and ecoAmerica provide research-proven practices for successful climate communication and discussion with community members.