Letter from the Executive Director

I was lucky enough to spend four weeks traveling across New Zealand in February and early March. While it was a personal trip, I could not help but notice the impacts of climate change and incredible solutions that are underway across the country. The huts for independent trampers I used while hiking on some of the Great Walks of New Zealand were powered by energy from the sun, and across several of the rural areas I learned about wind and hydroelectric power being employed to serve this small island nation. While visiting the infamous Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers on the west coast of the South Island, I was struck by how much the glaciers have receded in just the last ten years. When I filled my small automobile with gasoline, I did a double take at the cash register; the cost was double or triple what we pay in the U.S., and yet while I gulped each time I knew that I was actually paying the true cost of oil to fuel my trip. I was often asked what I do for work and it always resulted in intriguing conversations with local Kiwis, Canadians and Europeans I met along the way. People either wanted to know more about the issue – which allowed me to emphasize the education and outreach work we do, while others had their own personal eyewitness to climate change story to share, which further emphasized this important aspect of our own organizational story.

Like you, we were saddened and worried when the earthquake hit Christchurch, NZ in February (luckily I only felt the aftershock when I was there), and now again, we are deeply saddened by the terrible tragedy of last week's earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and our hearts go out to the many victims. For those of you interested in learning more about the nuclear reactor disaster in Japan, we recommend this resource. For more information about what it means for U.S. nuclear power, here is an opinion piece from Climate Progress, Joseph Romm.

Meanwhile, with spring around the corner, we are gearing up for a very busy spring and summer. Learn more about our upcoming events online and take a moment to read our blog – updated weekly with features from youth leaders and our staff!

Kind Regards,

Nicole Rom, Executive Director

Education

Will Steger Foundation at the Midwest EE Conference

On April 9 join Kristen Poppleton in Rochester for a full day workshop focused on climate change education and literacy. Participants will have the opportunity to be the fist to pilot pieces of our new Minnesota's Changing Climate Curriculum. More information at: http://www.minnesotaee.org/meec/workshops

Apply for the Summer Institute for Climate Change Education 2011!

August 11-12 at the School of Environmental Studies, Apple Valley, MN.

The Summer Institute will include:

• training on our new curriculum, Minnesota's Changing Climate
• a copy of the curriculum, applicable to the teacher's grade level
• sessions focused on Minnesota's natural environment
• workshops focused on skills to explore the outdoor environment
• one continuing education credit (for a fee)
• mileage reimbursement and accommodations through an additional application

Participating grades 6-8 classrooms from the metro area are eligible for $500 grants due to a unique partnership with the National Park Foundation, Mississippi National River and Recreational Area (National Park Service) and Mississippi River Fund.

Find more information and apply today on our website.

Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund Project Update

We are excited to announce a partnership with Hamline University's Center for Global Environmental Education. They will be assisting us with the creation of the online classroom portion of our project focused on Minnesota's changing climate. The online classroom will help bring our new curriculum, now out for review and piloting, to life. It will give teachers and students the opportunity to "explore" Minnesota's biomes, the impacts of climate change and upload their own observations and results of action projects.

Emerging Leaders

YEA! MN Updates:

• YEA! MN steering committee held its annual Winter Gathering at Avalon High School in St. Paul February 24, featuring Representative Kate Knuth and a presentation on climate policy and citizen lobbying from MN Environmental Partnership.


• YEA! MN joined forces with the Bike Alliance of Minnesota for a rally and lobby day at the MN State Capitol, February 28th. Eight students attended and after a surprise recognition from Minneapolis Mayor RT Rybak went to lobby their legislators, asking for support for bike-safe routes to school, the Mississippi River Trail (MRT) State Bikeway, and reauthorization of Minnesota's Statewide Health Improvement, which includes funding for community biking and walking audits and promotion.


• A delegation of 8 students from YEA! MN will travel to DC, April 15-18, for the National Power Shift youth summit, run by and for youth in support of effective youth climate leadership, featuring keynote speaker Lisa Jackson, EPA Administrator.


• Mark your calendars for upcoming YEA! MN events: Earth Day @ the Minneapolis Urban League, sponsored by the Sierra Club and NAACP

YEA! MN Spring Gathering @ the Living Green Expo, May 7th

Midwest Youth Train for a Power Shift

Youth from across the Midwest will gather in Chicago April 2-3 for an in-depth "train the trainers" conference hosted by the New Organizing Institute, in preparation for a massive grassroots organizing training at the National Power Shift youth summit in Washington DC, April 15-18, engaging 10,000 youth climate leaders from across the U.S.  The Midwest conference is one of 6 regional conferences across the country. Abby Fenton, WSF Youth Programs Director, has joined the Midwest planning team and will take a lead role in engaging and mentoring youth trainers in the lead-up to Power Shift.

Expeditions

2008 Ellesmere Island Expedition team members are gearing up for their next expedition and the Will Steger Foundation is excited to showcase their journey! Brother and sister duo from Canada, Sarah and Eric McNair-Landry will attempt to be the first to kite ski the Northwest Passage.  Heading off this month, they will travel 3,000 km by kite and cross-country skis. Their goals: to encourage youth to get active and to highlight the effects that climate change is having on the Northwest Passage. Starting in the community of Tuktoyaktuk (NWT), they will retrace a historical route first sailed in 1906 by Roald Amundsen through the vast Canadian Arctic Archipelago ending at the town of Pond Inlet (Nunavut). They will highlight issues caused by climate change, namely the opening of the Northwest Passage for commercial use. Stay tuned for blog posts, images and more from Sarah and Eric.

In The News

Minnesota Senate

Siiri Bigalke, a senior at Stillwater HS and Cole Norgaarden, a 10th grader at the Blake School in Minneapolis, testified Tuesday, Mar. 8th at the Senate Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee during the hearing of S.F. 86 (Rosen) Carbon dioxide emissions increase by utilities ban removal; greenhouse gas control plan repeal. Youth Environmental Activists Minnesota (YEA! MN) is a joint program of the Will Steger Foundation and Alliance for Sustainability. Read More...

Pioneer Press

Despite appeals from youth, health and environmental groups, House and Senate panels voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to lift restrictions on new coal-fired power in Minnesota. Several youth and young Christian organizations implored legislators to help their generation live better and healthier lives and vote against the measure. Read More...

Action!

Take action: Keep Minnesota moving forward on clean energy

Legislators in both the Minnesota House and Senate are working to repeal the part of the Next Generation Energy Act of 2007 that requires companies investing in new dirty energy from coal to compensate for the accompanied increase in carbon pollution. Rolling back this law would take us further from our pollution reduction goals, negatively affect our public health, and export money that could be used to create clean energy jobs to other states. Learn more and take action today!

Photo of the Month

YEA! MN youth from Stillwater High School lobby Minnesota Senator Ray Vandeveer (R) for bike-friendly
legislation on February 28, 2011.