‘Environment’ Archives
Cumulative Impact Laws Ignored in East Phillips
The MPCA lacks a sense of urgency in addressing high levels of asthma, cardiovascular disease, and other negative impacts in East Phillips By KAREN CLARK AND H. LYNN ADELSMAN Jolene Jones directed anger and frustration towards a panel of officials from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency at a community meeting in November. Photo: DAVID PIERINI As community members continue to demand Smith Foundry be shut down due to toxic emissions and continue to show up at meetings where the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) says it’s listening and cares, the strong odor continues. On its website, the MPCA states: “The MPCA continues to focus on improving air quality in overburdened communities and to work toward environmental justice.” However, in February 2024, Círculo de Amigos staff called to report the exposure of children at the child care center to a strong odor of toxic emissions, but no one from the MPCA responded with a site visit. There is no clear [...]
Owámniyomni Okhódayapi Welcomes Barry Hand as Program Director
By OWÁMNIYOMNI OKHÓDAYAPI Owámniyomni Okhódayapi (formerly Friends of the Falls), a project rooted in the revitalization of Dakota culture and restoring connections to the River, proudly welcomes Barry Hand as its newest team member. With a rich background in teaching Dakota language and an impressive portfolio of community development initiatives, Hand brings a wealth of experience to the role of program director. We introduce Hand to the community by delving into his background, his recent contributions at Tinta Wita (Prairie Island), and his early visions for programming at Owámniyomni (St. Anthony Falls). Barry Hand’s journey is one marked by a deep commitment to language preservation and community development. Hand’s roots growing up in a Lakota language-speaking household laid the foundation for his career. He has taught Dakota language for the past 15 years and, armed with a degree in public policy with a focus on sustainability, has collaborated on program [...]
Protect Pollinators and Your Precious Time
By RUSS HENRY Russ Henry. Photo: MINNEHAHA FALLS LANDSCAPING There are better ways to spend your spring and summer than mowing the lawn. The noise, smell of exhaust fumes, heat, and humidity add up to a less than pleasant chore. How many perfect Saturday afternoons have we sacrificed to appease the fickle gods of sod? Time-wasting may not be the only concern when it comes to lawn maintenance. We also need to ask ourselves if we’re doing right by the environment in the little patch of Earth, we call our lawn. Many homeowners are choosing to reclaim their weekends and support wildlife through a transition to no-mow bee lawns. We need bees. Seventy-five percent of the world’s plants and 30% of human food crops depend on bees and other pollinators to reproduce. The way we manage lawns and landscapes can have a profound impact on bee health. Common landscaping practices such as short mowing and pesticide use leave little support for bees in our landscapes. All of our damage [...]
