KMSU Every Day Is Earth Day

March 14, 2024 What is the impact of plastic on our health? Plenty - and it's NOT good news. Jane Dow and Betty Winkworth, co-chairs of Mankato Zero Waste, talk about the latest research in how plastic waste is affecting our health and climate change. They update us on the latest legislation to help with the problem and how we all can be a part of the solution.

February 22, 2024 Jeffrey Rissman is the senior director of the industry program at Energy Innovation, a nonpartisan energy and climate policy think tank. He talked with KMSU's Karen Wright about his new book," Zero-Carbon Industry:Transformative Technologies and Policies to Achieve Sustainable Prosperity", which he describes as a groundbreaking plan for transitioning the industrial sector to zero...

Feb. 15, 2024 Dr. Elizabeth Burakowski, a Research Assistant Professor at the University of New Hampshire in the Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space talks about how she uses climate models, remote sensing, surface observations and citizen science to better understand changes in climate and impacts on society. Karen Wright talked with her about how decreases in snow affect the multi...

Feb. 8, 2024 What will Minnesota's climate and weather look like in the next century? Dr. Susanna Clark of the University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Project shares projections through the year 2100 and talks about what this means for us.

Feb. 1, 2024 Soon you may buy an E-bike from your local car dealership. eBliss Global CEO/E-bike Developer Bill Klehm talks about the latest generation of electric bikes which will debut at the nation's largest National Independent Automobile Dealers Association Expo in Las Vegas this week.

January 25, 2024 KMSU's Karen Wright talks with a panel of three scientists about incorporating renewable energy into the grid. Guests:  Dr. Melissa Lott, Senior Research Scholar at the Center for Global Energy Policy, Columbia University. Dr. Sara Kurtz, University of California-Merced School of Engineering. Dr. Erin Baker University of Masachussetts-Amherst

January, 18, 2024 In Southern and Western Minnesota, the watersheds the MPCA has fully assessed in the region, only 16% of the streams meet water quality standards for aquatic life. Chuck Brandel, National Agricultural Drainage Expert with ISG Engineering talks about past, current and future projects that are making a difference and how we can all play a role in the effort.

January 11, 2024 Climate expert J. Drake Hamilton, with Fresh Energy, recently returned from COP28, the 28th annual United Nations (UN) climate meeting, where governments discuss how to limit and prepare for future climate change. She discusses what she learned and how it will impact Minnesota and the world.

Dec. 28, 2023 Climate change is impacting our trees. Dr. Dan Herms, VP of Research & Development at the Davey Tree Company talks about how this impacts forests, yards, cities, etc. How can we adapt? What are the new superhero trees in our area?

December 21, 2023 Climate change is impacting how communities have to plan and retro-fit infrastructure. Lauren McPhillips, Assistant Professor at the Institute of Energy and the Environment at Penn State discusses Green Stormwater Management and her research.

Dec. 14, 2022 Winter is upon us and so is the cold weather. Managing heating bills can be a challenge for many. Minnesota Valley Action Council provides energy assistance and information about making your home more energy efficient. We talked with MVAC's Sheila Ous and Brianna Parr-Baker about the programs.

Dec. 2, 2024 Frontier Energy works with customers and utilities to incorporate energy efficiency into various types of facilities -- from residential to commercial to building systems. Tanuj Gulati is director of Frontier Energy and talks about how he assists with making cost-effective, energy efficient choices that fit customer's needs.

Nov. 16, 2023 Dr. Joshua Rhodes, a top energy researcher at University of Texas - Austin, talks about what's wrong with America's Power Grid and what can be done to fix it. Texas was in the dark in 2021 after a major winter storm knocked out the power grid for days and caused billions in damages. He asks: What did we learn and how can we fix it?

Nov. 2, 2023 Daniel Knowles hates cars. He authored a book called: Carmageddon: How Cars Make Life Worse and What to Do About It." He talked with KMSU's Karen Wright about taking action to make a change.

Oct. 26, 2023 The Living Earth Center in Mankato is hosting the 18th annual Earth Conference on Nov. 4, 2023 at Minnesota State University from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Keynote speaker Carolina Ortiz, executive director of Latina Communities Organizing Power and Latin Action (COPAL) talks about Environmental Justice.

Oct. 19, 2023 Betty Winkworth is Co-Chair of Mankato Area Zero Waste, a non-profit focusing on reducing waste in all forms. She is also focused on environmental justice, specifically to reduce harmful emissions from Mankato's Wilmarth Plant. She provides ideas on how we can all make a positive change to curb Climate Change and the quality of living.

Oct. 5, 2023 The Great Displacement - Climate Change and the Next American Migration by Jake Bittle. People all around us are moving as entire communities either disappear completely or are markedly changed because of natural disasters caused by climate change. Bittle discusses where people are going and what needs to happen as the geography of the US is reshaped.

Sept. 28, 2023 It used to be Solar Farms were barren with panels sitting on crushed gravel. Researchers are studying the role of biodiversity and exploring native plantings, crops and even animals to co-exist and make them multi-purpose. Lee Walston, an ecologist at Argonne National Laboratory's Environmental Science Division talks about the company's research, including a solar farm just outside...

Contamination of water and soils with heavy metals is a problem affecting the safety of the foods we eat. Dr. Adeyemi Adeleye, a professor in the department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at University of California-Irvine, who has worked as a researcher at the US Environmental Protection Agency talks about the problem, possible solutions and what we, as consumers, can do.

Sept. 14, 2023 The Fall 2023 Geography Presentations at MNSU feature many topics related to Climate Change, Sustainability, Recycling, Environmental Justice and more! Professor Don Friend describes the upcoming series of ten programs held Fridays, 3:00 - 4:15 at MNSU (Sept. 15 - Dec. 1) and are open to the public. For details, see:  https://hss.mnsu.edu/academic-programs/geography/geography-colloq...

Sept. 7, 2023 Theresa Pistochini, the co-director of engineering of the Energy Efficiency Institute and Western Cooling Efficiency Center at the University of California, Davis discusses home heat pumps—what they are, and how they work; how efficient they are at cooling and heating homes; how switching to a heat pump can reduce a home’s global warming impact; how ventilation and filtration can be...

Aug. 30, 2023 Sarah Perrault, a senior editor of the Old Farmer's Almanac talks about the 2024 weather predictions, including how climate change has impacted the ocean currents which are bringing more severe weather events. The magazine has been tracking weather trends for 230 years.

Aug. 24, 2023 Stephen Mikkelson, with the Eco Experience at the Minnesota State Fair talks about this year's exhibits by the MN Pollution Control Agency about air, land, water and climate. He discusses what's new and special presentations.

Aug. 17, 2023 The Clean Energy Resource Team is seeking applicants for its seed grants to communities for clean energy projects within Minnesota. CERT co-director Joel Hanskard talks about who is eligible and how to apply. Deadline is Oct. 10, 2023.

August 10, 2023 Clean & Green Lawn Care started operations in Mankato in late 2022. Owner/Operator John Addink saw a need for an environmentally-conscious service and now has a fleet of all-electric equipment - from mowers, blower, edgers, to weed whackers. He also will incorporate organic products in place of chemicals if that's what a customer wants.