Environmental News

MPR News is your source for environment news from Minnesota and across the country.

Getting to Green: Minnesota’s energy future

Getting to Green is an MPR News series that shares stories about Minnesota’s clean energy transition, including what needs to be done to get there.

Submit a question or story for Getting to Green here.

Climate Cast

Listen to Climate Cast, the MPR News podcast all about our changing climate and its impact in Minnesota and worldwide.

Ducks offer clues to avian influenza risk
The deadly avian influenza virus is once again showing up on Minnesota poultry farms. There's concern the fall waterfowl migration might bring a resurgence of the virus that killed millions of turkeys and chickens in the spring. There's a nationwide effort to monitor the virus in wild waterfowl, including here in Minnesota.
Cooler weather kicking Minnesota fall colors into drive
Autumnal equinox on Thursday? Northern Minnesota highs falling into the 50s? Those are the ingredients for a fall color explosion.
Why Latino people are on the front lines of climate change
A wide range of Latino communities in the United States are affected by climate-driven storms, floods, droughts and heat waves, and are leading the charge to address global warming.
A warming climate brings dire predictions for Minnesota fish
A recently published study suggests a warming climate will have a drastic impact on fish populations in Minnesota lakes. The study modeled the future impact of warming lakes on fish in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Minnesota regulators OK building massive solar power station near Becker
Once completed, the Sherco Solar project near Becker, northwest of the Twin Cities, will cut carbon emissions by nearly 300,000 tons annually as it replaces a nearby coal-fired plant that's being phased out, Xcel Energy said.
This is the season for collecting wild rice across northern Minnesota. Ricers have been out in canoes harvesting the crop from lakes and rivers. To preserve that rice, and give it the trademark nutty, smoky flavor involves a process of parching, jigging, winnowing and fellowship.
How small, rural towns are making the biggest clean energy ideas happen
How are small towns building clean energy futures? L. Michelle Moore, author of “Rural Renaissance: Revitalizing America’s Hometowns through Clean Power,” shares examples of how rural towns are taking on the biggest ideas to transform our energy systems.