Now that the hottest year on record has drawn to a close, we want to share how our Streets.mn contributors plan to lead a more climate-friendly life in 2025. We call these open-ended intentions rather than hard-and-fast resolutions, in a nod to the reality that behavior change takes practice — and sometimes, as human beings, we fall short.
But we keep trying! Our New Year’s wish is that, together, with mutual encouragement and support, we all can boost our Earth-friendly practices in 2025.
Drive Less, or Not at All
I have chosen to maintain a carless existence. Having sold my car this previous summer, I now exclusively walk, bike, bus and train! I am conveniently located in a community and commercial hub, so I can walk to purchase groceries, take public transportation to appointments and do all the required activities of daily living without four wheels. It is a relief to not be dependent on a car. I never have to worry about whether there will be parking or swipe my card at a gas pump. I am comforted and validated every time I put money onto a Go Pass.
— Ruth Sheldon, Minneapolis
I intend to expand the tent by one more person by helping and encouraging someone to walk, bike or bus in our community in a new way. If it doesn’t stick, I’ll try anew. And if it does, I’ll try anew anyway.
— Max Singer, Minneapolis
This past month, I moved to Philadelphia via train and left my car behind in my parents’ garage. I intend to sell it at some point soon, and hopefully never own a car again. It’s already proving somewhat challenging. Although Philly is dense, it is significantly less bike friendly than the Twin Cities and facing severe funding issues with its public transit system. But I am committed to living car-free!
— Fran Di Caprio, former Streets.mn board member, Philadelphia
I have all but stopped driving, for over five years. I drive — or bus, preferably — when:
- The winds are over 40 miles per hour.
- There is heavy snow or more than light rain.
- I’m traveling more than 12 miles.
- I’m with family members.
- I’m carrying cumbersome loads.
That sounds like it would rule out most bike travel, but surprisingly, no, not really.
— Ed Steinhauer, St. Paul
Be Brave: Go Big!
My theme for 2025 is “The Year of Adventure,” so I am trying to get out and do more things and visit places I haven’t been to before. My goal is to do as many of these in a car-free, low-carbon manner as possible. Keeping an eye on opportunities to take transit to parks and trails is going to be key.
So far, I am planning on going on a train trip with friends through the Midwest to Montreal, biking to meet my partner’s family in northern Michigan, paddling down a section of the Mississippi River, and going mountain biking and paddling in Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area. And I haven’t even figured out what I want to do over spring break yet!
— Ian R Buck, host of Streets.mn’s twice-monthly podcast, Minneapolis
Repair and Reuse
I’m hoping to begin chipping away at the many broken items awaiting repair that I’ve been hoarding or carefully curating in my basement. I’ve been meaning to bring things to Ramsey County or Minnesota Tool Library fix-it-events for a long time. Maybe 2025 will be the year!
— Emily Shepard, St. Paul
I want to reduce the amount of new stuff my family purchases and leverage our local Buy Nothing group, borrowing items and buying second-hand. When we do buy new, I want to support individuals and companies that are committed to environmental sustainability in their operations, especially local ones, and invest in products that will last — meaning they won’t end up in a landfill soon.
— Laura Groenjes Mitchell, Minneapolis
Advocate and Agitate
I plan to continue to pressure cities, particularly the City of Brooklyn Park, to impose a true bike/ped network, transit-oriented development, flexible zoning, safer streets and other methods to improve our cities.
— Richie Song, Brooklyn Park
I would like to spend more time talking to legislators about transportation and land use issues, including a land value tax, a single-staircase apartment allowance up to six stories and more funding for rail transportation. Increasing awareness at the Capitol of the benefits of these policies will make it more likely for them to get passed in the future, if not this year.
— Seth Bose, Minneapolis
Daily Decisions
Streets.mn contributor James Johnson, along with Mitchell and Steinhauer, submitted lists of practices they already employ to tread more lightly on our warming planet.
Among their ideas to emulate:
Drive less: Mitchell likes to “replace as many car trips as possible with walking, biking and transit,” and Johnson tries to “consolidate errands, for fewer car trips.”
Consume fewer animal products: Mitchell will “continue to eat a vegetarian diet and find more opportunities to have fully vegan meals, especially by visiting some of the awesome local vegan restaurants: Reverie, the Herbivorous Butcher, Francis Burger Joint, Herbie Butcher’s Fried Chicken, Trio Plant-Based and J. Selby’s.” She and her family also will “increase the amount of food we purchase from our local farmers’ market and coop — vs. larger stores that ship items from farther away.”
Ride the rails: Johnson and his wife, Maggie Wirth-Johnson, chose to replace some airline trips with Amtrak this past year. “We also bought carbon offsets when we did fly,” he says.
Modify your home: Steinhauer and his wife, Suzanne, own an old house in St. Paul. “We have installed a heat pump/mini split, which has eliminated our need for window air-conditioner units and allows us to keep the boiler off for a good part of the heating season,” he says. “And we have insulated the attic, for the first time in this house’s 120-year history. We stand to reap rebates totaling several thousand dollars from state funds, Xcel rebates and the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, for things like upgrading our electric service panel, heat pump, attic insulation and car-charging cables.”
For Johnson’s part, he and Maggie have “stopped watering our lawns, no matter how brown they are.” They also rake leaves (“no leaf blower or weed whacker”), wash their clothing in cold water and “stopped using the gas dryer,” hanging their wet clothing out to dry.
Consider the next generation: Steinhauer, who covered the contentious debate about the Summit Avenue Regional Trail Plan for Streets.mn, offers this touching last word: “I got choked up when my 26-year-old son lauded me for ‘fighting the good fight,’ vis-a-vis the Summit Trail plan,” he says. “We should all aspire to make our kids proud, and in being champions for combating climate catastrophe, we are putting ourselves in good stead with our descendants. And that should count for something.”
Photo at top by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash