Category: Environment

Cathy Johnson (l) and Anabel Sanford. Photo by Sarah Whiting

The Business of Building Data Centers

• February 17, 2026

Data centers being developed in Minnesota could result in hundreds of short-term jobs, but others questions what happens once the centers are built.

Two culverts, one made from all-new plastic and another made from mostly recycled plastic, were installed at the same Minnesota test site for a direct-comparison field test. Photo provided by the University of Minnesota.

Turning plastic into pipes: Could recycled plastics be used under Minnesota roads?

• December 1, 2025

UMN researchers tested recycled-plastic pipes under a Minnesota highway — finding they held up like new plastic while cutting costs and environmental impact.

A community event taking place under a park pavilion in the early evening. A person stands at a podium speaking into a microphone while an audience of about 30 people sits on picnic benches, listening attentively. A few people operate cameras and recording equipment. The background shows a green lawn, trees, and a blue sky.
Coalition co-founder Cathy Johnson offers some concluding remarks at the forum about responsible data center development in Farmington, which is the subject of a lawsuit by neighbors against city leadership. (photo by Dylan Morrissette)

DEEP DIVE: The Farmington Push for Responsible Hyper-Scale Data Centers

• November 7, 2025

Residents around Farmington, MN are raising alarm over proposed hyper-scale data centres — pointing to massive water use, limited job creation and minimal local input in decision-making.