Episodios

  • Youngstown OH: Electric bike share
    Jun 4 2024

    YoGo BikeShare is launching a new 100% e-bike micro-mobility platform in Youngstown, a city of about 60,000 in population. We interview YoGo President Ronnel Elkins and VP of Operations Corey Patrick, and learn about their vision, the obstacles they've faced, and how the service will address the first and last mile problem of public transportation.

    Resources:

    • YoGo website
    • Bikeshare in Youngstown gets rolling - article in The Vindicator
    • ‘These are your bikes:’ City celebrates start of YoGo Bikeshare in Youngstown article in Mahoning Matters
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    48 m
  • Maine: Heat Pumps Everywhere!
    May 7 2024

    There's a heat pump revolution happening in Maine. Already over 100,000 of the 600,000 homes in Maine have heat pumps, and their plan is to be over 300,000 by 2027. One out of every 14 heat pumps in the U.S. is going to Maine, though it is only 0.42% of the US's population. We talk to Andy Meyer, Senior Program Manager at Efficiency Maine, to learn how they've done it, and how it's saving Maine residents a lot of money, even in a cold-weather climate.

    Resource

    • Efficiency Maine website
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    52 m
  • Lincoln NE: Comprehensive Climate Action in the Heartland
    Apr 4 2024

    Lincoln Nebraska may not be the first city that comes to mind when you think of climate action, but maybe it should be. We interview Kim Morrow, Chief Sustainability Officer for Lincoln, about some exciting city programs, including EV infrastructure, an innovative approach to Rental Rehabilitation using Tax Increment Financing (TIF), heat pump rebates, and biochar as well as their efforts on the EPA's Climate Pollution Reduction Grants.

    Resources

    • Resilient Lincoln web page (Resilient Lincoln is the name of the Mayor's priority initiative that involves implementing the Climate Action Plan)
    • Lincoln's Vision for a Climate-Smart Future (this is the background study behind the Climate Action Plan)
    • Climate Action Plan
    • EV Readiness Plan
    • Press release regarding the Rental Rehabilitation Program
    • Heat pump incentive program
      • Press release announcing the program
      • Heat pump incentive program web page
      • Lincoln Electric System Sustainable Energy Program
    • Lincoln Biochar Initiative
    • Local Food Plan
    Más Menos
    46 m
  • Geothermal power & groundwater
    Mar 5 2024

    There's a lot of exciting things happening in the world of geothermal power. We explore geothermal in general and examine a novel approach leveraging groundwater to substantially reduce the footprint needed. We interview Darcy Solutions CTO Dan King about how their technology is being used by some cities to provide carbon free heating and cooling.

    Resources:

    • Darcy Solutions website
    • Water Well Journal explanatory article
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    40 m
  • 2023 Year in Review
    Jan 31 2024

    Abby, Larry, and Isaiah review 2023 and talk about what's coming in 2024.

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    19 m
  • Duluth MN: Cold Climate Action
    Dec 19 2023

    On the shores of Lake Superior, Duluth has received publicity as a "climate proof city" though faces distinct challenges with its cold weather climate. With grants, they are pursuing exciting approaches to creating a geothermal district heating system from their waste water treatment plant and separately, creating resilience in their building stock with solar plus storage and microgrids. We interview Sustainability Officer Mindy Granley,  Community Resilience Project Coordinator Bret Crecelius, and Americorps service member Ella Stewart about Duluth's unique 5-year at a time approach to climate planning.

    Resources

    • Duluth Climate Action Work Plan
    • Grant for geothermal district heating
    • Renewables Advancing Community Energy Resilience (RACER) Funding Program
    • Duluth Sustainability webpage
    Más Menos
    43 m
  • LaGrange GA: Attacking energy burden with SOUL
    Dec 5 2023

    Groundswell's exciting SOUL (Save On Utilities Long term) program is rolling out right now in LaGrange, GA. SOUL is a Pay As You Save model that reduces utility bills by improving home energy efficiency, without upfront costs. It prioritizes households with lower incomes and high energy burdens. We interview Nicole Sonderegger of Groundswell and Leon Childs of Groundswell and a City Councilmember in LaGrange about how the program works and the lives it is changing.

    Resources

    • Groundswell SOUL program website
    • LaGrange SOUL program
    • City of LaGrange website
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    44 m
  • Morris MN: A Climate Smart Municipality
    Oct 25 2023

    Morris is a small community in conservative western Minnesota that is doing groundbreaking sustainability work. Inspired by students at the University of MN Morris and a partnership with Saerbeck Germany as part of a unique "Climate Smart Municipalities" program, local leaders have come up with "The Morris Model" that guides the community's efforts. We interview former City Manager Blaine Hill and Univ. of MN - Morris Vice Chancellor Bryan Hermann to learn how the Morris Model started and about ongoing solar, wind, biogas, battery storage, composting, and EV infrastructure programs.

    Resources

    • The Morris Model
    • Sustainability at University of Minnesota Morris
    • Saerbeck Germany City Climate Corner episode
    • Climate Smart Municipalities program at the University of MN's Institute on the Environment
    • Flow Battery proposal mentioned in episode
    • Volts podcast episode where Larry is interviewed about MN's new climate smart transportation law (mentioned in intro)
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    48 m