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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSustainability Commission - 12/13/2022APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION MEETING TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2022 7:00 P.M., Heritage Rooms 1&2 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS: Aaron Poock (Chair), Emily Eddy-Theis (Vice Chair), Laura Bishop, Tim Conners, Gretchen Enninga, Cindy Hoffman, Daniel Katzenberger, Carolyn Wieland STUDENT MEMBERS: Tanvi Bhujle, Mia Cain, Palak Dhiman, Maura Fitzgerald, Tyler Little, Taylor Oliver, Suchita Sah CITY STAFF: Jennifer Fierce, Sustainability Coordinator, Kristin Harley, Recording Secretary I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Commissioner Hoffman called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. Absent were Commissioners Poock, Eddy-Theis, and Katzenberger and student representatives Oliver, Sah and Dhiman. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND OTHER ITEMS OF BUSINESS MOTION: Bishop moved, seconded by Enninga to approve the agenda. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM NOVEMBER 9, 2022 MEETING This item was tabled. IV. REPORTS A. REPORTS FROM STAFF 1. STUDENT REPORT – FUEL SWITCHING IN EDEN PRAIRIE Laura Bishop introduced the University of Minnesota class Change Leadership for Environmental/Social Betterment through the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Students Courtney Schaff, Kayla Peterson and Tess Korbesmeyer Holman introduced themselves and presented their report. Sustainability Commission Minutes December 13, 2022 Page 2 With the goal of emission reduction and carbon neutrality by 2050, a major component is the transition from natural gas to electric/heat pump water heating and home electrification. Currently 68 percent of households in Eden Prairie used natural gas to heat water. With a future focus the report had three recommendations: 1. Create partnerships with organizations and businesses that residents trust 2. Engage these partners to help defining messages and address barriers 3. Pilot messages and interventions to ensure no residents are left behind The city is seeking guidance on messaging and engagement in the campaign to encourage and support fuel switching. The students found that residents have a variety of reasons for actively choosing a heat pump water heater. Some of these reasons were: • “I need to replace my water heater” • “I want to stabilize my utility bill” • “I want to improve my home health and air quality” • “I want to contribute to climate change mitigation” Challenges include how to meet these needs, how to develop messaging and education campaigns, building external capacity, and supporting implementation. The students displayed a values proposition map showing the spectrum of public participation and spoke of the importance of inform, consult, involve, collaborate, and empower to move from low to high level of public engagement. Key components were stakeholder engagement and messaging to communicate with residents, community organizations and businesses. Implementation involved the cooperation of utility providers, distributors, installers, and state, federal and city officials. Whereas resident reported trusting the government only 50 percent of the time, employers enjoyed a trust level of 70 percent. Prioritizing groups for outreach meant that early adopters needed to be informed, whereas residents with historical barriers, landlords, and renters required move involvement and, middle-high income residents responded to being consulted. The focus was on human-centered design. An effective messaging strategy would address behavior beliefs which were different for subsets of residents and behavior changes only worked if barriers were addressed. One example: my health and that of my family might improve. Sustainability Commission Minutes December 13, 2022 Page 3 A focus group or survey would identify beliefs, determine the most important values of diverse groups, and identify barriers. It was important to ask who made home improvement decisions and what steps were needed to take to get resident buy-in. Beliefs-based content coming from trusted messengers was the most effective media. Piloting and improvement depended on a holistic, human centered design approach that met people where they were and emphasized co-designing with, not for, the audience. 2023 was the year for experimentation and finding out what worked. Hoffmann thanked the students for their presentation. 4. 2023 WORK PLAN REVIEW Fierce displayed a document detailing the Work Plan overview and explained the previous presentation dovetailed with the goals of the commission. Another EV Ride and Drive was planned for 2023. Discussion followed on utilizing trusted messengers. Resident learning sessions was an idea that came out of the Sustainable Eden Prairie Awards. Supporting outreach for whole-home electrification had received earmarked funds. Discussion followed on household adoption of solar energy. The Fix-It Clinic would not return in 2023, but in 2024. Garden compost promotion and tool swap were new items, and food-based business front end composting was a new addition. Other additions were Adopt-a-Drain, pet waste mitigation, and smart salting strategies. Enninga inquired if the city ordinance already supported pollinator friendly plantings – Fierce stated it did. This list was not exclusive but set a baseline. Fierce stated on February 7, 2023, the commission would meet with the City Council to discuss the 2023 Work Plan and answer questions. She invited the commission members to contact her with comments and feedback before then. 5. BLAZING STAR AWARD Fierce displayed the plaque and explained Eden Prairie was awarded this from Conservation Minnesota for fuel efficiency and the electrification of its fleet. This was announced on social media. Dakota County and Duluth also received the award this year. Sustainability Commission Minutes December 13, 2022 Page 4 Fierce noted that Saturday’s Fix-It Clinic had approximately 60 participants and 90 items were brought in, 76 of which were fixed, and 420 pounds were diverted from the landfill. Since the Clinic skipped a year, it would be held in 2024 instead of 2023. Little, who attended, reported the room had been packed. Fierce stated Student Commissioner Oliver (not in attendance) had met with the Tree Huggers Club at the high school regarding eliminating the Styrofoam containers. Little, another Tree Huggers member, stated students were planning to meet with the lunch staff to plan a different menu to cut down on food waste. Discussion followed on practices at other schools such as Lunch out of Landfills. Little offered to follow up with Oliver. B. REPORTS FROM CHAIR C. REPORTS FROM COMMISSION 1. WATER UPDATE 2. WASTE UPDATE 3. LANDSCAPE/POLLINATOR UPDATE 4. ENERGY UPDATE D. REPORTS FROM STUDENTS V. OTHER BUSINESS Conners stated there might be a climate workshop with the Environmental Solutions class at the high school. VI. UPCOMING EVENTS VII. NEXT MEETING The next Sustainability Commission meeting will be held Tuesday, January 10, 2023, in the Heritage Rooms 1&2. VIII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Wieland moved, seconded by Bishop to adjourn the meeting. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:31 p.m.