Climate change: Disproportionate impact on people of color focus of community forum

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On May 15, Green For All and The Sierra Club hosted a public forum at Kwanzaa Community Church, located at 3700 Bryant Avenue North, to discuss the realities of climate change and its disproportionate effect on people of color. The event included a panel discussion moderated by United States Representative Keith Ellison (Democrat-District 5), spoken word, and a passionate performance by the Minneapolis High School for the Recording Arts’ Green Team, a youth hip-hop group dedicated to environmental justice.

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A rural response to climate change

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The U.S. Global Change Research Program released their Third National Climate Assessment on May 6; compiled by over 300 experts and peer reviewed by members of the public, climate change experts, federal agencies, and a panel of the National Academy of Sciences, the report details the impacts of climate change on the United States, including impacts on water, energy, transportation, agriculture, and human health, among other sectors. Continue Reading

TC Weekend | Art-A-Whirl, EcoArts Festival, RetroRama and more!

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Retro fashion, local art, burgers and more — this weekend’s line up offers a little something for everyone. So far the weather sounds postcard perfect. Read on for details:    RetroRama, May 16If you love 70s and 80s fashion, this fun and funky event might be just what the doctor ordered! This year’s RetroRama features retro fashion by local designers, inspired by the new “Sights, Sounds and Soul: Twin Cities through the lens of Charles Chamblis” exhibit. The event will also feature a short set by singer, Cynthia Johnson, the voice of “Funkytown.” Continue Reading

The I-35E freeway apocalypse

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Interstate 35E played a major role in destroying downtown Saint Paul. Along with Interstate 94 and Hwy 52, it forms a series of concrete trenches and highway interchanges that pin downtown against the Mississippi River and cut it off from its neighborhoods. In addition to destroying downtown, Interstate 35E creates a huge, north-south chasm that cuts Saint Paul in half, separating east from west. There are only a few places to cross this chasm– Phalen Blvd, Cayuga Street, Maryland Avenue, Arlington Avenue and, at the northern border, Larpenteur Avenue. With the exception of Cayuga Street and maybe Arlington, all of these crossings are awful, car-choked, arterial boulevards with little or no provision made for pedestrians and bicyclists. The only pleasant and marginally safe places for pedestrians and cyclists to cross I-35E are the Cayuga Street underpass, a bicycle-pedestrian bridge on the Gateway Trail and a bicycle-pedestrian underpass near York Avenue. Unfortunately, MnDOT’s “I-35E/Cayuga Project” is about to destroy all three of these crossings. Continue Reading