Minnesota Energy Challenge

The EPA just released a new addition to their website: a section for green homes. You can click on a room of a house and find out the best energy savings practices for that room. I clicked on the bathroom and learned about composting toilets...

This Saturday is the annual Green Gifts Fair at the Midtown Global Market! It’s an amazing event, with over 70 vendors selling different types of gifts. ...

Everyone’s heard of the three R’s, right? Reduce, reuse, recycle. When most people think of recycling, they think of only one step in this three-arrowed process, which is where the familiar logo comes from. Th...

I’ve been watching the Northstar trains run behind our offices for the past month or so, so I’m really excited that service will begin for this new commuter line on Monday! The new light rail line will run from downtown Minneapolis through Big Lake, Elk River, Anoka, Coon Rapids and Fridley. Th...

Looking to save some money? Love great deals? Then you’ll be overjoyed to hear that, once again, Xcel Energy is subsidizing the cost of a variety of compact fluorescent light bulbs across the state. You can now get high quality energy-saving bulbs for as little as ONE DOLLAR A BULB. A buck a bulb! ...

There is a cool Department of Energy website that personalizes your car’s fuel efficiency and carbon/petroleum footprint. ...

You wouldn’t think that coal companies would be interested in energy efficiency. That would mean that they would be selling less electricity to customers, and therefore making less money, right? ...

Happy Friday, indeed. I can’t believe this is the 400th post for the Minnesota Energy Challenge blog! ...

If you are looking to install new flooring in your house, check out this guide for all the pros and cons of certain types of flooring and their environmental impacts. The guide includes the traditional options of wood and carpet to newer types of popular flooring, like concrete...

This past weekend we had an unusually wonderful Sunday because we got an extra hour of sun. But with the changing seasons, (and by that I mean winter is coming!), it means that we will have even less precious Minnesota sunshine or daylight...

Federal Trade Commission I think I speak for many of us when I say – ABOUT TIME. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is finally considering putting labels on light bulbs to help us figure out which bulbs are worth buying! “It’s a big deal,” said Mitch Katz, an agency spokesman. “It’s ...

Hopefully the weather will be a-ok for all you trick-or-treaters tomorrow night – and here are some tips to help you save money and stay efficient this Halloween! Remember to bring your reusable bag for all your loot. ...

Do you have a pile of old cellphones on your desk? Or maybe an old laptop? Well, now is the time to recycle or donate them properly. Engadget makes this easy by compiling a list of every large manufacturer and their recycling policies and donation programs...