Investing in clean transportation
The transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gases in Minnesota. State agencies are working to reduce greenhouse gases from transportation. Minnesota launched the Midwest’s first electric school bus pilot project and is developing more than 2,500 miles of electric vehicle (EV) charging corridors throughout the state. The implementation of clean car standards will give consumers more options, support new economic growth, and help improve our climate.
Governor Walz has also recommended smart investments in Minnesota biofuels to reduce emissions and create opportunities for farmers and Greater Minnesota communities. This includes helping service stations install new equipment to use higher blends of biofuels.
Tackling greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector requires new investments in cleaner fuels, more efficient vehicles, and public transit, walking, and biking so that all Minnesotans have access to safe, clean, affordable, and convenient modes of transportation no matter where they live.
Possible goals
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Increase the number of electric cars and light trucks on Minnesota roads to 20% by 2030 | Reduce vehicle miles traveled by increasing biking, walking, transit, and use of broadband for telework or other needs (The Minnesota Department of Transportation will adopt a specific goal in early 2022.) |
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There are many different ways we can reduce greenhouse gases from transportation. We need your ideas and input on the best solutions for Minnesota.
To participate:
- Add one idea at a time, but submit as many times as you want. Enter a short description for each idea you add.
- "Like" other people's ideas by clicking on the heart icon to express your support or add a comment to share your perspective.
View All Ideas3 months ago
Build streets for a future with less driving, not more
I am a civil engineer who designs streets. On almost every project I am told this or that state law requires us to accommodate projected growth in traffic volumes. Usually this means we have to keep more traffic lanes, making streets hostile to walking and more dangerous for everyone. Accommodating more cars also leaves less space for trees or bike lanes. It makes no sense to have one set of policies (funding rules) that say roads must accommodate growth in traffic volumes while another set (climate policies) say VMT needs to decline. Which is it? VMT cannot decline if traffic volumes on all streets and highways grow. We need lawmakers to change the transportation funding rules and other state laws that require streets and highways to accommodate growth in traffic volumes. Otherwise we will continue to waste precious time and resources building excess lane mileage we cannot afford to let people use.
about 1 month ago
Tribal collaboration on climate change
Is there any collaboration with state tribal leaders in climate work and communications. Many bands have Tribal Traditional Ecological Knowledge and have also been working on climate change initiatives to collaborate with other entities.
3 months ago
EV car share
I am a member of Zipcar and occasionally use it for trips that require a car (to state parks or to pick up someone at the airport). I would love the state to incentivize car-sharing as a way to share car mobility, but without the need for ownership. Especially if all those car trips were electric. Additionally, this would get a lot more people exposed and experienced with electric cars, further promoting their adoption.
29 days ago
Make public transportation a priority
It takes me 3 times as long to use public transportation than it does to drive to work, which to me means that MSP has not prioritized public transportation. Public transportation should be low cost to the user, if not free, and heavily subsidized by the government, and easily accessible to everyone.
about 1 month ago
campfire pollution
A major concern contributing to CO2 levels is with air pollutants from our state parks. There are large amounts of toxins burned in campfires from the campgrounds. The bundles of firewood sold at state parks are wrapped in sheets of plastic, and the shipments of firewood arrive at the park on large pallets completely wrapped in plastic wrap and fine-threaded red plastic mesh. Each individual bundle of wood sold, with plastic wrap covering it, is often burned in the campfire by the campers. You can smell burning plastic throughout the campgrounds in our Minnesota State Parks. Extremely bad for our health, as well as the atmosphere – toxic unhealthy environment. Request that the firewood not be wrapped in all that plastic, which just ends up adding toxins to our air. Make the change.
