Environmental Initiative

Happy National Automotive Service Professionals Day to the incredible garages behind Project Clean Air Repair!

Our 14 partner shops across Minnesota have completed 963 free emissions repairs since 2017, reducing air pollution by 52 tons and helping hundreds of lower-income residents keep their cars on the road. This work only happens because skilled automotive professionals choose to be part of it.

The hard work of our partner garages has us on track to reach 1,000 repairs this summer. We’ll be celebrating this achievement with a party on August 6, stay tuned for more information.

Learn more about the program and our amazing partner garages: https://buff.ly/eZ37YSn

Last week, associate partnership director Jaycie Thomsen joined Emily Johannes, Trust In Food, to talk about our implementor study at Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture's Research and Innovation Showcase!

They shared that In the agriculture industry, our best tool for practice change is a 1:1 conversation. However, at 2-10 hours of outreach per farm, it would take until 2430 to talk to each one in the U.S.

Don't have 400 years to wait? Dive deeper into the report and findings on reachfarmersfaster.org, or reach out to bring us in for a paid workshop to help you accelerate your engagement.

Happy National Mississippi River Day! Environmental Initiative is proud to work across the Mississippi River basin on the issues that matter most to its long-term health. From creative engagement around drinking water in rural Minnesota communities through the Source Water Protection Collaborative, to leadership development in regenerative agriculture through the Midwest Row Crop Collaborative, our work spans the basin. Today and every day, we're supporting choices on the land that promote healthy water as part of our vision of an inclusive, just, and thriving world.

Continue learning about these projects and more at environmental-initiative.org.

Drinking water protection is a shared responsibility, and this summer in Chatfield, it's also a shared creative project. Artist Mary Beth Magyar is working with community members to build two public mosaics rooted in the region's karst geology, with sessions open at the farmers market, local schools, senior living facilities, and community events.

Learn more about the project: https://buff.ly/eOz0VFO

Thank you to the Minnesota Department of Health for their support of the Source Water Protection Collaborative through the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment.

Minnesota officials are warning that summer 2026 could bring another active wildfire smoke season.

According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, we could see:
• 12–16 days impacted by wildfire smoke.
• 4–6 unhealthy ozone days this summer.
• Increased risk from hot, dry conditions linked to El Niño.

Health experts say wildfire smoke can affect everyone, but especially children, older adults, pregnant people, outdoor workers, and anyone with asthma or heart or lung conditions.

Smoke particles can go deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream.

A few simple ways to prepare this summer:
✔️ Check the Air Quality Index (AQI) regularly.
✔️ Limit strenuous outdoor activity on smoky days.
✔️ Keep indoor air clean with HEPA filtration.
✔️ Wear an N95 mask if air quality becomes unhealthy.

Minnesota health officials advise checking air quality the same way we check the weather.

Environmental Initiative convenes Clean Air Minnesota to tackle challenges like these. Learn more: https://buff.ly/NZVcpJQ.

Looking for good news in your inbox? Environmental Initiative's monthly newsletter covers what we're doing across clean air, clean water, sustainable agriculture, and more. Sign up today: https://buff.ly/fYJe7l4

Source Water Protection Collaborative artist in residence Mary Beth Magyar set up at the Chatfield Growers Market for the first time last week! Chatfield residents came out to create mosaic tiles for a public art installation while learning about their local watershed and how to protect their drinking water.

Mary Beth will be at the Growers Market on Thursdays and the Chatfield Center for the Arts on Wednesdays all spring and summer. The tiles made by the community will become public mosaics at the Chatfield Center for the Arts and Chatfield City Hall.

Want to support this work? Reach out to Sacha Seymour-Anderson at [email protected] or visit our website to learn more: https://buff.ly/eIUuShB

Thank you to Minnesota Department of Health for their support through the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment. 💚

Emissions data is only valuable if you can act on it. The Sustainable Growth Coalition is helping Minnesota businesses get there — read about their new project on the Environmental Initiative website: https://buff.ly/dohbstN

Too many conservation programs struggle to reach farmers not because of low interest, but because of funding bottlenecks, misaligned reporting cycles, and under-resourced teams. This research is the start of a real conversation about what it takes to fix that.

So proud of the work we put into this with Trust In Food and excited to see what it brings!

Read the op-ed: https://www.thefencepost.com/news/why-good-conservation-programs-still-struggle-to-reach-farmers/?utm_content=377321601&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin&hss_channel=lcp-47668050

Producers are ready to learn more about implementing conservation agriculture practices. The opportunity is making sure our programs are ready to reach them.

New research from Trust In Food and Environmental Initiative shows that farmer interest in conservation agriculture is strong and growing. And the good news for funders and implementors is that the path to faster, more effective enrollment is clearer than ever: better alignment on resources, reporting cycles, and the relationship-building that truly moves producers to act.

The next step starts with open, honest conversations about what it really takes to connect producers with the programs they need.

Read the full op-ed: https://hubs.ly/Q04fPHZw0

Cleaner air, stronger communities.

What impact did Environmental Initiative's clean air work have in 2025?

-Reduced harmful air pollutants.

-Expanded partnerships across sectors.

-Delivered measurable, community-focused results.

See the highlights below.