Grassroots Action
Check here to see what is happening at the local level
Going Local - the Solution Multiplier
Released in 2017, this animation provides an overview of localization in 2.5 minutes. After its release, it received an immediate enthusiastic response, with more than 60,000 views online and more than a thousand ‘shares’, including by organizations such as Post Carbon Institute, New Economy Coalition and Transition groups. The animation has been translated into 30 languages
Sunrise Movement People Power
Next year, we are setting out to change the course of history by building a mass movement behind the Green New Deal and electing a new set of leaders who are ready to put it into action.
We know that winning a Green New Deal isn’t gonna be easy. But with our lives and futures at stake, we can’t afford to lose. So to figure out how to win, we’ve been looking to history, studying past movements that have fought for massive changes to our society–and won. Movements like the mass strikes that led to the original New Deal, and the marches, boycotts, and sit-ins of the civil rights movement.
The video above is a preview of what we learned. We’ll release the full video in early January when we launch our 2020 strategy.
But so far, one thing is clear: History shows us that societal transformation only comes when millions of people take to the streets to demand it. When they do, change is all but guaranteed.
If we can build our movement big enough, history shows that we will win. (Watch the video to see why).
November 2019 - Rush City Joins Minnesota's GreenStep Cities Program
When a group of women from Rush City learned about Minnesota’s GreenStep City program, they decided to form a grassroots effort to promote and encourage Rush City’s participation. GreenStep Cities is a voluntary challenge, assistance and recognition program to help Minnesota cities achieve their sustainability and quality-of-life goals (https://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/).
The group includes women who have lived in the community all their lives and others who are fairly new in the area. What we have in common is a passion and desire to keep Rush City relevant and livable for new and long-time residents and a sincere interest in seeing and helping incorporate energy efficient and sustainable practices that provide cost savings and improved quality of life.
Learning that our neighbors in Pine City, North Branch and Isanti are already in the program provided further incentive to join. Other important points are that this is a “Minnesota Made” program which now includes 129 cities of all sizes, and that it has a roadmap of best practices that cities can choose from on a purely voluntary basis (i.e., business, citizens, schools, and city councils have the flexibility to work on actions of their choosing at their own pace). Grants and other financial opportunities are available to help Rush City—along with technical assistance and peer-to-peer assistance through the GreenStep Cities network.
We spent time learning about the program and met with GreenStep Cities staff and Rush City council members. Cities can join the program by adopting a city council resolution. The council voted unanimously to adopt the resolution and join the GreenStep Cities program on November 12, 2019.
Next steps are to put Rush City’s information on the GreenStep Cities website, work with the council on ideas and completion of additional best practices and begin an educational campaign to generate community enthusiasm and participation.
Stay tuned for more information as these plans develop. You can also find more on FaceBook.