“I say to all tribal nations, you know, that we are in the gaming business, that’s a billion dollar business that has been very helpful to our communities, but we need to be in the energy business. The energy business is a trillion dollar industry.”
“There’s a lot of talk from representatives that they want to be carbon free but they’re not building buildings any differently. They’re still extremely inefficient and dumping carbon into the air like crazy. No one is willing to put the money where they are saying.”
“When I got into solar, I was like, if the sun provides all of this endless limitless free energy, why isn’t it more accessible to individuals that can’t afford their bills? I know what it’s like when you can’t afford your electric bill, being in the dark and eating in the dark.”
“I was at a seminar a number of years ago and they said that there was about $279 Billion worth of air sealing needing to be done on existing buildings in this country. They said if you took 1,000 contractors in each state that do nothing but that, they figured it would take 66.6 years to get it all done. So that was the day I decided to start my own company.”
“We’re not treated equally. There need to be laws so we are treated equally, all of us. Actually, there are laws that say we should be treated equally, but they are not followed.”
“We need everybody to figure out how their job can be a green job. How can you find the pieces that are a green job within your job? Just lean into those. The climate urgency necessitates that. I think it’s hard when you’re like, ‘that’s not my job description’. Well, it is your description as a human being on this planet. We all have to be looking for those opportunities.”
“Especially after COVID, we saw that workers rights and public health are completely together. You can’t separate them. So if workers are sick or unable to get PPE or paid sick time but they have COVID and they have no other option and can’t pay their rent, if they can’t take a day off that’s gonna impact public safety and public health.”
“Another thing that’s exciting for me, as a business owner, is to recognize the role that business can play. Businesses are big energy users, and they also rely on a stable climate. I have a restaurant. If farms in our state can’t grow food, I’m going to feel those impacts. If energy prices, fuel costs, and transportation become so challenging that I can’t even afford to get the ingredients I need, my business is going to suffer. If my customers are struggling to deal with increasing energy costs I don’t have customers!”
“I think all these ideas that we’ve talked about or people are talking about out in the world, very few of them are new. These are all things we could do and want to do and we know would have a good positive impact, but there just isn’t funding for it. Or at least funding hasn’t been allotted to it. The People’s Climate Equity Plan, if implemented correctly, would create that funding; create a no-excuse reality.“
“We’re getting things going here in Minneapolis that are part of a spreading movement across major US cities. We’re building a movement with real power behind it, with an emphasis on justice. I want to be part of that.”
“I want to help raise awareness on the dangers of air pollution, and discover innovative ways to reduce it, especially within Black communities. Most of us live in close proximity to major highways and warehouse districts, and inhale dangerous emissions and pollutants that are released from these external factors on a daily basis.
“Our health and well-being is seriously at risk, and most folks are unaware how harmful air pollution is, especially on pre-existing health conditions, such as Asthma. Black communities are disproportionately affected by climate and environmental injustice worldwide, and it’s time to roll up our sleeves, and get serious about this fight.”
“The struggle for environmental protection is something I’ve always seen as intertwined issues: climate justice, racial justice and economic justice. My goal within the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (MFT) union is to bridge the gap between the labor movement and the climate movement. Workers should be front and center of both movements fighting for a green transition.”
“The community of advocacy in Minnesota has given me a lot more faith that things can work out and that things can change. I want to see us shift away from visions of grim, dark dystopian futures towards envisioning futures with hope.”
