Minneapolis working on solutions to pollution
November 26, 2012 (MINNEAPOLIS) A pilot program to reduce pollution is looking for Minneapolis organizations (businesses, schools, nonprofits, etc.) to sign up for free energy efficiency assessments. Commercial buildings account for an estimated 45 percent of energy use, and the City of Minneapolis is working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – a source of global climate change pollution –30 percent by 2025. The assessments are simply to put knowledge in consumers’ hands to help them make decisions that will save them money.
The City of Minneapolis is working with the Retiree Environmental Technical Assistance Program (RETAP) in a partnership called Green Business Benchmarking to help businesses use less energy and save money. The reports will allow owners to monitor their energy use from year to year and to learn how to reduce energy, water and waste. The interested organization pays nothing for the assessment and there are no requirements involved. Organizations interested in signing up or finding out more can email [email protected].
RETAP has performed more than 250 of these assessments since beginning 10 years ago and has recently benchmarked four Minneapolis organizations – Anchor Fish and Chips, Hmong American Mutual Assistance Association, Morningstar Coffee and Stadium Village Church – to lay out which measures would help them most.