Robbinsdale’s GreenCorps Staff Member Seeks Change Through Sustainability Efforts

A year ago, Noah Knapp was on the other side of the planet, teaching English to Macedonians.  He was putting his bachelors degree to use, but he thought he may want to do something else.

“During that time I had a lot of opportunity to think about what I might do (when finished teaching), and this interest in the environment and sustainability kept coming back to me,” said Knapp. “But, I didn’t have a lot of professional or academic experience in that realm beforehand.”

Robbinsdale city leaders unveiled an energy plan last year.

Still, he applied to the Minnesota GreenCorps program, a joint effort between Americorps and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. They assign staff to work for different agencies or organizations based on experience and interests of study.

“When it comes to sustainability and the environment, that’s kind of my interest,” said Knapp. “I noted that in my application, and the people at MPCA saw that, and saw the needs that the city of Robbinsdale had, and paired me here with the host site, city of Robbinsdale.”

Since September, Knapp has been working for GreenCorps with the city to help implement its sustainability goals and the city’s new energy action plan.

“Maybe we don’t often think about it, but every time we turn on the lights or turn on the stove, we’re using energy,” he said. “So, trying to get people to think more about that, and how we can increase our energy efficiency, so decreasing our demand down the road, decreasing our greenhouse gas emissions, being more resilient to climate change.”

He’s also helping improve and monitor the city’s real-time online dashboard showing just how much energy the city uses in its facilities, including city hall.

He’s also connecting with schools and other community organizations to let them know what resources the city can share to help everyone and every place become more environmentally sustainable.

In some ways, he’s still teaching.

“Very much so,” Knapp said.

Robbinsdale | Twin Cities

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