Transcript:
In Edina, Minnesota, some residents are leaving their cars at home and riding electric bikes that the city helped pay for.
Gabb: “We last year added e-bikes as one of the projects that we help fund so that folks can have an alternative to car travel.”
Matthew Gabb, sustainability specialist for the Minneapolis suburb, says most of Edina’s carbon pollution comes from buildings and transportation.
So to reduce those emissions, the city created a climate action fund using fees paid by local utilities.
The fund helps residents pay for energy-saving projects like weatherizing their homes, installing solar panels, or switching to efficient electric heat pumps.
And every three months, 10 residents – who are chosen by lottery – each receive at least $500 toward an e-bike.
One recipient told Gabb that her family uses their e-bike to drop their kids off at school and for errands around town.
Gabb: “She was like, ‘This is great, like, my family is growing and we thought we might need to have a second car and now we don’t need to.’”
So Gabb says the climate action fund makes it easier for people to invest in solutions that reduce their carbon pollution and save them money over time.
Gabb: “Our goal is empowering residents to be able to have more choices.”
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media / Thanks to the Midwest Climate Resilience Conference for logistical support.
