Edina-based startup, Naware, recently took the $10,000 Green and Sustainable Chemistry Prize, sponsored by the MPCA as part of the MN Cup, for combining two unlikely technologies to replace herbicides in lawncare with a more environmentally friendly alternative.

Smart technology, conservation practices, and a commitment to clean water help this family dairy and crop operation thrive — while protecting rivers, streams, and future generations.

In collaboration with other state agencies, local governments, and Tribal Nations, the MPCA will distribute $200 million over the next five years to cut climate pollution from our food systems through the climate-smart food systems (CSFS) initiative. A portion of these funds will help farmers across Minnesota adopt climate-friendly practices.

A recent $1 million MPCA grant round will fund projects focused on waste reduction and reuse. To invest in projects that will continue to offer benefits to Minnesotans well into the future, this grant round prioritized proposals that would replace single-use items with reusables or help build a trained repair workforce in Minnesota.

When leaves fall on streets, sidewalks, and other hardscapes in urban areas, they wash into the storm drains and end up in lakes and rivers where they feed algae growth. The algae then decomposes and uses up oxygen that fish and native plants need.