Minnesota Stories in a Changing Climate: Where Science Meets Society

Climate change is affecting our state’s varied regions and residents in different ways, but all Minnesotans have a story to tell. The TPT production “Minnesota Stories in a Changing Climate,” part of Climate Generation’s Climate Minnesota: Local Stories, Community Solutions project, showcases six of these stories, along with narration from some of the state’s leading climate experts. The full production and the individual story clips are intended to serve as an educational and inspirational resource to build Minnesotans’ awareness of climate impacts and encourage the sharing of climate stories across the state. University of Minnesota researcher Peter Snyder studies heat islands in the Twin Cities metro area, where large expanses of “gray infrastructure” create microclimates of slightly elevated temperatures. Climate change is about averages and patterns, and the data Snyder is collecting at sensor stations across the metro reveal that climate change impacts are at play, exacerbating the heat island effect. In a changing climate, extreme heat events – likely to intensify in both frequency and severity – will place greater stress on vulnerable Minnesotans and public health. “I’m rather frustrated with the pace of change” in addressing climate change, says Snyder, explaining that his frustration is mostly a result of how much he knows about what’s going on thanks to his work. “We need to be doing more, and more quickly,” he concludes. Download the free accompanying Minnesota Stories in a Changing Climate Discussion Guide here.

TAGS

Action Ideas, Adult, Art, Climate Change Solutions, Climate Conversations, Climate Justice, ELA, For Educators, For Youth, Grades 6-8, Grades 9-12, Green Careers, Social Studies, STEM, Storytelling

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