The Streets of Minneapolis

https://minnesotareformer.com/briefs/bruce-springsteen-releases-anti-ice-protest-song-streets-of-minneapolis/?emci=38719c47-40fe-f011-832f-000d3a1f0e4c&emdi=9ae36786-b5fe-f011-832f-000d3a1f0e4c&ceid=579931

A terrible situation in my city. Speak out for our democracy!

Lyrics to ‘Streets of Minneapolis’

Through the winter’s ice and cold
Down Nicollet Avenue
A city aflame fought fire and ice
‘Neath an occupier’s boots
King Trump’s private army from the DHS
Guns belted to their coats
Came to Minneapolis to enforce the law
Or so their story goes
Against smoke and rubber bullets
By the dawn’s early light
Citizens stood for justice
Their voices ringing through the night
And there were bloody footprints
Where mercy should have stood
And two dead left to die on snow-filled streets
Alex Pretti and Renee Good

Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Singing through the bloody mist
We’ll take our stand for this land
And the stranger in our midst
Here in our home they killed and roamed
In the winter of ’26
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis

Trump’s federal thugs beat up on
His face and his chest
Then we heard the gunshots
And Alex Pretti lay in the snow, dead
Their claim was self defense, sir
Just don’t believe your eyes
It’s our blood and bones
And these whistles and phones
Against Miller and Noem’s dirty lies

Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Crying through the bloody mist
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis

Now they say they’re here to uphold the law
But they trample on our rights
If your skin is black or brown my friend
You can be questioned or deported on sight

In chants of ICE out now
Our city’s heart and soul persists
Through broken glass and bloody tears
On the streets of Minneapolis

Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Singing through the bloody mist
Here in our home they killed and roamed
In the winter of ’26
We’ll take our stand for this land
And the stranger in our midst
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis

Lyrics to ‘Streets of Minneapolis’

Through the winter’s ice and cold
Down Nicollet Avenue
A city aflame fought fire and ice
‘Neath an occupier’s boots
King Trump’s private army from the DHS
Guns belted to their coats
Came to Minneapolis to enforce the law
Or so their story goes
Against smoke and rubber bullets
By the dawn’s early light
Citizens stood for justice
Their voices ringing through the night
And there were bloody footprints
Where mercy should have stood
And two dead left to die on snow-filled streets
Alex Pretti and Renee Good

Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Singing through the bloody mist
We’ll take our stand for this land
And the stranger in our midst
Here in our home they killed and roamed
In the winter of ’26
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis

Trump’s federal thugs beat up on
His face and his chest
Then we heard the gunshots
And Alex Pretti lay in the snow, dead
Their claim was self defense, sir
Just don’t believe your eyes
It’s our blood and bones
And these whistles and phones
Against Miller and Noem’s dirty lies

Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Crying through the bloody mist
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis

Now they say they’re here to uphold the law
But they trample on our rights
If your skin is black or brown my friend
You can be questioned or deported on sight

In chants of ICE out now
Our city’s heart and soul persists
Through broken glass and bloody tears
On the streets of Minneapolis

Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Singing through the bloody mist
Here in our home they killed and roamed
In the winter of ’26
We’ll take our stand for this land
And the stranger in our midst
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis

The United States Exits Important Agencies

Everyone needs to work to help our planet. So much leadership is needed!

A chance for other countries to lead. France, Germany, England, Italy, India?

U.S. leaves international climate agencies
This week the United States announced it would be leaving 66 international organizations, agencies, and commissions which includes many related to climate change.

Among these is the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which was adopted by all member nations in early 1990s and is considered the treaty which led to 2015’s Paris Agreement. The U.S. also previously announced its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, which will officially take effect on January 20.

Also included are:

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
International Renewable Energy Association
International Solar Alliance
International Union for Conservation of Nature
Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
With these actions, the U.S. has further separated itself from other countries in the climate change space. Does its withdrawal give pause to the activities of other nations? Or will it motivate other countries to lead in this evolving space?

This is from The Carbon Almanac

Hope

Start the day with hope. Spring will come! Collective positive energy can make things better.

All people matter!

Embrace a new year and each new day with hope!

The road is before us!
It is a new day, a new beginning,
And it is filled with hope.” Walt Whitman

Start each day with hope!

2025 has been a hard year. Wars are raging, too many die from gun violence, democracy is threatened, ICE is threatening communities, climate change brings storms, fires, drought and flooding. But we must move forward toward a new world. Our mental health is so much better if we start each day with hope and positive energy to make things better.

Below is from the NYT today:

While optimism is the belief that the future will be better, hope is the belief “that we have the power to make it so,” said Chan Hellman, the director of The Hope Research Center at the University of Oklahoma. It is “one of the strongest predictors of well-being,” he said. It helps improve the immune system and aids recovery from illness. More hopeful people may actually grow taller than less hopeful people.

To cultivate hope, people need three things. They first need to be able to envision a better future, either personally or collectively. Second, they need the willpower or motivation to move toward that future. And third, they must be able to chart “a path from where they are to where they want to be,” he added.

How to be more hopeful
There are a few ways, experts say.

People can set specific goals and then “begin brainstorming the pathways or road maps” to achieve them, ideally by writing them down, Hellman said. That can start small. “It is much better to set and focus on short-term goals rather than long-term, abstract goals,” he added.

That can often mean speaking more positively about other people. People gossip three times as much about the selfish things others do than about the generous things they do. To address that, an expert suggested “positive observation.”
Share one story of something positive that you observed or did that day. The research finds that when you know you’re going to have to share something, you pay a lot more attention to it.

Lift every voice and sing
Till earth and Heaven ring
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise,
High as The list’ning skies,
let it resound loud as the Rolling sea

James Weldon Johnson, 1900

Daily Difference

Let’s all help to hold up our planet in 2026

This is the coolest newsletter. I hope you will subscribe.

The Daily Difference Newsletter

Join the Daily Difference, a newsletter to help everyone around the world in taking action and making a significant positive impact. It’s not too late. The earth needs passionate people like you to spread the word and create meaningful change.

Sign-up right here!

Email Terms & Privacy

December 30, 2025

It doesn’t need to be perfect

Taking action to heal the planet doesn’t need to be overwhelming. It doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to happen. Take a moment today and be a difference […]

December 29, 2025

Doing the work

The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species is a report on the health of the world’s biodiversity. It is a comprehensive source of information […]

December 28, 2025

Shining a light on positive climate news

Negative climate stories in the United States often make the headlines – cancelling wind farm construction, accelerating oil and gas drilling, rolling back regulations on greenhouse gas emissions and air […]

December 27, 2025

Voting for conservation

In Canada, and in many other countries around the world, it is often Indigenous people leading the way in sustainability and stewardship of nature. The Heiltsuk Nation, on British Columbia, […]

December 26, 2025

Packaging producers now pay in the UK

In the United Kingdom, companies who make packaging are now having to pay as the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) has started its enforcement stage. What is EPR? It is based […]

December 25, 2025

Helping young people engage in climate actions

Mihir Rao, an 18-year-old from Alberta, Canada, is helping other young people to learn how to influence decision-makers. Rao, who is also a winner of the 2025 I-SEA Youth Climate […]

https://thecarbonalmanac.org/the-daily-difference/?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyDifference&utm_content=It%20doesn%27t%20need%20to%20be%20perfect

Less Stuff, More Joy

How can you generate less trash and less junk?

This is from the Story of Stuff. I hope you will give it some thought and make thoughtful purchases for the holidays and all year.
“This time of year, the pressure to buy more — and waste more — is everywhere.
Black Friday doorbusters, holiday flash sales, limited-time offers: overconsumption during the holidays isn’t an accident. It’s by design.

And the consequences are massive. Americans generate 25% more waste between Thanksgiving and New Year’s — an extra one million tons of trash every week. From impulse purchases tossed by January, to mountains of packaging, the holiday season has become a pipeline of extraction, production, shipping, and disposal.

What we rarely see are the impacts hidden upstream. Most of a product’s environmental footprint happens long before it reaches your door — through rapid mining of raw materials, energy-intensive manufacturing, and global shipping emissions that fuel the climate crisis.

Fast fashion hauls and holiday overbuying only accelerate the damage. Every second, a garbage truck’s worth of clothing is landfilled or burned. Electronics, toys, gadgets, and seasonal “stuff” flood into toxic e-waste dumps around the world.” Story of Stuff

But there’s a different story we can tell — and build — together.

Trying to be more climate friendly with gift giving this year? This holiday gifting guide will help you get in the spirit while saving you money and deepening the meaningfulness of your holiday season.

Start From Where you Are!

Yes, we all can make a difference. Small changes can lead to big changes.

A great thought for the day. How can we have more control? The world can be a discouraging place. Especially when we have elected officials that are taking us in the wrong direction and wasting taxpayer dollars. The only thing we have control of is our own behavior, and instead of being angry we can use that energy to make a positive difference. Below are some ways you can make a positive impact without much effort. Good Luck. Below is from the Carbon Almanac:

When countries and companies lessen their commitment to targets and activities for climate change, it can be disheartening as systemic change is critical for big impact. If you feel powerless to influence systemic change, you can start where you are.

Some ideas of how to start:

Start by having a conversation with friends
Start by taking one less trip in a combustion engine vehicle
Start by shopping at a thrift store
Start by buying produce that is not wrapped in plastic
Start by bringing a reusable mug to your favourite cafe
Start by finding a local environmental group

And my list to get you started:

*Always carry reusable shopping bags

*Never idle the engine of your car

*Write letters to elected officials and newspapers expressing your opinion (positive and negative)

*Plant a native plant or a native tree

*Listen, smile and be kind

The key is to start (or keep) taking action. One action can lead to another and then another. And by sharing what you are doing, you can inspire others to join.

No Lake Is Safe From Microplastics

We all need to examine the amount of plastic we purchase, and figure how we can reduce the plastic we are exposed to and disperse into our environment.

Plastic is harming our health and our environment.

By Mary Koseth and Katelynn Rolfes

From the Minnesota Reformer

Microplastics have become a significant environmental concern across the world due to their widespread presence in various ecosystems, potential harm to wildlife and marine life, and the uncertainty surrounding their long-term effects on human health.

This summer, concerned citizens across Minnesota worked with staff from Environment Minnesota Research & Policy Center to test 40 Minnesota lakes for microplastics.

When we analyzed the water samples the results were clear: No Minnesota lake is safe from microplastics.

Last week, Environment Minnesota Research & Policy Center released a report, Microplastic in Minnesota: A Survey of our “10,000 Lakes.

The report presents the test results, from the northern coast of Lake Superior to the wouthwest corner Minnesota, and includes recommendations to tackle the problem. In our citizen-science research project, the 40 samples were filtered using a funnel, flask and filters which had a pore size of 0.45 microns. The goal was to capture any tiny bits of plastic that were tough to spot with only our eyes. The types of plastic we searched for were microfibers, films, fragments and microbeads. We found all of these types save for microbeads, commonly found in beauty products prior to their banning in 2015.

The results of this survey should set off alarm bells for Minnesotans who love our lakes. Minnesota’s waterways are a source of peace for people, a critical habitat for wildlife, and part of our state’s identity.

Our report underscores that microplastic pollution is not an “over there” problem. It’s a “right here” problem that none of us can afford to ignore. But fortunately for us, this isn’t a hopeless situation, and there are many ways we can take action. As individuals, as community members, as whole nations, we can uphold human and environmental health and justice with our creative ideas and bold visions. Everyone has something to offer. When it comes to microplastic pollution, it’s all hands on deck.

The report outlines a broad range of various ways to tackle the problem. These include fighting fast fashion and excess textile waste, and changing Minnesota law to allow local governments to restrict single-use plastics like plastic bags.

We need to take a lot of steps to protect our lakes and health from microplastic pollution, but to start, we need to move away from single use plastics. Nothing we use for a few minutes should be able to pollute our environment for hundreds of years.

https://minnesotareformer.com/2025/10/22/our-survey-found-microplastics-in-all-40-minnesota-waterways-we-tested/?emci=90c47a06-5daf-f011-8e61-6045bded8ba4&emdi=51ed253d-5eaf-f011-8e61-6045bded8ba4&ceid=579931

Halloween Fun

Halloween is a day that is looked forward and cherished by many.

It is also a day that brings lots of extra waste- extra plastic and waste through costumes and decorations. What if we try to reduce so much waste and use what we have?

Instead of buying so much plastic waste maybe make ghosts out of old sheets or make a scarecrow out of old clothes and save money, too

Embrace Halloween as a day to be creative.

Halloween can be a creative time to decorate and create a costume. I look forward to the creative thinking that come to my door. Being creative is more fun!

The hardest part of a plastic-free holiday is finding plastic-free candy, How about apples or tangerines?

Here are some good candy tips tips from Beyond Plastic: Pick plastic-free packages. If you need to stick to packaged candies, there are some options that come wrapped in foil or small thin cardboard boxes. Candies like Dots, Milk Duds, and Junior Mints come in small cardboard boxes, Tootsie Rolls and other fruit chews and Dubble Bubble come wrapped in paper, and there are many small Halloween-themed chocolates that come wrapped in foil that, at least in theory, could be collected and recycled.

Instead of buying a new costume, consider setting up a costume swap party with friends (see some tips here) or creating a homemade costume where face paint replaces a plastic mask. Perhaps there is even the option to rent a costume for the night.

For decorations, look around your home and in nature to see what can be upcycled to help set the scene for Halloween. Cardboard boxes could easily be made into tombstone decorations. String or rope can create thick spider webs. If you are wanting to purchase decor, consider looking for items that will last for several Halloweens.

What about choosing real pumpkins over plastic versions? Not only can you carve how you want, you can roast the seeds. And when done, the pumpkin can be turned into soup or cut into pieces to decompose in a garden or composted.

This year let’s make the Halloween treat a reduction in waste. Here are some good ideas from Beyond Plastic

What are your ideas to reduce waste?

Zero Waste Fest

I wanted to share an invite to Zero Waste Fest on Saturday, October 11 at Burroughs Community School in Minneapolis. It’s a free, all-day community event with panels, food, music, kid’s activities, and lots of hands-on ways to get involved in building a future without waste. Zero Waste Fest — MN Zero Waste Coalition

The day runs from 10am to 4pm and includes:

Inspiring panels on:
- Building a Zero Waste Future in Minnesota
- Plastic is a Justice Issue: Fighting Pollution from Production to Disposal
- From Throwaway to Reuse: Reclaiming Culture, Creating Systems
Tabling from organizations around MN supporting zero waste
Clothing swaps and mending
Food, art, and music!

It’s free and open to everyone. I’d love for you to join us and help spread the word!

You can RSVP here

Sun Day/Peace

A Tribute to The International Day of Peace. Please Live Peace, Be Peace, Push Peace, Vote for Peace and Meditate or pray for Peace. These wars in Ukraine and Gaza just can’t continue!

Last night I had the Strangest Dreem by Ed McCurdy

Last night I had the strangest dream
I ever dreamed before
I dreamed the world had all agreed
To put an end to war

I dreamed I saw a mighty room
The room was filled with men
And the paper they were signing said
They’d never fight again

And when the papers all were signed
And a million copies made
They all joined hands and bowed their heads
And grateful prayers were prayed

And the people in the streets below
Were dancing round and round
And guns and swords and uniforms
Were scattered on the ground

Last night I had the strangest dream
I ever dreamed before
I dreamed the world had all agreed
To put an end to war

Sun Day

Sun Day is a day of action on September 21, 2025, celebrating solar and wind power, and the movement to leave fossil fuels behind. Solar energy is now the cheapest source of power on the planet – and gives us a chance to actually do something about the climate crisis. But fossil fuel billionaires are doing everything they can to shut it down. We will build, rally, sing, and come together in the communities that we need to get laws changed and work done.