A Path to Climate Action: Reflections on my first year (or so) as Sustainability Officer for the City of Duluth

As the first Sustainability Officer hired at the City of Duluth, Mindy Granley works to incorporate sustainability into decision-making, measure and communicate City progress, and build partnerships for community-wide change. She is also responsible for improvement of City policies, programs, and initiatives in support of local environmental, economic, and social systems. Previously, Mindy served for 12 years as Sustainability Director at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD), where she advanced operational improvements and integrated sustainability into the learning experience for all students. She championed campus projects and reduced energy and greenhouse gas emissions, all while connecting students to learning opportunities in the community. Mindy has a B.S. in Geology/Hydrogeology, an M.S. in Water Resources Science, and is a Certified Energy Manager. Before working at UMD, Mindy spent 6 years working on watershed management in the Lake Superior watershed at local, regional, and state levels. She will talk about her career path, and how her Water Resources degree provided the foundation for her work in sustainability.