Green and Local

Midwest Mountaineering tries to balance contributions to “people, planet and profit” by conserving resources and promoting the well-being of all.  We hope that we consider the needs of our customers, our employees, our community and our planet.

• 10% to Environment:  We donate 10% of our profits to environmental and wilderness causes.  Grant requests are due December 1st.  Submit via mail or email attention .
• Wind Offsets:  We buy “wind offsets” from our local energy provider.  This promotes the larger scale production of wind energy.
• Re-usable Shopping Bags:  We make and sell re-usable canvas and recycled-material shopping bags.
• Public and Human-powered Transport:  Our business subsidizes our employees who take public transportation to work.  We even pay our employees to ride their bicycles to work.
• Environmental Activism:  We encourage environmental activism among our employees.
• Local Products:  We sell locally made products where possible, thus minimizing usage of energy for transportation and helping to keep our local businesses sustainable.  Look for Made in USA signs.
• Eco-Products:  We sell products made by the most eco-conscious companies in the outdoor industry.
• Repair / Re-use It!:  We repair old gear and clothing in Thrifty Outfitters – extending its life and saving resources.
• Solar Classes:  We provide at-the-store Midwest Renewable Energy Association classes on solar panels, solar hot water and wind energy.
• Get Involved:  We annually sponsor the “Taylors Falls Clean-up” – a clean-up and beautification program for a popular climbing area.
• Work Together:  We provide meeting space for many local conservation and environmental groups.
• Organic Coffee:  The free coffee at Midwest Mountaineering is organic / fair trade grown .
• Recycle:  We recycle mass quantities of plastic packaging, stuff the sidewalk pickup recycling programs do not take.
• High Efficiency Lighting:  Low energy flourescent and LED lights are used throughout the store.
• Natural Light:  We have opened up old original windows that had been boarded over – replacing them with new energy efficient windows which provide much more natural light in the front of our store.
• Energy Star:  We received and Energy Star Certification for buildings.  Our building was rated in the top 10% for buildings more than a century old.  Installing high efficiency furnaces and using all flourescent light fixgtures significantly reduces our energy usage.
• Accessible:  We remain committed to our core-city location.  Our physical footprint is small and we happen to be right on the new Central Corridor light rail line and 2 blocks from the Hiawatha line.  We are one of the most accessible destinations in the Metro area.
• Roof-top Solar:  Solar panels on our roof power the LED lighting you see as you walk in our back door.
• Wildlands Protection:  Last year we brought attention to Minnesota Wildlands protection by having people vote for one of three wildlands acquisition projects.  We received over 6,000 votes.  The winner was the Parks and Trails Council of Minnesota's project to make a Cannon Valley Trail connector trail possible.  They received a $10,000 check from Midwest Mountaineering.  Other organizations received funding also.

Annually we give grants to many environmental and wilderness-supporting organizations
(most of them local).  Here are the 2011 grant recipients:

• Boundary Waters Advisory Committee
• Carpenter Valley Audubon
• Friends of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
• Project Success
• Sierra Club Inner City Outings
• Superior Hiking Trail Association
• Venturing Crew

Midwest Mountaineering is locally owned and operated.  We participate in our local community in many ways including:

• Midwest Mountaineering Venturing Crew:  Venturing's purpose is to provide positive experiences to help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults.  Details:  current-events/youth-opportunities.
• YMCA Camp Menogyn Camperships:  In 2010 we sent 10 kids.  During the summer of 2011 we sent 22 kids to camp that could not afford to go.  Details:  current-events/youth-opportunities.
• Outdoor Adventure Expo:  Our bi-annual event that encourages people to get active outdoors.  It's held right here at the store.  Over 100 free outdoor adventure programs and exhibitors.  Details:  outdooradventureexpo.com.
• Brian Coyle Community Center:  For the past few years we have taken the youth from the Brian Coyle Community Center kayaking on Lake Nokomis, hiking along the Mississippi River and climbing in our Climbing Cave.  Details:  current-events/youth-opportunities.