Minnesota brewers tap into shifting tastes
Craft breweries in Minnesota created new products and events they hope appeal to younger customers of drinking age, who tend to drink less beer than members of older generations.
Drawn by Nature: Chickadee, squirrel brains expand for food caches
"In the realm of natural-world wonders, some animals can expand their brains when needed," writes Lisa Meyers McClintick.
Expert answers your recycling questions
Emma Pardini of WLSSD in Duluth answers questions we couldn't get to at Project Optimist's October recycling panel discussion.
Minnesota youth, seniors fight social isolation and loneliness
A young St. Cloud man started a program to connect senior citizens with students. The effort succeeded, but it’s tough to find students across Minnesota willing to organize similar events in their communities.
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College students share insights on social connection
Students from the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University joined a moderated conversation about social connectedness and loneliness.
Community Voices ⎸ What Project Optimist readers told us
We break down the results from our 2024 Audience Survey and share how it will inform our work in 2025 and beyond.
Lessons learned from two decades of composting
The Western Lake Superior Sanitary District has run a compost site since 2001. During that time, the district has added 12 community drop-off sites, in addition to taking food waste from businesses.
St. Cloud woman revitalizes furniture
Ashley Green reupholsters and fixes damaged furniture, bringing a new meaning to the term 'green thumb.'
Rental programs help Minnesota farmers test-drive no-till
Some Soil and Water Conservation Districts in Minnesota rent no-till equipment to farmers, which allows them to plant cover crops. However, maintenance costs and the availability and size of the equipment can be barriers.