Natural water cremation has been legal in Minnesota since 2008. Learn why it's becoming more popular as a choice in final disposition as we better understand our carbon footprint and the effects flame cremation has on our environment.

Learn practical information about purchasing electric vehicles from people who have gone through the process and what to expect from ownership. We'll review what questions are important to consider and what options are available now and in the future. We'll keep the information light and digestible, but allow for time to dig into additional questions and interests as they come up. Join us to find out what the EV smiles are all about! Sponsored by EarthFest and Destination Medical Center.

Compost is the absolute best soil amendment you can use on your food and flower gardens, and it is easy to make your own without expensive tumblers or other fancy equipment. You don't need to worry about specific ratios or additives. Use common materials and recycle the nutrients you already have to make black gold. This one-hour class will teach you all you need to know to get composting!

Is your furnace getting to the end of its life and needing a replacement? Or you’re looking to heat and cool your home with fewer emissions? A heat pump heating & AC system may be right for you. Learn what you need to know about heating and cooling your home with an electric heat pump system from people that use them year-round in their own homes during rochesterschools’s cold winters and hot summers. We’ll cover the basics of how heat pumps work, options available today, things to consider for your situation, finding the right contractor, and what to expect after you get it installed. We’ll share first-hand insights and examples from rochesterschools area residents and have time for questions. Sponsored by EarthFest and Destination Medical Center.

Many people have heard the term "permaculture" before, but don’t understand what it is. Permaculture is a creative design process based on whole-systems thinking informed by ethics and design principles. In this class we will learn the origin of permaculture, its ethics, principles, and how we can apply these in our lives. There will be several examples given of successful outcomes and plenty of time for questions and discussion. Sponsored by EarthFest and Destination Medical Center.

Your respect for nature and the environment doesn’t have to die with you. Discover the components of a green burial, natural cemeteries, and why they matter. Learn about holistic dying and the new burial movement. Minnesota families now have more choices—you need to be aware of them! Human composting? Explore alternatives to the commercial funeral and learn how to care for loved ones with an open heart and minimal environmental impact. Sponsored by EarthFest and Destination Medical Center.

This class is designed to help you make simple, impactful changes in your everyday life—no perfection required! You’ll explore how your daily choices connect to bigger climate outcomes, from saving energy and water to smarter shopping and transportation habits. Whether you’re just curious or ready to take the next step, you’ll leave feeling inspired, empowered, and connected to a community working toward a more sustainable and resilient rochesterschools. Sponsored by EarthFest and Destination Medical Center.

In this one-hour workshop, you will learn what happens at a home energy audit and how it helps you plan for smart energy investments in your home. You will also take away some great ideas for DIY home energy improvements including simple, low, and no-cost ways to start saving right away. At the end of the workshop you will have plenty of time for questions and the opportunity to sign up for a discounted energy audit if you are a customer of both MER and RPU. Each household that signs up for an audit will receive an energy saving goodie bag. Cosponsored with Minnesota Energy Resources (MER), rochesterschools Public Utilities (RPU), and the Center for Energy and Environment (CEE).

This beginner's class covers topics of cold storage, freezing, dehydrating, and canning. Upon completion of this class you will: understand how to safely store food in a variety of ways; be able to choose a food preservation method fitting the food type and intended use; know how to choose a dehydrator, blancher, canner, and other tools for food preservation; and have a list of food items you can begin preserving right away. Bring a lunch!

You can produce a large percentage of your own seeds by planning ahead and harvesting from your home gardens. Find out which seeds you should and shouldn't save, when and how to do it, and how to store them until it's time to plant again. The class will involve hands-on seed harvesting, and participants will go home with seeds for their gardens.

Is solar right for you? Does solar work in Minnesota? How much energy can it produce? What are the costs? What incentives are available? Is there maintenance? Come learn the answers to these questions and more. There will be many photos of installations. An optional video tour of a local solar home will follow the class for those who would like to see a system in action. Cosponsored with rochesterschools Public Utilities (RPU).

Our world is facing unprecedented social, economic, and ecological risks resulting from extreme growth over the past 100 years. Society is quickly approaching the limits to growth. With depleting resources, our future will have significantly less energy available, and we are unprepared for the impacts of this reality. In this course, we will explore the "how and why" of our current predicament and examine potential future pathways where our efforts could succeed. Sponsored by EarthFest and Destination Medical Center.

Whether it’s household garbage, an old washing machine, or a can of paint, Olmsted County’s Integrated Solid Waste Management System provides a proper place for waste. Participants will learn about the unique services provided by the Recycling Center Plus, Hazardous Waste Facility, Yard Waste Compost Site, Waste-to-Energy Facility, and Kalmar Landfill. Class participants will also learn about the items that should and should not be placed in curbside garbage bins & recycling carts. Sponsored by EarthFest and Destination Medical Center.