Timothy DenHerder-Thomas - Brower Youth Awards 2009

Timothy demonstrated that climate solutions are bold opportunities for economic profit and community building as opposed to personal sacrifices. He spearheaded the creation of the Clean Energy Revolving Fund (CERF) at Macalester College, a student-designed financial pool for campus initiatives that funds profitable sustainability projects that repay and grow the fund. It has empowered students to generate innovative projects, saving the campus hundreds of tons of carbon and tens of thousands of dollars annually. Beyond campus, Timothy helped to create Cooperative Energy Futures, a cooperative company that fosters community-level innovation and entrepreneurship around climate solutions. Viewing the climate crisis as a societal design challenge offering vast opportunities for economic innovation, Timothy has helped convene labor groups, non-profits, local business, St. Paul officials, and students in designing a sustainable, mixed-use development plan for the site of a soon-to-close Ford factory. He has also supported other students' leadership in creating Macalester's EcoHouse, building social networking systems for the climate movement, and forming a state network of youth climate leaders. In his own words, Timothy constantly "seeks to convince people that climate solutions are opportunities for innovation that demonstrate the clear benefits to a sustainable future."

Find out more or apply for the Brower Youth Award at http://www.broweryouthawards.org. Film by Rikshaw Films

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• entrepreneur
• green
• environmentalist
• community
• development
• Twin
• cities
• Minnesota
• global
• warming
• energy
• efficiency