Ecolibrium3's mission is to inspire and lead change in our community toward an equitable and sustainable future.
Ecolibrium3 is a Duluth-based nonprofit organization with nationally recognized programs. Our community work spans from directly assisting our neighborhood residents and businesses to informing national approaches in energy, resilience, and revitalization.
Featured Projects
Stone Soup Portable Gardens
Like the children’s tale, where minor contributions from many can be transformational, the Lincoln Park Stone Soup Project converts small actions into major impact for the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Duluth, MN.
Stone Soup will take used brewery grain sacks (currently thrown away), work with neighbors and businesses to convert them to planters, fill them with soil (compost), and plant them with seedlings. 200 gardens will be available to families to inexpensively grow their own food and flowers and placed in our business district, along the Cross City Trail. For more information click here.
Our Goals
to create healthy, efficient, and resilient built environments
Ecolibrium3 has a Building Performance Institute (BPI) certified energy auditor available to analyze your home with advanced tools including blower doors and infrared cameras. Utility rebates are available to offset the costs. Call to schedule your audit today.
Nationally recognized community-scale weatherization program that helps residents complete home energy improvements. We will help you learn about your home, develop the best plan for making energy improvements, and make sure you take advantage of all rebates, incentives, and financing opportunities. Learn more…
Giving Comfort At Home is a volunteer-based program coordinated by Ecolibrium3 to help low-income families, veterans and active military personnel, and disabled individuals complete energy efficiency and healthy home improvements that they would not be able to complete on their own. If you can volunteer, make donations, or know someone in need, click here to learn more…
Ecolibrium3 is one of 15 grantees throughout the United States that are working on the US Department of Energy’s Solar Market Pathways program to increase the penetration of solar technology within communities. Ecolibrium3’s Local Energy Matters project is advancing Duluth’s solar market toward the first megawatt (MW) of installed roof top and ground mount solar. To learn more about this project or explore solar for your home or business, click here…
In order to help residents and businesses understand their options for solar rooftop solar installation, Ecolibrium3 has worked with the City of Duluth, UMD’s Center for Spacial Analysis, and the National Renewable Energy Lab to develop an online tool that not only shows whether a roof has good solar exposure, but the size of a potential system, potential costs and energy production, and incentives that are available. The map will be launched in October 2016. Stay tuned…
Ecolibrium3 is partnering with the City of Duluth, local utilities, and institutional partners to reduce energy use as part of a 2-year competition. Duluth is currently a semi-finalist competing against 49 other communities for a $5 million energy efficiency prize. Competition period ends December 31, 2016. To learn how you can help #DuluthEnergyWins, join our efforts at Duluth Energy.
Working in partnership with the US EPA, Ecolibrium3 can help your business benchmark its energy use using the Energy Star Portfolio Manager tool. We can develop suggestions for energy savings and help you obtain Energy Star certification. Learn more…
to build partnerships and enable participation in our community
We welcome you to Lincoln Park! Lincoln Park Open House is our sampling of the fantastic things we have happening in our neighborhood – not only during the Open House, but every day. From art and music to food and fun, Lincoln Park is where it’s at. Music, discounts, family activities, free coffee, fire trucks, s’mores… these are just a few of what this year’s participants have up their sleeves.
Follow the map and watch for the green balloons indicating all activity sites, or park once and ride the hop-on-hop-off bus that will take you past all of the locations, free of charge. For event details, the Lincoln Park Open House Facebook page has the most up to date info, so check it out!
With support from NeighborWorks America Stable Communities Initiative, Ecolibrium3 has led a Lincoln Park residents and businesses in developing creative marketing and stabilization strategies aimed at bolstering neighborhood strengths and attracting and retaining residents, businesses, and investment. This initiative has resulted in a new neighborhood logo, tagline, and strategy sheet aimed at collaborative efforts for a more engaged community. Learn more…
Like the children’s tale, where minor contributions from many can be transformational, the Lincoln Parknership Stone Soup Project converts small actions into major impact for the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Duluth, MN. Our recipe is:
Lincoln Parknership Stone Soup
- Take neighborhood waste products
- Partner with businesses and youth organizations
- Grow food and beautify our business district, neighborhood, and trails
- Celebrate
Lincoln Park is the home of craft breweries, industrial sewing companies, the regional compost site, and many youth and community organizations. Stone Soup will take used brewery grain sacks (currently thrown away), work with neighbors and businesses to convert them to planters, fill them with soil (compost), and plant them with seedlings grown by our children. They will be placed in our business district, along the Cross City Trail, and available to families to inexpensively grow their own food and flowers. Neighborhood events around planting and harvesting will be held with gardening and healthy meal planning education provided.
Stone Soup seems like magic. It takes the ordinary and makes it extraordinary by actively teaching the impact we can have when we work together. This project will have a lasting impact on Lincoln Park on many levels.
Portable Garden Interest Form
Interested in the gardens, want more information? Want to sign up to buy? Complete our interest form now!
Ecolibrium3 will be fielding a first cohort of interested residents in the Hillside and St. Louis River Corridor neighborhoods for leadership training. The Neighborhood Leadership Nexus will partner with residents, community organizations, and the City of Duluth Parks Department to build stronger partnerships and develop leadership skills through successful completion of neighborhood parks projects.
With construction and remodeling costs skyrocketing in a tight market and a high need for quality affordable and market rate housing, Ecolibrium3 is turning to the experts…you! Using a community-responsive design process, Ecolibrium3 will be working with residents, builders, housing agencies, and others to tackle the question, “how can we create housing that meets the needs of our community, is healthy and efficient, and doesn’t break the bank?” Learn more…
Ecolibrium3 partners with the Entrepreneur Fund, Duluth LISC, and Lincoln Park businesses, artists, and community members through the Advancing Lincoln Park group. This effort focuses on rebranding the neighborhood (see #CraftingSomethingGreat), revitalizing the business district, and assisting entrepreneurs in successful expansion or relocation into Lincoln Park.
to protect our environment and advance community sustainability
Ecolibrium3 not only took leadership in responding the the June 2012 floods, but have continued to push for building a more climate and disaster resilient community. In 2015, we coordinated Minnesota’s entry into HUD’s National Disaster Resilience Competition which included 15-months of examining our state’s and our community’s need for greater resilience. To learn more about the NDRC process and identified resilience projects, check out Big Water, MN: Ripples of Resilience.
Ecolibrium3 is leading Duluth’s participation in the Clean energy for Low Income Communities Accelerator planning project. The Accelerator will result in a community action plan that aims to lower energy bills for low-income families through implementation of energy efficiency and renewable energy strategies. This effort is design to address the energy poverty faced by many in our community. Learn more about the Accelerator here…
Emerald ash borer has been found in Duluth proper creating an expansion of a quarantine zone into southeastern St. Louis County. This exotic pest, which entered the US from China in the 1990’s, causes 100% tree mortality. Minnesota has the highest concentration of ash with 18.1 million cords (approximately 8% of our trees by volume or 1 in 4 by tree count). Ecolibrium3 is working to explore impacts on forestry and water, examine potential wood utilization strategies, and develop community responses. Learn more about EAB here…
The Re-AMP Network consists of 175 nonprofits and foundations across eight midwestern states working on climate change and energy policy with a goal of reducing global warming pollution economy-wide 80% by 2050. Ecolibrium3 serves on the Minnesota State Leadership Table helping to connect organizations on policy and projects. To learn more about the RE-Amp Network, click here…
Ecolibrium3 recognizes that those who are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change are often left out of conversations regarding community response. The Resilience Leadership Team works with marginalized populations to ensure responsive policies and programs. The team is being formed in October and November of 2016, and will conduct a policy, practice, and program review to determine actions needed to increase community resilience for our most vulnerable.
In our mission to create an equitable and sustainable future, Ecolibrium3 is pledging to cut out meat once a week to decrease our carbon footprint and water usage while saving money and creating wellness. We want Duluth residents to join us in making healthy neighborhoods and choosing sustainable practices.
This project will include our weekly meat-free recipes from our neighbors in Duluth as well as from staff at Ecolibrium3. We would love to hear from you! Send us an e-mail directly with a recipe, or comment on our Facebook page, where the recipes will be posted on Fridays to prepare you for the week ahead. Find our recipes here
