Our mitigation efforts go hand in hand with our adaptation work.

An easy way to remember it is: 
Mitigation avoids the unmanageable, and adaptation manages the unavoidable.

We lead and participate in a myriad of mitigation efforts in our community. They are best summarized into two categories: increasing clean electricity supply and reducing demand for fossil fuels; please visit the associated links and pages to learn more.  And if you are looking for our carbon offset Footprint Fund head here:  missoulafootprint.org

Increasing Clean Electricity Supply and Options

Increasing the amount of clean electricity on our grid and produced in our community is one component of our mitigation work. 
  • Developing a road map to 100% clean electricity, with the City and County and community input
  • Helped to pass the 100% Clean Electricity Resolution 
  • Lead the 100% Clean Electricity Ad-Hoc Group 
  • Promote the installation of solar energy in our community 
  • Build community knowledge of and excitement for clean electricity through our annual Clean Energy Expo​

Reducing Demand for Fossil Fuels

In addition to increasing clean electricity supply, we also have to change the way we use energy and reduce our demand for fossil fuels. We have been leading many efforts to do so, touching on a diversity of sectors, such as:  
  • Buildings: Our Building(s) for the Future initiative aims to reduce lifecycle emissions from the community building stock 
  • Developing a new Footprint Fund to help our low income community members reduce energy and save money.
  • Transportation and Smart Growth: Changing the way we develop to promote sustainable transportation and meet our mode split goals. 
  • Energy Smart: Energy conservation efforts at home and work 
  • ​Zero Waste: We support the Zero by Fifty efforts and work closely with Home Resource, who leads those efforts.

Planning, Funding, and Measuring

All of this work has been the result of careful planning efforts. It will require the continued measurement of progress and development of innovative financing tools in order to be successful. We led the 2015 Climate Smart Community Action Plan, co-authored the 2017 Community Emissions Inventory, and have begun developing financing tools to assist this work.