Sustainability goals were established for all State of Minnesota agencies as part of a statewide commitment to reduce Minnesota’s environmental footprint when Gov. Tim Walz issued Executive Order 19-27 in 2019. These goals include reducing greenhouse gas emissions and water, energy, and fuel consumption; and increasing solid waste diversion and the procurement of sustainable goods and services.

The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) is dedicated to achieving these sustainability goals without compromising the care and services provided to Minnesota’s Veterans. Annually, MDVA reports our environmental footprint metrics through the Sustainability Reporting Tool provided by the Minnesota Department Administration’s Office of Enterprise Sustainability. The agency-specific scorecards were recently updated to reflect data through 2019 and show agency progress toward meeting their goals. View MDVA’s sustainability metrics.

MDVA’s sustainability progress is a result of several projects including replacing decommissioned vehicles with electric and hybrid versions, increasing E85 use, installing low-flow shower heads, capturing stormwater for irrigation, installing LED lights, and upgrading heating and cooling systems with more energy efficient models. Many sustainability initiatives also have both economic and social benefits, so MDVA evaluates projects based on environmental considerations and potential cost savings.  

In 2020, MDVA continues to focus on increasing waste diversion by composting food scraps at the Minnesota Veterans Home – Minneapolis and Minnesota Veterans Home – Hastings and reducing fossil fuel use by switching to electric utility vehicles and landscaping equipment. As we move forward, our commitment to sustainability provides an opportunity to be a leader in providing our care and services to Minnesota Veterans without comprising the ability of future generations to meet their economic, social and environmental needs.