For Susie Osaki Holm, MPH, and her husband Mark Holm, MD, taking personal climate action has always been important. Their St. Cloud home has undergone a transformation — they’ve just installed a heat pump system, the latest step in their journey toward an electrified, clean household. But Susie has come to understand that while individual actions make a difference in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, creating large-scale change requires something more.
“Policy is essential to effect change,” Susie explains. “It’s something that I can’t do myself. I don’t have the knowledge and expertise. So I appreciate Fresh Energy’s excellent staff who educate legislators and advocate for them to introduce and support policies for climate action.”
Susie learned about heat pumps on Fresh Energy’s website. While researching heat pumps for their home, she uncovered the wealth of information about how Mark and she could reduce their energy costs and — importantly — reduce their carbon footprint. “Fresh Energy has so many great resources,” said Susie. “I’ve told friends about their work to help people take action on clean energy.”
The experience opened Susie’s eyes to the full scope of Fresh Energy’s work — including climate policy. “I’m very grateful that Fresh Energy is so effective in their work,” she said. “It has a great staff of experts covering all the different areas: clean electricity, efficient buildings, clean transportation, and more.” She was particularly impressed by Fresh Energy’s successful defense of Minnesota’s 100% clean electricity law this spring and their advocacy at the State Legislature and Public Utilities Commission.
For Susie, who has a background in public health, the connection between climate change and public health is deeply personal. “The climate crisis is damaging the public’s health,” she said. Her dedication drives her commitment to supporting organizations that effect change at a scale beyond what individuals can accomplish alone.
What excites Susie most about Fresh Energy is their comprehensive approach and expertise in effective climate policy. “Fresh Energy is doing more than I could have imagined. All the different areas the staff addresses — I don’t have the expertise, so I’m very grateful for Fresh Energy’s,” she said.
When asked about the future she’s working toward through her support of Fresh Energy, Susie’s answer is straightforward: “I just want to save the planet from the human-caused destruction it’s going through — to protect all defenseless lives, including wildlife and those in our oceans.” She sees Fresh Energy as essential to achieving that vision. “Fresh Energy is doing good work and working toward that future.”
For residents of Greater Minnesota like Susie, Fresh Energy’s statewide impact is especially meaningful. As a resident of St. Cloud, she appreciates that the organization’s work extends beyond the metro area to benefit all Minnesotans in the transition to clean energy.
She encourages others who care about the planet and all its flora and fauna to consider supporting Fresh Energy: “If you feel like you can’t make an impact, I’d point to Fresh Energy as a group of scholars and experts that are making a difference,” she said. “My personal feeling is that we need to support organizations like Fresh Energy.”
Susie and Mark’s support as Power Circle donors reflects their understanding that tackling the climate crisis requires both personal action and systemic change — and organizations like Fresh Energy are essential to advancing that change.
You can join Susie and Mark in supporting Fresh Energy’s critical work by making a year-end contribution to Fresh Energy. For more information, please contact Meggie LaValley at lavalley@fresh-energy.org.