Noelle Bakken (she/her)
@noellebakken.bsky.social
Nerd for sustainability, urbanism, knitting, birds, etc. Be a nerd with me!
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
Former oil and gas workers are taking their skills to a new, cleaner industry: Geothermal.
From @grist.org:
From @grist.org:
Oil and gas workers find an easy segue into geothermal jobs
A vast pool of technical expertise is ready to tap the tremendous promise of enhanced geothermal.
www.canarymedia.com
March 10, 2026 at 7:31 PM
Former oil and gas workers are taking their skills to a new, cleaner industry: Geothermal.
From @grist.org:
From @grist.org:
While some might view climate change as a niche topic, I often point out that its effects are connected to literally everything - and that includes DHS and immigration. MinnPost was kind enough to publish my op ed digging into that - www.minnpost.com/community-vo...
Vulnerable Minnesotans need protection from ICE, climate change
Immigration, climate change and the dehumanizing Operation Metro Surge actions of ICE and DHS are deeply connected.
www.minnpost.com
February 16, 2026 at 2:51 PM
While some might view climate change as a niche topic, I often point out that its effects are connected to literally everything - and that includes DHS and immigration. MinnPost was kind enough to publish my op ed digging into that - www.minnpost.com/community-vo...
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
I'm pretty proud of this poem I made out of the euphemisms that companies used to describe the ICE occupation in corporate communications. Also read the whole story: racketmn.com/corporate-co...
February 12, 2026 at 9:56 PM
I'm pretty proud of this poem I made out of the euphemisms that companies used to describe the ICE occupation in corporate communications. Also read the whole story: racketmn.com/corporate-co...
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
Football-Themed Napkins At Super Bowl Party Too Nonabsorbent, Painful To Use On Mouth https://theonion.com/football-themed-napkins-at-super-bowl-party-too-nonabsorbent-painful-to-use-on-mouth/
February 9, 2026 at 12:35 AM
Football-Themed Napkins At Super Bowl Party Too Nonabsorbent, Painful To Use On Mouth https://theonion.com/football-themed-napkins-at-super-bowl-party-too-nonabsorbent-painful-to-use-on-mouth/
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
In case you’re wondering if whistling and cameras work, today when agents were coming out of Burger King and I was at the door directly in front of them as they walked out they went “oh fuck” and quickly pulled up their masks and ran back to their car before driving off.
There was so much ICE activity today. A group of agents spent the whole morning inside Jimmy’s Bar and then ended up driving erratically all throughout the Holland & Como neighborhoods, eventually trying to park at the 2nd precinct police station.
February 7, 2026 at 11:01 PM
In case you’re wondering if whistling and cameras work, today when agents were coming out of Burger King and I was at the door directly in front of them as they walked out they went “oh fuck” and quickly pulled up their masks and ran back to their car before driving off.
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
i have just gotten off a productive call with sauron where i laid out our requests
- nazgul bodycams
- morgul knife must remain sheathed unless suspect is determined to be carrying the one ring
- shelob will be the new point of contact
- nazgul bodycams
- morgul knife must remain sheathed unless suspect is determined to be carrying the one ring
- shelob will be the new point of contact
January 27, 2026 at 3:15 PM
i have just gotten off a productive call with sauron where i laid out our requests
- nazgul bodycams
- morgul knife must remain sheathed unless suspect is determined to be carrying the one ring
- shelob will be the new point of contact
- nazgul bodycams
- morgul knife must remain sheathed unless suspect is determined to be carrying the one ring
- shelob will be the new point of contact
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
A windchill of around -30F didn’t stop what organizers say was 50,000 from marching through Minneapolis in one of, if not the largest, march in Minnesota history.
Protesters demand accountability in the killing of Renee Good and removal of the federal agents that have upended daily life in MN.
Protesters demand accountability in the killing of Renee Good and removal of the federal agents that have upended daily life in MN.
January 24, 2026 at 12:53 AM
A windchill of around -30F didn’t stop what organizers say was 50,000 from marching through Minneapolis in one of, if not the largest, march in Minnesota history.
Protesters demand accountability in the killing of Renee Good and removal of the federal agents that have upended daily life in MN.
Protesters demand accountability in the killing of Renee Good and removal of the federal agents that have upended daily life in MN.
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
Highlighting the places that are offering free meals or warm indoor space for community:
-The Cargo Bike Shop (indoor space w/ free coffee)
-Catzen Coffee (indoor space w/free coffee)
-Farina Rosa (free meal noon-1:30)
-Lotus Restaurant (free Pho noon-4)
-Mayday Cafe (free meal 10am-1:30pm)
1/2
-The Cargo Bike Shop (indoor space w/ free coffee)
-Catzen Coffee (indoor space w/free coffee)
-Farina Rosa (free meal noon-1:30)
-Lotus Restaurant (free Pho noon-4)
-Mayday Cafe (free meal 10am-1:30pm)
1/2
there are a bunch of big names on this list, including multiple beard award winners, and some places i never would have guessed in a hundred years (the malt shop?!) and i'm genuinely floored and delighted to see so many participants
bringmethenews.com/minnesota-li...
bringmethenews.com/minnesota-li...
List of Minnesota businesses closing for Jan. 23 anti-ICE strike
First announced by faith leaders and unions on Jan. 13, Minnesota businesses have begun announcing plans to join the action.
bringmethenews.com
January 23, 2026 at 4:06 AM
Highlighting the places that are offering free meals or warm indoor space for community:
-The Cargo Bike Shop (indoor space w/ free coffee)
-Catzen Coffee (indoor space w/free coffee)
-Farina Rosa (free meal noon-1:30)
-Lotus Restaurant (free Pho noon-4)
-Mayday Cafe (free meal 10am-1:30pm)
1/2
-The Cargo Bike Shop (indoor space w/ free coffee)
-Catzen Coffee (indoor space w/free coffee)
-Farina Rosa (free meal noon-1:30)
-Lotus Restaurant (free Pho noon-4)
-Mayday Cafe (free meal 10am-1:30pm)
1/2
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
still feels like folks outside of MN are kind of not getting it: our state has been under attack for over a month, and the resistance is being organized by literally your regular old neighbors and coworkers and friends.
Voices of the MN Occupation - Racket
A real-time oral history of the ICE assault on Minnesota
racketmn.com
January 22, 2026 at 6:20 PM
still feels like folks outside of MN are kind of not getting it: our state has been under attack for over a month, and the resistance is being organized by literally your regular old neighbors and coworkers and friends.
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
Photo by Pierre Lavie. Yes this is me. And I threw my Leica. It landed on the bass plate with hardly a scratch. Another Photographer grabbed it along with my phone and I was able to track him later. I was held face down tear gas deployed right in front of me and pepper sprayed directly into the eye.
January 17, 2026 at 2:57 PM
Photo by Pierre Lavie. Yes this is me. And I threw my Leica. It landed on the bass plate with hardly a scratch. Another Photographer grabbed it along with my phone and I was able to track him later. I was held face down tear gas deployed right in front of me and pepper sprayed directly into the eye.
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
A new ongoing feature we hope we don't have to keep doing for too long.
These rolling updates below will provide nugget-sized intel/links/embeds amid this dizzyingly depressing news cycle, hopefully making you feel a little better-informed and/or connected to your community.
MN ICE Watch Jan. 12-16: Daily Updates on Trump's Invading Troops - Racket
Your one-stop shop for real-time ICE watching.
racketmn.com
January 13, 2026 at 7:53 PM
A new ongoing feature we hope we don't have to keep doing for too long.
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
if you want to know what it is like in minneapolis, I don’t even have to scroll on facebook to find a horror story. it’s basically my whole feed.
everyone i know in minneapolis is seeing ICE take people—at gas stations, taquerias, bus stops, schools. just snatching random people.
everyone i know in minneapolis is seeing ICE take people—at gas stations, taquerias, bus stops, schools. just snatching random people.
January 10, 2026 at 2:12 PM
if you want to know what it is like in minneapolis, I don’t even have to scroll on facebook to find a horror story. it’s basically my whole feed.
everyone i know in minneapolis is seeing ICE take people—at gas stations, taquerias, bus stops, schools. just snatching random people.
everyone i know in minneapolis is seeing ICE take people—at gas stations, taquerias, bus stops, schools. just snatching random people.
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
Part of the unbearable stupidity of the current administration is its feckless enthusiasm for doing things that seem like manly feats of strength to manosphere idiots and also make this country weaker...all the way down to Pete Hegseth and his belief that pushups are a top military strategy.
Notes on Unbearable Stupidity, January 6, 2026 Edition
"A year ago, I went to Copenhagen to write about the political crisis Trump had created over Greenland," Anne Appelbaum said the other day on the hellsite formerly known as Twitter. "Danes told me tha...
www.meditationsinanemergency.com
January 6, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Part of the unbearable stupidity of the current administration is its feckless enthusiasm for doing things that seem like manly feats of strength to manosphere idiots and also make this country weaker...all the way down to Pete Hegseth and his belief that pushups are a top military strategy.
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
I see there’s a post about microplastics going around with a photo of drinking straws, so here is my semi-regular reminder that the 3 biggest sources of microplastics are tires (45%), synthetic clothing particles (35%) and paint (~10%).
Lay article attached:
Lay article attached:
One of the biggest microplastic pollution sources isn’t straws or grocery bags – it’s your tires
Every few years, the tires on your car wear thin and need to be replaced. But where does that lost tire material go? The answer, unfortunately, is often waterways, where the tiny microplastic particle...
www.pbs.org
December 24, 2025 at 4:49 AM
I see there’s a post about microplastics going around with a photo of drinking straws, so here is my semi-regular reminder that the 3 biggest sources of microplastics are tires (45%), synthetic clothing particles (35%) and paint (~10%).
Lay article attached:
Lay article attached:
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
President Trump tried to stop the clean energy transition in its tracks this year. It didn’t work.
Chart: Clean energy remains dominant in the US — despite Trump
Trump spent much of 2025 boosting fossil fuels and blocking renewables, but 92% of new power additions through November were solar, wind, or batteries.
www.canarymedia.com
December 21, 2025 at 12:55 PM
President Trump tried to stop the clean energy transition in its tracks this year. It didn’t work.
Amazing tribute Melissa Hortman that’s well worth reading. Still an unbelievable loss - I’ll never forget where I was when I heard the news. www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
Melissa Hortman Died in a Shocking Act of Political Violence. This Is the Story of Her Life
Melissa Hortman died in a shocking act of political violence. This is her story
www.rollingstone.com
December 20, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Amazing tribute Melissa Hortman that’s well worth reading. Still an unbelievable loss - I’ll never forget where I was when I heard the news. www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
Behold: the first-ever list of news outlets that have banned generative AI in their reporting. As of today, this is literally information that you cannot find on Google.
My goal is to fill the starter pack, so please send over suggestions with supporting evidence!
go.bsky.app/8cn1XfT
My goal is to fill the starter pack, so please send over suggestions with supporting evidence!
go.bsky.app/8cn1XfT
December 17, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Behold: the first-ever list of news outlets that have banned generative AI in their reporting. As of today, this is literally information that you cannot find on Google.
My goal is to fill the starter pack, so please send over suggestions with supporting evidence!
go.bsky.app/8cn1XfT
My goal is to fill the starter pack, so please send over suggestions with supporting evidence!
go.bsky.app/8cn1XfT
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
Another win for offshore wind: A judge has overturned Trump’s freeze on wind project permitting.
Judge strikes down Trump’s order blocking wind farm approvals
A coalition of 18 attorneys general prevail in their lawsuit, saying Trump's freeze will raise their states' energy costs and jeopardize climate goals.
www.canarymedia.com
December 10, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Another win for offshore wind: A judge has overturned Trump’s freeze on wind project permitting.
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
The staff of Move Minneapolis are incredible and capable folks. If you know of opportunities in the transportation space, please send them their way.
@moveminneapolis.bsky.social
@moveminneapolis.bsky.social
Move Minneapolis is shutting down at the end of this month.
December 10, 2025 at 4:39 PM
The staff of Move Minneapolis are incredible and capable folks. If you know of opportunities in the transportation space, please send them their way.
@moveminneapolis.bsky.social
@moveminneapolis.bsky.social
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
We ask everyone outside of the car to be safe so that drivers can be dangerous
November 26, 2025 at 2:48 PM
We ask everyone outside of the car to be safe so that drivers can be dangerous
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
An underappreciated aspect of Democratic leaders' 'age problem' is the shame of aging in a society that equates worth with productivity. That shame is shaping who stays, who steps aside, and who steps up, and it’s already altering the political landscape ahead of 2026.
Democrats Have an Age Problem Because America Has a Shame Problem
The psychology behind aging politicians' reluctance to step aside
thinkbigpicture.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:08 AM
An underappreciated aspect of Democratic leaders' 'age problem' is the shame of aging in a society that equates worth with productivity. That shame is shaping who stays, who steps aside, and who steps up, and it’s already altering the political landscape ahead of 2026.
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
"Quiet, piggy" should be in the canon of famous presidential quotes alongside "You win", "four score..." and "Fool me once..." www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
‘Unforgivable’: Trump’s ‘piggy’ insult is stoking more outrage than usual
The clip of the US president on Air Force One last Friday has taken off without much help from the media itself
www.theguardian.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:59 PM
"Quiet, piggy" should be in the canon of famous presidential quotes alongside "You win", "four score..." and "Fool me once..." www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
The conversation between Klein and Coates showed me that a lot of people who screech about “infighting” on the left aren’t aware of the fact that marginalized people have been forced to learn how to regulate their emotions during conflict, and so, are better able to hear what’s actually being said.
October 2, 2025 at 2:39 PM
The conversation between Klein and Coates showed me that a lot of people who screech about “infighting” on the left aren’t aware of the fact that marginalized people have been forced to learn how to regulate their emotions during conflict, and so, are better able to hear what’s actually being said.
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
However complicated you think these immigration processes are, I promise they are even more arcane, confusing, and harder to navigate.
I Came to Minnesota From Venezuela 2 Years Ago. Now I Have to Go Back. - Racket
This is what it looks like when the U.S. terminates your immigration program.
racketmn.com
March 31, 2025 at 4:35 PM
However complicated you think these immigration processes are, I promise they are even more arcane, confusing, and harder to navigate.
Reposted by Noelle Bakken (she/her)
Who wants some good news?
The overwintering monarch population, which had plummeted last winter, has doubled this winter! www.worldwildlife.org/stories/east...
The overwintering monarch population, which had plummeted last winter, has doubled this winter! www.worldwildlife.org/stories/east...
Eastern Monarch Butterfly Population Nearly Doubles
The population wintering in central Mexico's forests occupied 4.42 acres, up from 2.22 acres during the previous winter.
www.worldwildlife.org
March 18, 2025 at 5:32 AM
Who wants some good news?
The overwintering monarch population, which had plummeted last winter, has doubled this winter! www.worldwildlife.org/stories/east...
The overwintering monarch population, which had plummeted last winter, has doubled this winter! www.worldwildlife.org/stories/east...