Aaron Backs Email & Phone Number

Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

Helping facilitate the Metro CERT region, with an emphasis on projects that support solar and energy efficiency for underserved communities.

Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

Lead project organizer connecting affordable housing organizations with an incentivized solar program – developed process, gathered stakeholders, designed communications campaign; research, interviews, model development, and deliverable preparation for a program to increase underserved small business solar access; community and event organizer for energy efficiency ‘blitzes’ at Manufactured Home Parks, serving 300+ units in the Twin Cities metro region; designing flyers and writing blog posts, tweets, and other communications for Metro CERT.

St Paul, Minnesota, United States

Developed new way to track waste data, saving the college $4,000; helped incorporate environmental justice into Macalester’s Dirty Training program; completed data-related fields for the college’s STARS application; currently leading biweekly data team meetings, developing Scope 3 emissions tracking system, and working to divest the college from fossil fuels.

St Paul, Minnesota, United States

Completed various office tasks, projects, data analysis, and communications; helped organize events, like campus-wide Meatless Mondays, and; researched ideas to engage Macalester’s urban sustainability goals to connect with Minneapolis-St. Paul’s sustainability goals and programs.

Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Completed a self-directed and open-ended research project to lay foundation and recommendations for Native Sun’s Solar Cub k-5 curriculum program and support of the development of a k-12 Environmental Justice and Sustainable Energy Education Model; read relevant reports and articles on and interviewed experts working in climate change adaptation, climate justice, food sovereignty, and Indigenous language immersion; built an organized database of research, and; wrote and presented final report summarizing findings.**See attached for final report & presentation!

St Paul, Minnesota, United States

Oversaw community outreach and volunteer organizing for the annual free tree drive of over 70 trees; developed and conducted an email and phone survey; managed the Lily Pad and Our Village community gardens; organized and lead meetings with our volunteer group, the Tree Frogs; contracted and managed an employee; volunteered at the West Minnehaha Pollinator Path; and brainstormed and incorporated environmental justice actions into our program.

St Paul, Minnesota, United States

Tracked legislation and upcoming State Legislature committee meetings; attended, took notes, and created write-ups used by policy advisors for various committee meetings; copy-edited white sheets; wrote up bios for events the Governor & Lt. Governor would attend, and; handled rules and constituent mail.**Cut short due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, United States

Pushed personal boundaries and fostered communication and leadership skills in teenage scouts through COPE Program facilitation; helped teach scouts the Climbing merit badge; Class 1 certified in Scouts BSA COPE/Climbing courses; Scouts BSA CPR certified

Manchester Township, Pennsylvania, United States

Took a gap year after high school to work a full-time, night shift position as a recyclable sorter to help finance for college; promoted to Sorter A position in August 2017; promoted to Baler Operator in October 2017; OSHA certified and proficient at forklift, scissor lift, skid steer, and lock-out/tag-out.

Bachelor Of Arts - Ba, Environmental Studies, Political Science, 3.91

Education record