Job Interview: Climate activist parks cars on her lawn for the Minnesota State Fair
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As streets swell and parking fills up for the Minnesota State Fair, some will look to local neighborhoods for a spot to park their car. They might even pull onto the lawn of climate activist Tina Clarke.
Clarke is one of the many homeowners who live by the fairgrounds and open their yards to paying customers each August.
In her day job, Clarke works to combat climate change as a community resilience consultant. So she never expected to be moving gas-guzzling vehicles onto her lawn. But when she left her previous job and moved to Minnesota to help her mother in 2017, she sold her car and found a home on a bus line. That home happened to be a short distance from the fairgrounds in Como Park.
“My next door neighbors said, ‘Well, you’re looking forward to parking cars on your yard?’” Clarke responded, “Why would I park cars on my yard?”
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But she embraced it, especially when she realized it offered her a captive audience for discussing her passion. Now, when the Great Minnesota Get-Together comes around, Clarke provides parking for the day — and if drivers are willing to lend an ear, climate solutions for the future.
This conversation is a part of our Job Interview series, where we talk to everyday Minnesotans about the rewards and challenges of their work. This interview has been lightly edited for style and clarity. Click on the audio player for the original version.
Official title: community resiliency consultant
What I actually do during the State Fair: I park cars on my yard for the Minnesota State Fair. I do not leave this location for 12 days straight.
A great day at work: I have solar panels on this house, and I’ve also installed heat pumps and super insulated and I’m 100 percent electric, so I love telling hundreds of people every year and showing them what they can do, too. But my first priority is to take care of people and their cars.
A not-so-great day at work: Standing in the heat, the rain. It’s really tiring, and I don’t make as much money. But I love helping to throw the party.
What I’ve learned: I really enjoy welcoming the diversity of our whole region onto my yard. And I don’t charge a lot. I charge as little as I can get away with, without upsetting my neighbors. And also, if you charge too low, people think there’s something wrong with your yard.
Correction (Aug. 22, 2024): An earlier version of this story misspelled Tina Clarke’s last name.
Correction (Aug. 22, 2024): A previous version of this story misidentified the area Clarke lives in. The story has been updated.