WAITE PARK - Will Steger has made his living challenging his own limits. Now, he's challenging Minnesotans to reconsider the way they think about climate change and their own use of fossil fuels.

The world-renown explorer, and Minnesota native, is currently traveling through the with clean energy organization "Fresh Energy," which made a stop on Monday night at Waite Park's Bethlehem Lutheran Church.

Steger opened the evening before an audience of 100 by showing photos and videos of melting and cracking areas of the earth's polar regions.

He describes the thaw as "awe-inspiring - and not in a good way."

Steger also presented charts and graphs with data. He maintains that photos and video clips of his trips have been powerful teaching tools, because they illustrate plain science and show people what's really happening around the world on a daily basis.

Steger says you don't have to look far to see shifts. Climate change has also contributed to environmental oddities like Superstorm Sandy, the Pagami Creek fires in Ely, and the large-scale flooding in Duluth.

Following the presentation, Steger and representatives from Fresh Energy led a discussion with attendees on Minnesota's energy trends, and how to reduce use of carbon to help slow climate change.

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