|
ABOUT GREEN NOTES
GreenNotes covers environmental news, programs and events from Hennepin County.
Please take a few moments to read our stories. Share your feedback and ideas for protecting the environment.
Get a link for sharing Green Notes in email and social media by checking out the archived issues.
Email Hennepin Environment
Please forward this email to interested individuals and encourage them to sign up.
|
 The county recently completed the first phase of a landscape restoration project at the Cepro greenspace, a county-owned site between 10th and 11th avenues that includes an important trail entrance to the Midtown Greenway. The first phase included planting 13 trees from the county’s new gravel-bed nursery and two beds of low-growing shrubs. Volunteers from the Midtown Phillips neighborhood along with staff from Hennepin County and Tree Trust planted the young trees, which should grow well because of the extensive root systems developed in the gravel bed. The trees are a variety of flowering species that will eventually provide shade for park visitors.
This effort is part of the county’s Midtown Community Works program that has brought together partners for the past 20 years to support development and improvements along the Midtown Greenway. It also helps meet the county’s goal of enhancing tree canopy in urban areas.
The second phase to be completed in the spring will involve planting a variety of native, flowering perennials that are low maintenance and attract pollinators.
For more information, contact Ellen Sones at ellen.sones@hennepin.us or 612-596-1173.
|
Businesses required to recycle starting in 2016
A state law requiring commercial buildings to recycle goes into effect in 2016. The law requires property owners with buildings in the seven-county metro area with a contract for four cubic yards or more of trash per week to recycle at least three materials by January 1, 2016. Possible material types include, but are not limited to, paper, glass, plastic, metal and organics.
Businesses can get technical assistance, funds for recycling bins and other program expenses, and free labels and outreach materials from Hennepin County. Learn more about the resources available.
20 businesses become Hennepin County Environmental Partners
 Hennepin County recently recognized 20 additional businesses for their efforts to recycle and divert organic waste through composting.
The newest Hennepin County Environmental Partners all recycle materials like paper, metal, plastic and glass, and 12 of the businesses collect organic waste for composting.
The additional businesses represent a variety of industries:
|
-
Restaurants: Al Vento, Dogwood Coffee, El Norteno, Gandhi Mahal, Hamdi Restaurant, La Mexicana Supermercado, Rinata, Sassy Spoon, Sparks, Taqueria La Hacienda
-
Retailers: Ingebretsen’s, The Hub Bike Co-op, Twin Town Guitars
-
Other businesses, non-profits and service providers: Centro Tyrone Guzman, Colonial Warehouse, CorePower Yoga, ICA Food Shelf, Olympus, Phygen, Uptown Lake Apartments
Find participating businesses by searching the Hennepin Environmental Partners map. Do you know a business that should be recognized for diverting waste? Encourage them to apply to be an Environmental Partner!
For more information, contact Nancy Lo at nancy.lo@hennepin.us or 612-348-9195.
Business owners learn ways to improve recycling and coordinate efforts
 About 15 business owners from Mercado Central, a marketplace of 45 businesses on the corner of Lake Street and Bloomington Avenue in Minneapolis, recently attended a workshop focused on improving recycling. The workshop, hosted by Hennepin County and the Lake Street Council, was offered in Spanish and featured presentations on the importance of recycling, what materials can be recycled, and the resources available to businesses to improve recycling.
Mercado Central received a Hennepin County business recycling grant in 2015. Before receiving the grant, the marketplace primarily recycled cardboard and had just a few bins for cans, bottles and other materials. Now, recycling bins are available in every business. The workshop and grant offered a unique opportunity to better coordinate recycling improvements among the many restaurants and businesses that are housed in one building.
|
Deadlines are approaching to apply for funding through several grant programs:
-
Natural resource protection grants: Funding is available for projects that preserve and restore critical habitats, reduce erosion and reduce the amount of nutrients and sediment going into the county’s lakes, streams and rivers. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on November 6. Learn more.
-
Environmental education grants: Funding is available for projects that engage residents in learning about environmental issues and empower them to take action to protect the environment. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on November 6. Learn more.
-
Contaminated land cleanup grants: Funding is available for the assessment and cleanup of contaminated sites. Applications are due November 2. Learn more.
Hennepin County plants hardy, diverse trees to increase tree canopy and address emerald ash borer
 Hennepin County recently started transplanting trees from the county’s gravel-bed nursery to properties and projects throughout the county in an effort to enhance the county’s tree canopy, proactively address emerald ash borer infestations and learn more about tree species that survive well in an urban environment. In the spring, Hennepin County planted 500 trees in a gravel-bed nursery, which gives the county access to hardy, diverse and cost-effective trees. Learn more on Channel 12 and in the Star Tribune.
|
Learn about the emerald ash borer at the next Hennepin Natural Resources Partnership
The emerald ash borer is a destructive tree pest that attacks and kills ash trees. Learn about efforts to mitigate for the loss of ash trees from Hennepin County, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and the City of St. Louis Park at the next Hennepin Natural Resources Partnership meeting. The meeting will also include a discussion about Hennepin County's role and the needs of cities and partners.
The meeting will be held Tuesday, December 1 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Ridgedale Library in Minnetonka. RSVP to Stacey Lijewski at stacey.lijewski@hennepin.us or 612-348-9938.
Fix it instead of buying new this holiday season
 Believe it or not, the holiday season is just around the corner. As you dig out holiday decorations, prepare for a Thanksgiving meal and plan for gifts you may be giving, remember that Fix-It Clinics are a great opportunity to repair for free instead of buying new.
Fix-It Clinics provide an opportunity to receive free, guided assistance from handy volunteers on disassembling, troubleshooting and repairing broken holiday decorations, small household appliances, and favorite items that could be given as a give to family or friends.
|
The final Fix-It Clinics for 2015 are scheduled for:
- Saturday, November 14 from noon to 4 p.m. at Folwell Park Rec Center in Minneapolis
- Saturday, December 12 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Maple Grove Community Center
Volunteer fixers who have skills in electrical, mechanical or electronics repair, wood working, sewing or general tinkering are essential to making the clinics successful. For more information or to volunteer, contact Nancy Lo at nancy.lo@hennepin.us or 612-348-9195.
Sustainability Fair at Silverwood Park
Residents, business leaders, community groups, students and anyone interested in learning more about sustainability are invited to the second annual sustainability fair hosted by the cities of Lauderdale, St. Anthony Village and Falcon Heights, the Three Rivers Park District and the University of Minnesota Sustainability Education program.
The fair will be held Thursday, November 19 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Silverwood Park in St. Anthony. There will be a variety of organizations with ideas and resources to help you become more sustainable. The sustainability fair is family friendly, and activities for all ages will be provided.
Do it Green! Green Gifts Fair
 Kick off the holiday season at Do It Green! Minnesota’s 10th Annual Green Gifts Fair on Saturday, November 21 from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. at the Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis.
Shop more than 80 local, eco-friendly artists and businesses, catch the eco fashion show, and enjoy holiday food samples, kids’ activities, education displays and demos. You can also pick up a free copy of the 2015 Do It Green! Directory, the only green business directory in Minnesota. Be sure to stop by the Hennepin County Environment and Energy booth while you're there!
|
Cadybeth Craft Show
Find unique hand-crafted gifts for the holidays from 50 local vendors at the Cadybeth Craft Show on Saturday, November 28 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Maple Grove Community Center. Hennepin County Environment and Energy will be there to teach you how to green your celebrations this holiday season.
Green Tip
 Fall cleaning is a great way to declutter and reorganize around your home. But how do you get rid of all that stuff? Hennepin County has done the heavy lifting with the new online resource, the Green Disposal Guide, to help you get rid of your unwanted stuff that can cause frustration during fall cleaning. Here are reuse, recycling and disposal options for a few common items to help you get started:
|
-
Appliances in working condition can be donated to the Habitat for Humanity Restore or the Salvation Army. Hennepin County Drop-off Facilities accept appliances for recycling for $15 per appliance.
-
Artificial Christmas trees can be donated to Arc’s Value Village or Goodwill from October 1 to December 24.
-
Batteries can be recycled in drop-off containers at some libraries, city halls and community centers throughout Hennepin County.
-
Clothing and shoes in good condition can be donated to a thrift store.
-
DVDs, CDs and Blu-Ray discs can be donated to Arc’s Value Village, the Salvation Army or a local thrift store. They can also be recycled at a Hennepin County drop-off facility.
-
Electrical cords and holiday and string lights can be recycled at drop-off locations through the Recycle your Holidays program and are also accepted at Hennepin County drop-off facilities.
-
Electronics are accepted for recycling by some manufacturers and retailers.
-
Pesticides, such as bug sprays and weed killer, are hazardous and should be brought to a Hennepin County drop-off facility.
-
Paint can be recycled at a participating PaintCare retailer drop-off site or Hennepin County drop-off facility.
-
Yard and tree waste can be dropped off at a compost site or composted in your backyard. Some waste haulers offer pick-up service for yard waste.
|
