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ABOUT GREEN NOTES
GreenNotes covers environmental news, programs and events from Hennepin County.
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 Most commercial buildings in the seven-county metro area must be recycling at least three materials by January 1, 2016, according to state law. To help businesses, nonprofit organizations and institutions start or improve recycling programs, Hennepin County provides funding, technical assistance and guidance on best practices.
The following grant options are available:
- Option 1: Receive up to $10,000. Applications accepted and reviewed beginning January 1 on an ongoing basis
- Option 2: Receive $10,000 to $50,000. Applications accepted and reviewed three times per year on February 15, June 15 and October 15.
Learn more and apply.
For more information, contact Andre Xiong at andre.x.xiong@hennepin.us or 612-543-1316.
 Know a school that could use help to start or improve their recycling program? Hennepin County has recycling grants available for public, charter and private K – 12 schools to implement or improve recycling and organics recycling programs.
Learn more about the grant program and get feedback on project ideas at an information meeting:
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- Wednesday, January 27 from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. at the Brookdale Library in Meeting Room C
- Tuesday, February 2 from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. at the Ridgedale Library in the Robert H Rolf Meeting Room
Applications are due by 4 p.m. on Friday February 26.
For more information or to get feedback on a project idea, contact Kira Berglund at kira.berglund@hennepin.us or 612-596-1498.
 A mobile decontamination unit the Three Rivers Park District purchased with funding from a Hennepin County AIS prevention grant.
Hennepin County received more than $470,000 in 2014 and 2015 from the State of Minnesota for programs that prevent the introduction or limit the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS). The county has used the funding in a variety of ways, including to:
- Develop a concept plan for a permanent regional boat washing station.
- Enhance public access inspections.
- Support innovative education efforts.
- Research milfoil genetics for possible control strategies.
- Train residents on AIS detection.
- Provide grant funding for projects that allow partners to work on a variety of issues at the local level.
Learn more about the county’s AIS prevention program in the 2015 report.
Applications for AIS prevention grants due January 15
Local government agencies and nonprofit organizations in Hennepin County can apply now for funding to implement projects that prevent the spread of AIS. Applications due by January 15, 2016. Learn more and apply.
For more information, contact Tony Brough at tony.brough@hennepin.us or 612-348-4378.
 Hennepin County recently awarded eight grants totaling more than $97,000 to improve recycling in parks, at recreation centers, along business districts and in other public spaces. Grants were awarded to the University of Minnesota and the cities of Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Minneapolis, New Hope, St. Bonifacius, St. Louis Park and Tonka Bay.
The projects will add 270 recycling containers in parks and public spaces, expanding opportunities for the public to recycle while on the go. Several of the projects will add recycling containers and service in parks and public spaces where recycling has never been offered before. Learn more about the grants awarded.
For more information, contact Carolyn Collopy at carolyn.collopy@hennepin.us or 612-596-0993.
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Hennepin County has given tours and educational presentations to 13 teams of youth as they prepare to compete in the Lego Robotics First Lego League with the focus this year being Trash Trek. Lego League is an international team competition for students ages 9 to 16 with more than 200,000 participants throughout the United States. The competition challenges teams to create a solution to a common solid waste problem and design a Lego robot that must complete a course including waste sorting and other activities. The top scoring teams in the state championship tournament are invited to participate in an international competition in February.
Through the tours, presentations and resources provided by the county, youth were able to see real-world examples of the problems they were working to solve. County experts were available to answer detailed questions related to recycling, waste reduction, hazardous waste processing and reduction, organics recycling, and solid waste facilities. At least two of the teams helped by Hennepin County are moving forward to the sectional level of competition.
For more information, contact Angie Ziobro at angela.ziobro@hennepin.us or 612-348-9850.
Hennepin County had great year working with our many partners to protect and improve the environment. Before we say farewell to 2015, check out some of our highlights and accomplishments.
Supported increased recycling
 Continued the Recycle Everywhere campaign with a focus on recycling in every room, filling 850 orders of 37,000 recycling guides, labels, bags and other educational materials for residents.
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- Awarded more than $640,000 in grants to 70 business, nonprofits, schools and public entities to reduce waste, increase recycling and start organics recycling.
- Recognized 160 businesses for their efforts to recycle and divert organic waste through the Environmental Partners program.
- Provided educational materials and on-site assistance about recycling to more than 8,000 apartment, condo and townhouse units in 42 buildings.
- Assisted the City of Minneapolis with public outreach for their new residential organics recycling program in which 30 percent of households have already signed up to participate.
- Helped the Minnesota Twins expand organics recycling to all areas of Target Field.
Encouraged waste reduction and reuse
Continued to offer monthly Fix-it Clinics, which prevented more than 5,800 pounds of waste in 2015.
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- Piloted a multifamily reuse program that has already diverted more than 3,000 pounds of waste at eight properties in the first few months of the program.
- Supported 57 local reuse businesses through the annual Choose to Reuse coupon book campaign.
- Supported the University of Minnesota’s Pack and Give Back program, which diverted more than 110,000 pounds of waste in 2015.
Properly disposed of hazardous waste
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Launched the new Green Disposal Guide to help residents find information on the best way to recycle, reuse or dispose of household items.
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Protected land and water
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Established a gravel-bed nursery with more than 500 trees of 12 different species. The trees were transplanted to a variety of county projects and properties. |
- Used funding from the State of Minnesota for programs to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.
- Awarded 18 Environmental Response Fund grants totaling more than $2 million to fund a variety of contaminated land assessment and cleanup measures that will create jobs, enhance green space and increase affordable housing.
- Funded six natural resources grants totaling $155,920 to incorporate best management practices such as bio-retention ponds, rain gardens and permeable pavers in a variety of projects.
Provided environmental education
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Piloted NatureFest, an environmental education field day that engaged more than 200 fifth graders in learning about nature and actions they can take to protect the environment at the Three Rivers Park District’s Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park. |
- Engaged more than 20,000 of youth through a variety of programs that help them learn about the environment and actions they can take to protect it.
- Engaged volunteers, including more than 100 citizen scientist volunteers who monitored water quality at 60 wetland and stream sites, 73 Fix-it Clinic volunteers who repair more than 800 items and more than 300 Master Recycler/Composter volunteers who have contributed more than 5,000 hours to date improving recycling in their communities.
Received recognition
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From the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the Surly Brewery project, which was named a Brownfields success story of the year. |
- At the Environmental Initiative Awards for the Master Recycler/Composter, Green Partners Environmental Education, University of Minnesota’s Pack and Give Back, and Freshwater Society’s Master Water Stewards program.
Fix-It Clinics
 Got broken stuff lying around the house? Resolve to fix it in the new year! Get free, guided assistance from handy volunteers on disassembling, troubleshooting and repairing small household appliances, clothing, electronics, mobile devices and more at an upcoming Fix-it Clinic. Your chances of getting your item repaired are good – nearly 80 percent of items brought in to a Fix-It Clinic in 2015 were successfully fixed.
Upcoming Fix-It Clinics are scheduled for the following dates and locations:
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- Saturday, January 9 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Armatage Rec Center in south Minneapolis
- Saturday, February 13 from noon to 4 p.m. at Waite Park in northeast Minneapolis
- Saturday, March 12 from noon to 4 p.m. at Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners in Plymouth
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.
 During the winter, salt is a commonly used to keep roads, parking lots and sidewalks clear of ice and snow. In fact, it’s estimated that more than 350,000 tons of salt are used in the metro area each year.
According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), our waters should follow the advice our doctors have been giving for years: stick to a low-salt diet. That’s because rock salt, which contains chloride, can pollute surface and groundwater and can be harmful to fish and other freshwater wildlife. Once it’s in the water, chloride becomes a permanent pollutant that continues to accumulate in the environment over time.
To address these issues, the MPCA partnered with local and state experts in the Twin Cities metro area to create a plan for effectively managing salt use to protect our water resources while providing safe conditions.
Here are some steps that everyone can take to make a difference:
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Support smart salting. Support local and state winter maintenance crews in their efforts to reduce salt use.
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Shovel first. The more snow and ice you remove, the less salt you will have to use and the more effective it can be. After the ice has been broken up, you can decide whether deicer is even necessary to maintain traction.
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Apply salt before a storm. Salting before can prevent snow and ice from building up, therefore reducing overall salt use.
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Slow down. Drive for winter conditions and be courteous to slow-moving plows. The slower they drive, the more salt will stay on the road where it’s needed.
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Remember that more salt does not mean more melting. Use less than four pounds of salt per 1,000 square feet (an average parking space is about 150 square feet). And be patient; salt takes time to work.
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Use sand for traction below 15 degrees as most salts stop working at this temperature.
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Sweep up extra salt. If salt or sand is visible on dry pavement, it is no longer doing any work and will be washed away. The excess can be swept up and reused for the next snow or disposed of in the trash.
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