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ABOUT GREEN NOTES
GreenNotes covers environmental news, programs and events from Hennepin County.
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 The Osseo Police Department, in partnership with Hennepin County and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, recently opened a medicine drop box at their location at 415 Central Ave in Osseo. There are now seven medicine drop boxes located throughout the county. All types of medicines, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, supplements and pet medicines in all forms are accepted at the drop boxes. Properly disposing of medicines is important to prevent accidental poisoning and abuse and protect the environment.
For more information, contact Ryan Gastecki at ryan.gastecki@hennepin.us or 612-348-8994.
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 Ever wonder how recycling and composting works, or how we can recycle more and reduce waste? Learn about waste prevention, recycling and composting from industry experts and field trips to local recycling facilities during the six-week Master Recycler/Composter course.
Once training is complete, participants commit to volunteer 30 hours inspiring others in their communities to reduce waste, recycle more and compost. Volunteer activities include staffing booths at events and designing and implementing waste reduction and recycling projects.
The spring course starts March 8 and will be held Tuesday evenings from 6 to 8:30 p.m. through April 12. Classes will be held at the Center for Changing Lives, 2400 Park Ave S in Minneapolis.
Learn more and register.
For more information, contact Carolyn Collopy at carolyn.collopy@hennepin.us or 612-596-0993.
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Farmers, rural landowners and agricultural supply businesses can apply for low-interest loans through the Hennepin County Agricultural Best Management Practices Program to make improvements or implement practices that will reduce or prevent nonpoint source pollution. Hennepin County works with local banks to provide these loans.
Examples of eligible projects include:
- Animal waste control systems
- Practices that reduce erosion from runoff, such as grass waterways, erosion and sediment control basins and terraces
- Purchase of conservation tillage equipment
- Upgrades and improvements to existing individual sewage treatment systems
Applications are accepted year round. For more information and to apply, contact Greg Senst at greg.senst@hennepin.us or 612-348-4659.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is hosting meetings to gather input from key stakeholders for the development of the 2016 – 2036 Metropolitan Area Solid Waste Management Policy Plan that is due to be completed by the end of the year.
A public meeting will be held Thursday, March 3 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the Wellstone Center, Room 271A, 179 Robie Street East in Saint Paul. Members of the public are encouraged to attend this meeting, and an RSVP is not necessary.
Attendees will have an opportunity to share their ideas on:
- Reducing the amount and toxicity of garbage in the Twin Cities.
- Recycling and composting more.
- Recovering energy from what isn’t recycled.
- Minimizing negative environmental and human health impacts.
 Every year, Hennepin County receives state funding that is distributed to cities in the county to support residential recycling and organics recycling programs. In an effort to increase recycling, the Minnesota legislature allocated additional funding to counties last year. Hennepin County received an additional $800,000, of which $400,000 was specifically made available to cities with curbside organics recycling programs.
The purpose of the funding, which was allocated to 13 cities, is to support strategies that increase participation in organics recycling programs and divert additional organic material from the trash. Cities are using the funding in a variety of ways, including to promote their programs, increase educational efforts, offset the cost of service, and provide supplies such as compostable bags and kitchen pails to participants.
For more information, contact Ben Knudson at ben.knudson@hennepin.us or 612-596-1176.
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Hennepin County licenses about 5,000 businesses that generate hazardous wastes to ensure their wastes are properly managed to prevent pollution and protect health and the environment. The county offers training to help businesses understand the hazardous waste rules and the steps they need to take to be in compliance. This training is now available online.
Businesses that have staff who are knowledgeable about the proper way to manage hazardous waste can avoid violations and enforcement actions, saving time and effort for both the business and the county. The online training format allows staff at licensed businesses to go through the training at their own pace without needing to spend an entire day at an in-person class.
 An Environmental Response Fund grant will be used to clean up contaminated soil along the proposed East Bank Trail in northeast Minneapolis.
Hennepin County recently awarded eight Environmental Response Fund grants totaling $1.2 million to fund asbestos and lead paint abatement and contaminated soil assessment and cleanup at contaminated sites where the added environmental costs hinder site improvements or redevelopment. Environmental Response Fund grants support a variety of projects that promote economic development by increasing the tax base, creating permanent jobs, enhancing greenspace and developing affordable housing. Grants were awarded for projects in Golden Valley, Minneapolis, Mound and St. Louis Park. Learn more about the projects awarded.
For more information, contact John Evans at john.evans@hennepin.us or 612-348-4046.
Updated resources available
Hennepin County provides a wide variety of environmental education resources to support partners in educating residents about actions they can take to protect the environment. Some new and updated resources have recently been added:
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New and updated factsheets, brochures and handouts: including a magnet to promote the new Green Disposal Guide, updated battery recycling factsheet, updated medicine program flyers, How to Get Rid of It Guide and recycling guides in numerous languages and a new organics recycling guide. Order free printed copies through the environmental literature order form.
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Additional learning trunks: including an overhauled packaging waste reduction learning trunk, a new water quality game, and demonstration kit about the relative scarcity of freshwater. Reserve a learning trunk for an upcoming class or event.
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Newsletter articles, social media posts and images: information to share through your communication channels is available on a variety of topics including recycling, reducing waste, organics recycling, composting, disposing of hazardous waste, and protecting land and water. See the articles and images available.
Green Partners Networking meeting: learn about watershed games
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Date: Thursday, March 17, 2016
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Time: 3 to 5 p.m. (optional networking from 5 to 5:30 p.m.)
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Location: Sumner Library, 611 Van White Memorial Blvd, Minneapolis in the Nellie Stone Johnson Meeting Room
Join us to learn how you can bring the NEMO watershed games to your community. The watershed game is an interactive tool that helps participants understand the connection between land use and water quality. Participants learn how a variety of land uses impact water and natural resources, increase their knowledge of best management practices, and learn how their choices can protect water quality. The game can be used to engage participants in applying plans, practices, and policies that help achieve water quality goals for streams, lakes, and rivers. Different versions of the game are available for adult and youth audiences.
Networking meetings are open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided. RSVP to Patience Caso at patience.caso@hennepin.us or 612-348-9352.
Learn ways to protect the environment at upcoming community events
Hennepin County staff and volunteers will be out in the community at numerous events this spring with information on actions you can take to protect the environment by reducing waste, recycling, properly disposing of hazardous materials and implementing green yard practices to protect water. Get your questions answered by stopping at our table at any of these events:
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Eden Prairie Everything Spring Expo: Saturday, March 19 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Grace Church, 9301 Eden Prairie Rd in Eden Prairie
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Whittier Alliance Annual Meeting: Thursday, March 24 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Whittier International Elementary, 315 W 26th St in Minneapolis
Fix-It Clinics
 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.
Fix-It Clinics are scheduled for the following dates and locations:
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- Saturday, March 12 from noon to 4 p.m. at Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners in Plymouth
- Saturday, April 23 from noon to 4 p.m. at Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Rec Center in south Minneapolis
- Saturday, May 14 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Gramercy Park Cooperative in Richfield
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.
 More than one-third of our trash is organic material that can be composted. Recycling organics, including food scraps and non-recyclable paper, is an easy way to reduce your trash and make a difference!
More residential organics recycling options are available with organics recycling being offered citywide in Minneapolis this year and with Loretto, Medina, St. Louis Park, Wayzata and nine other cities already offering organics recycling programs in parts or all of the city. Additionally, there are several drop-off options for residents, and businesses and schools are increasingly participating in organics recycling programs.
Just like any new routine, figuring out the best way to collect organic materials for recycling in your home can take some time. To get started, follow these tips when setting up organics recycling at home:
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Learn what materials can go in the organics recycling bin. This includes all food scraps; food-soiled paper products like napkins, paper towels and pizza boxes from delivery; certified compostable paper and plastic cups, plates, bowls and utensils; and other compostable items like coffee grounds and filters, houseplants and flowers, and wooden items like chopsticks.
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Use a kitchen pail lined with a compostable bag to collect food scraps, paper towels and food-soiled paper. If you’re worried about pests or smells, remember to bring your organic materials out to your organics recycling cart frequently, or you can keep “wet” organics in a container in your refrigerator or freezer until you are ready to bring it out to your organics recycling cart.
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Collect organics and recycling throughout your home, including in the bathroom, bedrooms, and office.
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Label your containers so everyone in your household knows how to sort their waste. Order free labels for your home recycling, organics and trash bins.
See the Organics Recycling Guide to learn more about what materials are and are not accepted.
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