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Green Partners provides updates about environmental education resources, tools, programs, grants and events to our environmental education partners.
Hennepin County has the following free environmental education resources available to partners.
Hennepin County Environmental Education & Outreach Team
Angie Timmons
Alisa Reckinger
Christina Schmitt
Mary Karius
Patience Caso
Sarah Goodspeed
Please forward this email to interested individuals and encourage them to sign up.
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Funding for recycling bins and other equipment available – apply by March 15
 Grants of up to $50,000 to help businesses, non-profit organizations and institutions start or improve programs to divert recyclables and organics (food and non-recyclable paper) from the trash are available. Most businesses and non-profits in the county—from large office buildings to churches, restaurants and apartment buildings—are eligible to apply. Funding can help with the purchase of recycling containers, equipment and hauling services and minor improvements to loading docks and waste enclosures. Learn more and apply.
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Business recycling grants awarded
The county recently awarded funding to 11 businesses and organizations in first round of business recycling grants. The following non-profit organizations received funding:
- The Bakken Museum in Minneapolis to add more containers to increase recycling by employees and guests.
- Cookie Cart, a teen employment and training program, to improve recycling, collect organics and prevent waste by replacing disposables with reusable plates, utensils and cups.
- CROSS, an organization in Rogers that provides food and clothing to families in need, for new recycling programs as well as an upgrade to its freezer to prevent waste.
Learn about all the grants awarded.
For more information, email Andre Xiong or call 612-543-1316.
Applications due February 28
 Funding is available to public and non-public, K – 12 schools for projects that implement or improve recycling and organics recycling programs. Nearly 80 percent of school waste is recyclable or compostable, and school recycling programs help educate future generations about the importance of waste reduction, recycling and environmental stewardship.
A total of $200,000 is available. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, February 28, 2014. Learn more and apply.
For more information, email Katie Alexander or call 612-348-6848.
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 Applications due March 24
Funding is available through the Community POWER (Partners on Waste Education and Reduction) for innovative projects that educate and actively engage residents in reducing waste, reusing and properly disposing of hazardous waste. Community POWER is a program of the six-county Twin Cities metro area Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board (SWMCB). Grants of up to $5,000 and $12,000 are available. Apply online at RethinkRecycling.com/grants by March 24.
For more information, email CommunityPOWER@RethinkRecycling.com or call 651-222-7227.
Funding for registration fees and buses available
 On May 1, 2014, teams of high school and junior high school students will compete in the 20th annual Metro Area Envirothon, a problem-solving natural resources competition that test the students’ knowledge of aquatics, forestry, soils and wildlife. During the event, teams of five students complete hands-on activities and give presentations on current environmental issues. The top three teams from the metro competition advance to the state Envirothon.
Hennepin County has funding available to cover the registration fees for up to 10 teams and can also help cover the cost of buses if needed. Learn more about the Envirothon and how to register.
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 We recently awarded funding to 11 organizations for projects that will provide peer-to-peer education and empower residents to take actions to protect the environment through the Green Partners Environmental Education Program.
The grants will support organizations in educating, engaging and empowering more than 6,000 residents. The groups will be working with a variety of audiences, including youth, college students, congregation members and multicultural audiences, to take action to recycle, reduce waste, reduce the use of hazardous products, conserve energy and protect water quality. Learn about the projects awarded.
Applications for the next funding round will be accepted soon
We are planning to release the request for proposals for the next Green Partners funding round in March. We’ll send an announcement when applications are being accepted – so check your email for updates!
For more information, email Patience Caso or call 612-348-9352.
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 Applications are being accepted for volunteers to collect data on the health of wetlands with the Hennepin County Wetland Health Evaluation Program (WHEP). Working in teams, volunteers collect insects and survey vegetation in order to assess the health of wetlands. This is a unique opportunity for volunteers to explore their community’s wetlands and collect valuable data that is used by partnering cities and watersheds to determine the health of water resources and to make plans for managing and protecting natural resources.
Volunteers don’t need a science background or previous experience — Hennepin County provides all of the training, equipment and leadership. Teams will be formed in the Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Maple Grove, Minneapolis and Minnetonka areas. Everyone in these cities and neighboring communities is welcome to join. The total time commitment is 15 hours per month from May through September. Volunteer applications will be accepted through June 15, 2014.
For more information or to become a volunteer, email Mary Karius or call 612-596-9129.
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Events
If you’re busy planning an event for Earth Day or any time this spring, remember the green event resources we have available and let us know how we can help!
Hennepin County Environmental Services staff is available to attend events and give presentations on a variety of environmental topics, including waste reduction, recycling, protecting land and water, reducing toxicity and more. Email Sarah Goodspeed or call 612-348-9850 to schedule your event or presentation.
Wednesday, March 26 from 2 to 4 p.m. at North Hennepin Community College, 7411 85th Avenue North in Brooklyn Park.
Join us at the next Green Partners Networking meeting to learn about hazardous household products – what are they, how can you use these products safely, how can you reduce the amount of hazardous materials you have in your home, and how do you get rid of them? We’ll go through a few hands-on education activities and take a short field trip to the Hennepin County Drop-off Facility in Brooklyn Park.
You must RSVP for the facility tour. We will arrange carpools, or you can provide your own transportation to the facility. RSVP for the meeting and/or the tour to Patience Caso at patience.caso@hennepin.us or 612-348-9352.
 Get free, guided assistance on disassembling, troubleshooting and fixing your broken household items at an upcoming Fix-It Clinic. Clinics are scheduled for the following dates and locations:
- Saturday, March 8, 2014, from noon to 4 p.m. at Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church in North Minneapolis
- Saturday, April 12, 2014, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Osseo Community Center
Lend a helping hand by becoming a volunteer! Volunteers with repair skills are critical to making this initiative a success.
For more information or to volunteer, email Nancy Lo or call 612-348-9195.
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Metro Blooms will be holding workshops for residents to learn about simple changes they can make in the way they take care of their yards that will help keep our lakes, rivers and streams clean. The three-hour workshop will cover a variety of green yard care practices, including proper use of fertilizers, disposal and reuse of yard waste, keeping sidewalks ice free, and capturing and reusing rain water onsite. Participants are also eligible for a low-cost onsite consultation and design drawing from a landscape design professional.
Workshops are scheduled during March through June at locations throughout the county, including in Bloomington, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Champlin, Edina, Minneapolis, Plymouth and St. Louis Park. See the schedule and register.
Resources and promotional materials
Spring is right around the corner, which is a great time educate others about environmental issues! We’ve got a variety of resources to get you started:
- Find environmental education lessons and activity ideas in our Environmental Education Toolkits.
- Get the supplies and display materials you need to implement activities by reserving a learning trunk.
- Take your group on a field trip and let us cover the transportation. Apply for field trip transportation through our Green Partners Seed Group. You can also get supplies, including non-toxic cleaner spray bottles, through the Seed Group.
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Order free handouts on a variety of environmental topics.
- Improve the success of your recycling program by clearly labeling your containers – we have free signs for schools, businesses and organizations, events, and apartment buildings and townhomes. Find links to these programs at www.hennepin.us/recycling.
Expand your water curriculum to include drinking water topics by attending Hamline University’s WaterWorks Institute. The three-day workshop for upper elementary and middle school science teachers will be offered August 4 – 6 in St. Paul. Teachers will get new ideas and information from expert presenters on the engineering, chemistry, geology, people, and politics of how drinking water is delivered to your home and school. Learn more and apply.
Also, check out the resources that Hamline University has pulled together for teaching youth about water. With all the snow melting, ice thawing and rivers swelling, spring is the perfect time to teach lessons on water and actions we can take to protect it.
Rethink Recycling develops newsletter articles and social media posts monthly on residential recycling topics. New articles available include:
- Why recycle more?
- Dispose of your medicines
Download the articles, and check out the 2014 communications calendar to find out what articles will be available this year.
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