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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.
View all of Hennepin County's Environmental Education Resources.
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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 Why do you choose to reuse? Maybe you have kids that outgrow their stuff constantly, or you want to use good equipment for your house projects without breaking the bank, or you want to find the clothes you love to wear while sticking to your budget.
Whatever your reason, Choose to Reuse coupons help you get great deals on quality products while supporting local businesses and protecting the environment. Coupons are valid August 1 through October 31 at 50 local retailers that rent, repair, resell, consign and exchange used goods.
The free coupons are available on smart phones through the Chinook Book app, or coupon books can be picked up at participating retail locations, Hennepin County Service Centers, Hennepin County libraries and all Three Rivers Park District locations.
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Spread the word
 Hennepin County is recognizing local businesses and organizations for their efforts to recycle and divert organic waste, which includes food scraps and non-recyclable paper, from the trash through composting, sending food scraps to local farmers to feed animals, or by donating edible food.
Businesses or organizations that become a Hennepin County Environmental Partner receive window decals that communicate their efforts to customers. They are also listed in an online directory that potential customers can use to find and support businesses that are recycling and diverting organic waste from the trash.
See the Hennepin County Environmental Partners map to find businesses whose recycling practices have been recognized by the county, and apply now to become a Hennepin County Environmental Partner.
For more information, contact John Jaimez at john.jaimez@hennepin.us or call 612-348-5893.
Applications due October 15
 Grants of up to $50,000 are available to help businesses, non-profit organizations and institutions start or improve programs to reduce waste and divert recyclabling and organic waste (food and non-recyclable paper) from the trash. Most businesses and non-profits in the county are eligible to apply. These grants can be used to help businesses get recycling programs in place before the new Minnesota state law requiring businesses to recycle goes into effect.
Funding can help with the purchase of recycling containers, equipment and hauling services and minor improvements to loading docks and waste enclosures. Proposals are due by October 15. This is the final funding round for 2014. Learn more and apply.
For more information, contact Andre Xiong at andre.x.xiong@hennepin.us or call 612543-1316.
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Get free containers, resources and planning assistance
 Make the next event in your organization or community low-waste with free resources and planning assistance from Hennepin County. County staff can help you create waste reduction plans, educate vendors, train volunteers and provide collection options. The county also has portable recycling containers that can be borrowed for free to collect recycling and organics at events.
For more information, contact Carolyn Collopy at carolyn.collopy@hennepin.us or call 612-596-0993.
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Purchase a compost bin at the Brooklyn Park Drop-off Facility
Events
Tuesday, July 29
Join us for the summer Green Partners quarterly networking meeting that will be all about water! The meeting will be held Tuesday, July 29 from 10 a.m. to noon (optional networking and opportunity to check out the water protection features on site from noon to 1 p.m.) at the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization.
The meeting will be an opportunity to:
- Understand water quality and quantity issues in Hennepin County.
- Learn about water education, natural resources technical assistance and funding programs offered by the county, watersheds and non-profit partners.
- Participate in a hands-on stormwater runoff education activity.
- Share water education activity ideas and provide input on updating the county's environmental education toolkits and learning trunks.
- Collaborate and network with fellow environmental educators.
RSVP to Patience Caso at patience.caso@hennepin.us or 612-348-9352. Networking meetings are open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided.
 Hazardous waste collection events provide convenient, local opportunities for residents to get rid of unwanted automotive wastes, household, lawn and garden products, batteries, mercury-containing items and more.
Upcoming events will be held Thursday – Saturday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the following locations:
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- July 31 – August 2, Jenny Lind Elementary School, 5026 Dupont Ave. N in Minneapolis
- August 7 – 9 at South High School, 3131 19th Ave. S in Minneapolis
- August 21 – 23, 340 27th Ave. NE in Minneapolis
Please note that electronics will not be accepted at collection events. Additional collection events scheduled are scheduled in Minneapolis and Shorewood in September and October. See the full event schedule, guidelines and materials accepted.
Spread the word: Download an article, social media posts or flyer to promote the collection events.
Get free, guided assistance on disassembling, troubleshooting and fixing broken household items at an upcoming Fix-It Clinic.
Clinics are scheduled for the following dates and locations:
- Saturday, August 9, noon to 4 p.m. at the Oxboro Library in Bloomington
- Saturday, September 13, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization in northeast Minneapolis
Additional clinics have been scheduled for October through February. See the full schedule.
 Volunteer fixers are essential to making the clinics successful. If you have skills in electrical, mechanical or electronics repair, wood working, sewing or general tinkering, consider volunteering!
Spread the word: Download an article, social media posts or flyer to promote the Fix-It Clinics.
For more information or to volunteer, contact Nancy Lo at nancy.lo@hennepin.us or call 612-348-9195.
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Updated drop-off facility brochures available
The Hennepin County Drop-off Facilities brochure has been updated to a more user-friendly and visual booklet format. Order quantities of the booklet and other environmental factsheets and brochures for free through our online form.
New articles available from RethinkRecycling.com
Rethink Recycling develops newsletter articles and social media posts monthly on residential recycling topics. New articles available include:
- Eco-friendly camping, cabin and road trip ideas
- Practices the 3Rs when getting rid of old stuff
- Start composting
- Recycle electronics
Download the articles, and check out the 2014 communications calendar to find out what articles will be available this year.
The following projects have been funded through the Green Partners Environmental Education Program. For more information about Green Partners grants, contact Patience Caso at patience.caso@hennepin.us or 612-348-9352.
Elementary students encourage school and neighbors to recycle and reuse
Metro Blooms engages students to plant a rain garden at Bethune Community School
 Metro Blooms recently worked with about 60 fourth and fifth grade students at Bethune Community School to plant a rain garden. The garden will be used to educate students and the community about actions they can take to protect water quality. The garden will reduce runoff by capturing and filtering rain water – nearly 1,500 gallons during a 1-inch rainfall. The garden will be maintained by fifth graders during the school year and volunteers from Phyllis Wheatley Community Center during the summer.
Several individuals were essential in the success of this garden. Fifth grade teacher Brian Harney and assistant principal Kevin Oldenburg were integral in installing, maintaining and using the garden for education. Hennepin County sustainable landscaping specialist Ellen Sones supported the project by helping with garden design and plant selection and conducting a site visit and excavation inspection.
Noble Academy incorporates environmental education throughout school year
Noble Academy recently wrapped up their environmental initiative “It All Starts with Us,” which they implemented throughout the 2013 – 2014 school year. During the year, students learned about reducing, reusing, recycling, protecting water and conserving energy through field trips, classroom lessons and take-home family action plans. Students then created posters to share what they learned with their fellow students and families. This initiative also involved forming a green team that focused on helping students understand how they can reduce, reuse and recycle more at home and school. Learn more about this project by watching their video.
Student green team pursues hydration station to reduce bottled water
The Green Tigers, a student environmental group at Minneapolis South High School that is supported by the Will Steger Foundation's YEA! MN program, have been working to install a hydration station at their school to reduce the purchase of bottled water and encourage the use of reusable water bottles. The students raised enough money to cover the costs of the hydration station by selling reusable bottles and T-shirts, starting a crowdsourcing campaign and securing some funding through the YEA! MN's Green Partners grant. After working through administrative and logistical processes, the hydration station will be installed for the 2015 school year. Read more about the project and lessons learned.
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