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ABOUT GREEN NOTES
GreenNotes covers environmental news, programs and events from Hennepin County.
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Recycling progress report shows decrease in waste generated, small increase in recycling
 The 2015 Hennepin County Recycling Progress Report provides an update on progress being made toward the county’s recycling and waste diversion goals. The report also outlines strategies the county will pursue to encourage waste reduction and recycling.
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Highlights include:
- In 2015, 82 percent of the waste generated in Hennepin County was diverted from landfills and reused, recycled, composted, or burned to create energy. This is a rate on par with national leaders.
- The total amount of waste generated in Hennepin County decreased by 2.4 percent, or nearly 34,000 tons, in 2015 compared to 2014. The amount of waste generated per capita in the county has decreased by 20 percent since 2007 despite improvements in the economy. This is notable as historically a stronger economy and increases in employment have been correlated with more waste generation.
- Recycling increased to 43 percent in 2015, a 2 percent increase compared to 2014. The 2015 results continue the trend of small but consistent annual increases since 2010; however, this is short of the 2015 goal.
- Organics recycling remained at 3 percent in 2015. Two opposing trends underlie the overall organics recycling results with composting continuing to increase and food-to-animals continuing to decrease.
- Trends in the waste management industry impact Hennepin County’s ability to meet its recycling goals. These trends include changes in the material mix with more plastic and less paper, packaging getting lighter, processing costs increasing and commodity prices falling. All of these trends mean that more and better recycling is required to maintain or increase the recycling rate.
For more information, contact Paul Kroening at paul.kroening@hennepin.us or 612-348-6358.
County sorts through trash to uncover solutions to our waste problem
 To find out what it will take to achieve the goal of recycling 75 percent of waste by 2030, Hennepin County conducted a waste study in May to learn more about what residents are throwing away and what opportunities we are missing to recycle more.
The study involved sorting trash into material categories – like plastic, paper, metal, glass and organics – then characterizing the materials based on what already is recyclable in residential recycling programs and what materials currently go in the trash. A secondary sort examined the waste by “retail” categories, or where consumers buy products in a store and where waste is generated in their homes. This will help us understand if the packaging and goods we buy are recyclable or not, and from what areas of a store and our homes are we generating a lot of trash or missing recycling opportunities. The results of the study will be available later this summer.
Learn more on Kare11, Star Tribune, Southwest Journal, Sun Post and WCCO.
For more information, contact Ben Knudson at ben.knudson@hennepin.us or 612-596-1176.
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 On May 24, the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners adopted the county’s Natural Resources Strategic Plan. The plan will guide the county and its partners in responding to natural resource issues and developing policies and programs that improve, protect and preserve our natural resources.
The primary need for the plan is to provide clear direction to guide natural resources work in the county and support applications for natural resources funding. The county has delivered conservation services for more than a decade and is currently the only county in Minnesota with the duties and authorities of a soil and water conservation district.
For more information, contact Randy Anhorn at randy.anhorn@hennepin.us or 612-348-2027.
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 Grants are available to businesses and organizations to start or improve recycling and organics recycling programs. A little more than half of the waste in the county is generated by businesses and organizations. On average, businesses receiving recycling grants increase their waste diversion from 40 percent to 53 percent.
The county also provide professional staff assistance, educational materials and guidance on best practices. Grants of up to $50,000 are available, and grant applications are due June 15, 2016. Learn more and apply.
For more information, contact Andre Xiong at andre.x.xiong@hennepin.us or 612-543-1316.
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 The Hennepin County board established a formal conservation easement program for the county on May 24. The Hennepin County Conservation Easement Program establishes procedures for the evaluation of potential preservation opportunities for natural areas.
Conservation easements are one of the most effective tools for permanently preserving natural resource corridors, ecologically significant natural areas and other open spaces located on private lands. They restrict development and certain activities in order to protect natural features on a property in perpetuity without exempting the land from property taxes.
The remaining natural areas in Hennepin County will face increasing pressure in the next few decades as more land becomes developed, making it critical to protect these areas now. Open space includes natural areas such as forests, prairies and wetlands.
For more information, contact Dave Thill at dave.thill@hennepin.us or 612-348-0124.
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 To celebrate Arbor Day, over 40 volunteers from Wells Fargo, Allina Health, and Ryan Companies teamed up with experts from Tree Trust and Hennepin County to plant more than 60 trees and shrubs along the Midtown Greenway between Girard and Colfax Avenues on Saturday, May 7. The trees included a mix of ornamental and shade trees to diversify the Greenway, and most were grown in the Hennepin County gravel-bed nursery. The bare-root trees grown in the gravel-bed nursery develop good root systems before being transplanted, giving them a better survival rate than trees grown in containers. Over the past 16 years, nearly 5,000 trees and shrubs have been planted by this volunteer team to celebrate Arbor Day.
For more information, contact Mike Reinikainen at mike.reinikainen@hennepin.us or 612-596-1175
 Throughout April and May, 65 schools participating in Hennepin County’s school organics recycling program closed the loop by planting gardens with compost made from kitchen and cafeteria waste collected from their own organics recycling programs. The compost was made from food scraps and non-recyclable paper that were collected in the fall and processed by The Mulch Store. By using compost in their flower, vegetable and pollinator gardens, students learn first-hand how their organics recycling efforts can replenish soils with vital nutrients.
Learn more about the resources and assistance available from Hennepin County for implementing recycling and organics recycling programs in schools.
For more information Kira Berglund at kira.berglund@hennepin.us or 612-596-1498.
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 When it rains, stormwater carries grass clippings, leaves, fertilizers, and animal waste directly into nearby lakes, creeks and rivers. The City of Minneapolis recently launched a new adopt-a-drain program for residents to commit to keeping storm drains clear of debris. Commit to clearing leaves and trash by signing up for the Minneapolis adopt-a-drain program online or by calling 311.
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Events
 Fix-It Clinics provide an opportunity to receive free, guided assistance from handy volunteers on disassembling, troubleshooting and repairing small household appliances, clothing, electronics, mobile devices and more.
In a recent Sun Current article, Fix-It Clinic volunteers shared stories about some remarkable fixes they’ve helped with during the clinics, such as pulling together skills in electrical repair and sewing to fix a broken toy.
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Upcoming Fix-It Clinics are scheduled for the following dates and locations:
- Saturday, June 11 from noon to 4 p.m. at Crystal Community Center
- Saturday, July 16 from noon to 4 p.m. at Minneapolis Community & Technical College in the H Building (Helland Center)
- Sunday, August 14 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Champlin Ice Forum
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.
Hennepin County organizes collection events to give residents more convenient local options for disposing of household hazardous wastes. Materials accepted include unwanted automotive wastes, household, lawn and garden products, batteries, mercury-containing items and more.
Collection events are held Thursday - Saturday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Upcoming hazardous waste collection events are scheduled for the following dates and locations:
- June 2 – 4 at the Public Works Garage in Minneapolis
- June 16 – 18 at St. Louis Park Middle School in St. Louis Park
- July 7 – 9 at Jenny Lind School in Minneapolis
Get more details including directions to each event and a full schedule of events for 2016.
Learn about stormwater collection and reuse
Tuesday, June 28 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Ridgedale Library
Learn about stormwater collection and reuse practices at the next Hennepin Natural Resources Partnership meeting. Speakers from Emmons and Oliver Resources, the City of Hugo, and the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization will provide an overview of practices and highlight example projects.
The Hennepin Natural Resources Partnership provides a forum for a holistic and collaborative approach to managing and protecting our land and water. Everyone is welcome to attend, especially those from cities, watersheds, agencies and organizations involved with or interested in natural resources management and protection.
RSVP to Stacey Lijewski at stacey.lijewski@hennepin.us or 612-348-9938.
Green Tip
The county board recently declared Hennepin County a pollinator-friendly county, meaning the county will take steps to provide habitat for pollinators while avoiding pesticides that have been found to harm pollinators. More than one-third of all plants or plant products consumed by humans are dependent on insects for pollination, but pollinating insects are threatened by habitat loss and pesticide use. Everyone can do their part by creating habitat for pollinators in their own backyards. |
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Here are some tips to get started:
- Avoid disturbing areas where pollinator activity is already present, such as ground nests. Undisturbed areas are ideal for pollinator nesting.
- Choose plants that attract pollinators, such as swamp milkweed or purple prairie clover. Check out the University of Minnesota Extension’s Plants for Minnesota Bees list.
- Identify and understand pests and beneficial insects. To identify Minnesota insects, visit the University of Minnesota Extension's insect identification guide.
- Limit use of pesticides and insecticides, choose products that do no harm pollinators, and follow the label directions.
- Adjust mowing frequency and timing to maintain pollinator habitat.
- Attend an event to learn more about pollinators, including the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization's "Water Wednesday: What You Can Do For Pollinators" event on June 8 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in Minneapolis.
Learn more about pollinators from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
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