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Carolyn Collopy, Master Recycler/Composter Coordinator
Email
612-596-0993.
MRC Program
Payback opportunities
Hours reporting form
MRC Facebook group
MRC files
Thank you for your continued efforts to help Hennepin County reduce waste and recycle more! We’re glad you’re part of our outreach and education team!
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 Hennepin County is recruiting 50 households to participate in the new Zero Waste Challenge, which is a year-long program to look at the goods we buy and waste we create to uncover the opportunities and challenges to increase recycling and reduce waste.
With the assistance of staff and trained volunteers, participating households will identify low-waste lifestyle changes and track and report the amount of recycling and trash generated in their homes weekly. The program will run from September 2016 through September 2017.
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How it works
During the first three months of the program, participants will receive hands-on, personalized assistance from staff and volunteers to assess the waste generated in their household and develop a customized waste reduction plan. Participants will also attend workshops on a variety of waste reduction topics.
For the rest of the year, participants will track their waste generation and take actions identified in their waste reduction plan. Ongoing assistance from staff and volunteers, as well as additional learning opportunities, will be available. Each participating household will receive a $350 stipend for their efforts and ongoing participation.
The program will provide the county valuable insights into the opportunities, challenges and priorities to reach our recycling and waste reduction goals. The results and lessons learned will be used to develop future waste reduction programs.
Your help is needed
Master Recycler/Composters are needed to help provide hands-on, personalized assistance to Zero Waste Challenge households. Each MRC will be paired with a county Waste Reduction and Recycling staff member and assigned households to work with. The MRC will attend meetings with their assigned households, help with basic waste audits, and help their households identify opportunities for increased waste reduction and diversion.
MRCs are needed for the first three months of the challenge from mid-September to mid-December, with most of the hours needed late September to early November. Expect to volunteer an average of 5 hours per household assigned.
If you are interested in earning payback hours by helping with the Zero Waste Challenge, contact Carolyn Collopy at carolyn.collopy@hennepin.us or 612-596-0993.
 Join fellow-minded recycling enthusiasts on Friday, August 5 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. for a free showing of “The Clean Bin Project.” The movie will be shown at Target Field Station, 1 Twins Way in Minneapolis, on the great lawn. This event is hosted by the Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board.
About the Clean Bin Project
Grant and Jen go head to head in a comedic competition to live zero waste for an entire year. This multiple award winning and festival favorite film shares moments of humor, struggle, and hope in the cinematic and creatively executed story of a couple who ask the question "What can an individual do?"
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Working on your payback? Many of you are doing great things in your communities to further waste reduction in Hennepin County (thank you!) but have not reported any hours. Please use our online form to report your hours or email carolyn.collopy@hennepin.us an update of what you are up to, and we’ll take care of the rest.
Two more certified MRCs!
Congratulations to the following MRCs on completing their payback hours:
- Erin Hertog (Spring 2014): Erin volunteered most of her hours writing articles for her employer’s newsletter and answering coworkers questions on waste reduction and diversion.
- Carrie Kehn (Spring 2015): Carrie tabled at events hosted by her employer, wrote an article for her company newsletter on reducing waste, and coordinated a low-waste employee picnic.
Learn about payback opportunities
Hennepin County and many of our partners are often looking for MRCs to assist with outreach and waste management at events and for special projects. There are two ways to be notified of payback opportunities:
 Do you recycle everywhere you can at home? About half of home recyclables never make it to the recycling bin.
We do well recycling kitchen items, but our bathrooms, laundry rooms and home offices have lots of recyclables we throw out. So it’s time to refresh your laundry room, revamp your bathroom or rethink your home office by adding a bin, bag or basket to collect recycling.
Rethink your recycling habit by using convenient recycling bins and signage and mixing in a little fun. Get tips and order free labels and supplies.
Spread the word by downloading campaign materials. For more information, contact Alisa Reckinger at alisa.reckinger@hennepin.us or 612-348-4788.
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 What is better than buying something new? Finding something cool to reuse! Like a one-of-a-kind set of dishes or a classic edition of a favorite book. The wedding dress worn only once, now half the price, or a baseball glove ready for another season. Sounds like a deal – because it is.
Choose to Reuse coupons will 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 more than 50 local retailers that rent, repair, resell, consign and exchange used goods.
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You have several options to get Choose to Reuse coupons:
- Download the Chinook Book App (Google Play or iTunes). Choose to Reuse coupons will load right onto your smartphone!
- Order the print version of the Choose to Reuse coupon book
- Pick one up at participating retail locations, Hennepin County Service Centers, Hennepin County libraries and all Three Rivers Park District locations.
Spread the word by downloading campaign materials. If you would like coupon books to distribute, contact Kristin Pierskalla at krstin.pierskalla@hennepin.us or 612-348-4787.
Fix-It Clinics
 Have broken stuff lying around your home? 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.
Curious about how it all works? Watch volunteer fixers Gary and Howard on Fox 9 helping reporter Jeff Passolt troubleshoot and fix items.
Upcoming Fix-It Clinics are scheduled for the following dates and locations:
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- Sunday, August 14 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Champlin Ice Forum
- Saturday, September 10 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Whittier Rec Center in Minneapolis
- Saturday, October 8 from noon to 4 p.m. at the St. Louis Park Rec Center
Spread the word: Download a flyer, social media posts, newsletter article and images to promote the Fix-It Clinics (find resources under recycling and reducing waste).
For more information or to volunteer, contact Nancy Lo at nancy.lo@hennepin.us or 612-348-9195.
Compost bin events
 Hennepin County is selling compost bins to help you start composting in your backyard and recycle your food and yard waste into nutrient-rich compost. Bins are $45. You must submit a pre-order to get a bin; there will be no additional bins available for sale at the events. Online payment will close six days prior to the event or when bins are sold out.
Distribution events are scheduled for:
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- Wednesday, August 10 from 5 - 7 p.m. hosted by the Extension Master Gardener Program at the Hennepin County Service Center, 479 Prairie Center Dr, Eden Prairie
- Saturday, August 27 from Noon - 2 p.m. at the Story Garden, 3506 Humboldt Ave N, Minneapolis
- Tuesday, September 20 from 5 - 7 p.m. at the Harvest Moon Co-op, 2380 W. Wayzata Blvd, Long Lake
Pre-order your compost bin. Spread the word by downloading a flyer, social media posts, newsletter articles and images (find resources under current campaigns).
Hazardous waste collection events
 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 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. The remaining 2016 hazardous waste collection events are scheduled for the following dates and locations:
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- August 4 – 6 at Anthony Middle School in Minneapolis
- August 18 – 20 at 340 27th Ave NE in Minneapolis
- September 15 – 17 at the City of Minneapolis Public Works Garage, 3607 44th St E in Minneapolis
- October 13 – 15 at the Shorewood Public Works Site, 24200 Smithtown Rd in Shorewood
Get more details including directions to each event and a list of materials accepted.
Spread the word: Download a flyer, social media posts, newsletter article and images to promote the hazardous waste collection events (find resources under current campaigns).
Join the conversation: envisioning the future of environmental education for youth
 Connecting youth to the natural world, helping them learn about environmental issues, and working with them to develop solutions is critical to prepare them for a world with increasingly complex environmental challenges.
Help Hennepin County understand how we can best support environmental education efforts by joining in a conversation to uncover the benefits of, barriers to, and effective strategies for engaging youth in environmental education.
Meeting schedule
Each meeting will be the same, so you only need to attend one. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.
- Tuesday, August 23 from noon to 3:30 p.m. at the Ridgedale Library, 12601 Ridgedale Dr in Minnetonka
- Thursday, September 15 from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, 2522 Marshall St NE in Minneapolis
- Thursday, September 29 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Brookdale Library in Brooklyn Center
Who should attend
Anyone interested in providing programs or services to youth, preparing them for the future, or protecting the environment is encouraged to attend. We are hoping to engage both current and potential partners in these conversations, and a diversity of perspectives and experiences will enhance the dialogue.
RSVP
Learn more and RSVP.
Contact Alisa Reckinger at alisa.reckinger@hennepin.us or 612-348-4788 with any questions.
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