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ABOUT GREEN NOTES
GreenNotes covers environmental news, programs and events from Hennepin County.
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 Grants available for recycling, environmental education, and natural resource protection
Hennepin County provides grants for a variety of projects that protect the environment. Applications are currently being accepted for the following grant programs:
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Business recycling grants: Grants of up to $50,000 are available to help businesses and organizations start or improve recycling, organics recycling, and waste reduction programs. Most businesses and nonprofits in the county are eligible to apply. Applications are due October 15. Learn more and apply.
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Contaminated land cleanup grants: Grants are available for the assessment and cleanup of contaminated sites through the Environmental Response Fund. The grants are used for a variety of activities that provide community benefit, including assessment and cleanup of groundwater and contaminated soil, and evaluation and abatement of asbestos and lead-based paint. Applications are due November 1. Learn more and apply.
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Environmental education grants: Funding is available through the Green Partners environmental education program for projects that empower residents to reduce waste, recycle, reduce household hazardous waste, conserve energy, protect natural resources, and improve air and water quality. Eligible organizations include nonprofit organizations, community groups, park districts and schools. Applications are due October 14. Learn more and apply.
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Natural resource protection grants: Funding is available for projects that protect natural resources by implementing best management practices that preserve and restore critical habitats, reduce erosion and reduce the amount of nutrients and sediment going into the county’s lakes, streams and rivers. Government agencies, organizations and landowners are eligible to apply. Applications are due November 4. Learn more and apply.
 More than 400 fifth graders from five schools learned about ecology, outdoor skills, and actions they can take to protect the environment at NatureFest, an environmental education field day hosted by Hennepin County and the Three Rivers Park District at the Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park in September.
Students waded into the Mississippi River to collect small organisms that helped them determine the health of the river, learned how to fish, caught insects in sweep nets, and decorated reusable water bottles with their pledge to protect the environment.
For many students, it was their visit to the Coon Rapids Dam, and it was the first field trip ever for some students. Building on the success of the first NatureFest in 2015, the 2016 field trips doubled the amount of students and schools participating.
In recognition of the program’s success, Hennepin County and the Three Rivers Park District recently received an award from the National Association of Counties (NACo) for NatureFest.
For more information, contact Alisa Reckinger at alisa.reckinger@hennepin.us or 612-348-4788.
 The Three Rivers Park District received a $30,000 grant from Hennepin County in 2016 to expand watercraft inspection and outreach activities at public boat accesses to encourage boaters to take action to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.
Inspections and outreach efforts were increased on Bryant, Fish, Little Long, Lower Twin, and Medicine lakes. Three Rivers Park District staff report that boaters, homeowners on the lakes, and other lake users generally appreciate the inspections, and boaters have gotten better at taking the proper actions to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. On several occasions, inspectors prevented a boat with zebra mussels on it from entering a lake.
For more information, contact Tony Brough at tony.brough@hennepin.us or 612-348-4378.
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Fix-it Clinics
 Hennepin County and a group of dedicated volunteers have been working for four years to prevent waste by helping residents learn how to fix household items at monthly 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 clinic. Upcoming Fix-It Clinics are scheduled for the following dates and locations:
- Saturday, October 8, from noon to 4 p.m. at the St. Louis Park Rec Center
- Saturday, November 12 from noon to 4 p.m. at Wayzata City Hall
- Sunday, December 11 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Grace Center for Community Life in northeast Minneapolis
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.
Hazardous waste collection event in Shorewood
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.
The final collection event of 2016 will be held October 13 – 15 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Public Works Site in Shorewood.
 With Minneapolis and several other cities now offering organics recycling to residents and many businesses, organizations and events starting organics recycling, it’s more important than ever to know what can be accepted in organics recycling programs.
In programs that accept organics recycling for composting, the collected organic materials are brought to a large-scale, commercial composting facility. In about six months, the food scraps and non-recyclable paper has been recycled into compost that is put to good use in landscaping and road construction projects.
The following materials are accepted in organics recycling programs:
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All food: including fruits and vegetables; meat, fish and bones; dairy products; eggs and egg shells; pasta, beans and rice; bread and cereal; and nuts and shells
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Food-soiled and non-recyclable paper: including pizza boxes from delivery, napkins, paper towels, tissues, and paper egg cartons
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Other compostable household items: including coffee grounds and filters, hair and nail clippings, cotton balls and swabs, houseplants and flowers, tea bags, and wooden items such as chopsticks, popsicle sticks and toothpicks
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Certified compostable products: including compostable paper and plastic cups, plates, bowls, utensils and containers
See the organics recycling guide to learn more about what is and is not accepted.
Certified compostable products
 Certified compostable products and plastic-lined paper can cause the most confusion in organics recycling programs.
All unlined paper products are compostable. Examples include some paper plates, napkins and paper towels. Items that have a shiny or smooth surface likely have a plastic lining and are not accepted in organics recycling programs unless they are identified as a certified compostable plastic item.
Certified compostable products must have the BPI or Cedar Grove logo on them to be accepted. Examples of items that must be labeled BPI or Cedar Grove certified compostable include coffee cups, silverware, to-go containers, plastic cups, and more.
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