Green Notes January 2017

Green Notes

JANUARY 2017


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GreenNotes covers environmental news, programs and events from Hennepin County.

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Recycling grants available for business, organizations and schools

Business recycling grants due February 15

Business recycling

Businesses, organizations and institutions looking to improve recycling, start organics recycling or reduce waste can now apply for grants. Funding can be used to purchase recycling containers, start hauling services, or improve onsite recycling infrastructure. Grants of up to $50,000 are available. Applications are due on February 15. Learn more and apply. For more information, contact Andre Xiong at andre.x.xiong@hennepin.us or 612-543-1316.

School recycling grants due February 28

School recycling

Most of the waste generated at schools is recyclable, and schools have a great opportunity to educate future generations about waste reduction and environmental stewardship. Grants are available for public and non-public, K - 12 schools to start or improve recycling, organics recycling, and waste reduction programs. Applications are due on February 28. Learn more and apply. For more information, contact Kira Berglund at kira.berglund@hennepin.us or 612-596-1498


Volunteer opportunities

Volunteer to care for trees

Tree care

Hennepin County is seeking volunteers to help care for trees. Volunteers will take a full-day tree-pruning workshop and then have opportunities to help care for trees with partner organizations.

The workshop will be held Saturday, March 18 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Rockford Road Library, 6401 42nd Ave N in Crystal. The cost is $25 per person.

The workshop will cover tree identification, tree biology and proper pruning techniques through a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on, outdoor field experience. The class is open to the public, and no experience is needed. The University of Minnesota will provide the pruning tools and safety equipment.

Learn more and register by March 3.

For more information, contact Jen Kullgren at jen.kullgren@hennepin.us or 612-596-1175.

Become a Master Recycler/ Composter

Master Recycler/Composter volunteers

Master Recycler/Composter volunteers are trained on waste prevention, recycling and composting through an extensive six week course that features industry experts and field trips to local recycling and waste management facilities.

Once training is complete, participants become advocates for the 3Rs in their communities, committing to volunteer at least 30 hours conducting outreach and implementing projects to improve recycling and reduce waste.

Registration is now open for the spring 2017 training course. The course will be held Wednesday evenings, March 1 - April 5, from 6:30 – 9 p.m. at East Side Neighborhood Services, 1700 NE 2nd St., Minneapolis.

For more information, contact Carolyn Collopy at carolyn.collopy@hennepin.us or 612-596-0993.


Recently awarded grants

Grants awarded for contaminated land cleanup

The county recently awarded nine grants totaling more than $1.3 million for the cleanup of contaminated land. The Environmental Response Fund provides grants for the assessment and cleanup of contaminated sites where conditions present a threat to human health or the environment but where lack of funding and added environmental costs hinder site improvements or redevelopment.

The recently awarded grant projects will address issues with asbestos and lead-based paint, clean up contaminated soil, provide market-rate and affordable housing, develop retail and office space, reduce erosion, protect water quality, and improve parks. Learn more about the grants awarded.

To date, Hennepin County has awarded 361 Environmental Response Fund grants totaling more than $50 million. Learn more about the benefits and impacts of these grants: 

Environmental Response Fund video

For more information, contact John Evans at john.evans@hennepin.us or 612-348-4046.

Grants awarded to protect natural resources

Prairie restoration

Hennepin County recently awarded $284,000 in grants to protect natural resources. The county awarded six Good Steward grants, which are for smaller, community-based projects, along with five larger Opportunity grants that leverage additional funding sources.

Grantees include private landowners, non-profit organizations, property management associations, cities, and watershed organizations. Grant projects will include a variety of activities, such as establishing rain gardens, planting native vegetation, restoring streambanks, installing tree trenches, and using permeable pavers. Learn more about the grants awarded.

For more information, contact Jim Kujawa at james.kujawa@hennepin.us or 512-348-7338.

 
Environmental education grants awarded

Metro Blooms rain garden

Grants were recently awarded to 13 community organizations to provide environmental education. The groups will engage 2,700 residents in taking action to protect the environment by reducing waste, recycling, composting organics, conserving energy, improving air and water quality, and protecting pollinators. Organizations will work with their audiences in a variety of settings, including families through early childhood programs, youth at school and during summer programs, and people at congregations, community gardens, workshops and more. Learn more about the grants awarded.

For more information, contact Patience Caso at patience.caso@hennepin.us or 612-348-9352.


Events

Fix-It Clinics

Fix-It Clinics

    Stop by one of the upcoming Fix-it Clinics to repair your broken household items, reduce waste, and learn valuable repair skills. Fix-It Clinics are scheduled for the following dates:

    • Sunday, February 12 from noon to 4 p.m. at Arc’s Value Village in New Hope
    • Saturday, March 11 from noon to 4 p.m. at Burroughs Elementary School in south Minneapolis
    • Saturday, April 8 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Plymouth Creek Center in Plymouth

    Volunteers with repair or mending skills are critical to the Fix-It Clinics’ success. For more information or to volunteer, contact Nancy Lo at nancy.lo@hennepin.us or 612-348-9195.

    Natural resources partnership focused on forestry

    The Hennepin Natural Resources Partnership provides a forum for a holistic and collaborative approach to managing and protecting our land and water. Save the date for the first forum of 2017, which will be Tuesday, March 21 from 1 to 3 p.m. and will focus on forestry.

    Everyone is welcome to attend, especially those from cities, watersheds, agencies and organizations involved with or interested in natural resources management and protection.

    For more information or to RSVP, contact Stacey Lijewski at stacey.lijewski@hennepin.us or 612-348-9938.


    Green tip: Best practices for salt use this winter

    Excess salt on sidewalk

    During cold and icy Minnesota winters, we commonly use salt to keep our roads and sidewalks safe. But too much salt can be harmful to wildlife, pets, water quality and infrastructure in addition to being expensive. The water quality in many area lakes is threatened due to excess chloride. And too much salt is impacting our groundwater – about one-third of shallow monitoring wells in the Twin Cities have too much salt.

    Salt on sidewalk

    Rallying neighbors to take action

    Excess salt on sidewalks raised the concern of Joe Knaeble, a resident of the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis, who has motivated neighbors and businesses to take action to prevent water bodies from becoming too salty – a problem that is largely irreversible. Joe has worked with neighbors to sweep up more than 270 pounds of excess salt over the past two winters, and he has teamed up with business owners to implement new practices in commercial districts throughout Minneapolis so that excess deicing chemicals are swept up and reused.

    Steps you can take

    Similarly, everyone can incorporate a few best management practices when you apply salt and make a big difference in protecting our lakes, rivers and streams:

    • Shovel first before you apply salt to clear any snow. Only use salt on ice. Shoveling will prevent ice from forming and may get rid of any need for salt. 
    • Apply salt sparingly. As a general rule, a 12-ounce coffee cup of salt can de-ice 10 sidewalk squares or a 20-foot driveway.  
    • Remember that salt doesn’t work below 15 degrees. In these colder temperatures, switch to sand to provide traction.
    • Sweep up and reuse any leftover salt or sand.

    Learn more about environmentally friendly ways to manage snow and ice through Clean Water Minnesota and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.