Green Notes April 2017

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It’s time to Save the Food

Save the Food

Each year, 40 percent of food in the United States goes to waste, making food waste a significant environmental, social and economic issue. Luckily, there are many easy things we can all do to prevent wasted food.

Starting in May, Hennepin County is supporting a national campaign called Save the Food that builds awareness about the problem of food waste and actions people can take.

Some actions to start with include:

2016 recycling progress report now available

Recycling progress report 2016

The Hennepin County 2016 recycling progress report highlights trends in waste management and provides updates on the county's efforts.

Key takeaways include:

  • 82 percent of the waste generated in Hennepin County in 2016 was diverted from landfills and reused, recycled, composted, or burned to create energy. This is a rate on par with national leaders.
  • The percentage of waste diverted to recycling, organics recycling (which includes both composting and food-to-animals programs), and waste-to-energy remained steady, although the amount of organic waste diverted specifically to composting programs continues to increase.
  • New initiatives to encourage waste reduction and recycling include the Zero Waste Challenge, Save the Food campaign, textile recycling at drop-off facilities, and a bulky waste reuse program at apartment buildings.
  • Existing programs that continue to be successful include Master Recycler/Composter volunteers, Fix-It Clinics, business recycling grants and medicine collection.

Results will inform the future of solid waste management

The results and trends from the report will be used as the county develops its 2018 Solid Waste Management Master Plan to reach the goal of recycling 75 percent of waste by 2030. Counties in the Twin Cities metro are required by state statute to prepare master plans every six years that identify strategies to meet the recycling goals and objectives in the state’s Metropolitan Area Solid Waste Management Policy. Hennepin County is gathering input on the plan from residents, businesses, cities, schools, haulers and other partners. Learn more about the solid waste management planning and input process.

Citizen scientist volunteers needed to study wetlands

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Hennepin County is looking for volunteers to help assess water quality and the health our ecosystems through the Wetland Health Evaluation Program (WHEP). Adult volunteers with an interest in wetlands, bugs, plants, and protecting water quality are needed. Partnering cities and watersheds use the data to determine the health of water resources and assist with natural resource management.

Volunteers do not need to have a science background or previous experience; Hennepin County provides all of the training, equipment, and leadership. Teams are forming in the Bloomington, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Corcoran, Eden Prairie, Medina, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, and Plymouth areas. Join now!

Apply for environmental education grants by May 5

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Funding is available for non-profit organizations, youth groups, schools, congregations, park districts, neighborhood groups and community education programs for projects that empower residents to take action to protect the environment. Applications for Green Partners environmental education grants are due by 5 p.m. on May 5. Learn more and apply.

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

Get active and go green with the step-to-It challenge

Step-to-it challenge biking

Hennepin County is encouraging residents to get active and have fun with their family, friends and neighbors in May with the step-to-it challenge. Participants track their steps and activities online to be eligible to win prizes.

Many of the suggested activities are great ways to improve both your health and the health of the planet, including:

New medicine drop boxes open in Minneapolis

Medicine drop box

Two new medicine drop boxes are now available for residents to dispose of unwanted medicines. The drop boxes are located at the Minneapolis Police Department’s 1st precinct in downtown Minneapolis and the 4th precinct in north Minneapolis. There are now 11 locations in Hennepin County to properly dispose of medicines.

Properly disposing of unused medicines is important to prevent abuse or poisoning and protect the environment. Medicines from households are accepted, including prescription medicines, controlled substances, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and supplements and pet medicines.

Hennepin County invests in solar energy and reduces energy use

Getting renewable energy from community solar gardens

Solar panels

Hennepin County is one of 31 local governments in the Twin Cities metro area that are investing in solar energy through community solar gardens. The solar gardens will be constructed later this summer. Once they are up and running, Hennepin County will subscribe to eight solar gardens that will provide 4 percent of the county's energy use, which is equivalent to powering 400 homes. This project recently won a 2017 Environmental Initiative Award in the community action category.

Reducing energy use in county buildings

County buildings are Hennepin County’s largest energy user, which is why the county established a goal in 2013 to reduce the amount of energy used in buildings by 20 percent by 2020. The county is on track to meet this goal but will need to continue to prioritize conservation and efficiency. Hennepin County uses a variety of technologies to save energy, including:

  • About 200,000 sensors monitor energy use and alert staff when there is a problem, saving about $1 million each year.
  • Energy recovery wheels return 70 percent of exhausted heat back into the building. This helps to cut down on energy used for heating and cooling, which accounts for about half of the energy use in buildings.
  • LED lighting saves 60 percent of energy over other lighting options.
  • Staff work behind the scenes to improve efficiencies and reduce greenhouse gas emissions on a daily basis.

Events

Get a bin to start composting in your backyard

Compost bin

Hennepin County is selling compost bins to help you start composting your fruit and vegetable scraps and yard waste in your backyard. Bins are 3’ x 3’ x 3’, made of cedar and wire mesh, and cost $50.

Pre-order a compost bin for pick up at a distribution event scheduled for:

  • Saturday, May 13 at the Midtown Farmers Market in Minneapolis
  • Thursday, June 1 at Harvest Moon Co-op in Long Lake

Compost bins are also for sale at the Hennepin County Drop-off Facility in Brooklyn Park during regular facility hours; no pre-order needed.

Fix-It Clinics

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Mark your calendars and plan to do some fixing this summer. Fix-It Clinics build community and offer residents the chance to get household items fixed for free while learning valuable repair skills. Bring in items such as small household appliances, clothing, electronics, mobile devices and more.

Upcoming Fix-It Clinics are scheduled for:

  • Saturday, May 13 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Bloomington Center for the Arts
  • Saturday, June 10 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Eastside Neighborhood Services
  • Saturday, August 12 from noon to 4 p.m. at the St. Anthony City Hall

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.

Hazardous waste collection events

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Hazardous waste collection events give residents more convenient local options for disposing of items such as cleaners, mercury-containing items, automotive wastes, aerosols, and more.

Collection events will be held on Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the following dates and locations:

  • Friday, May 12 and Saturday, May 13 at the City of Minnetonka Public Works Department
  • Friday, June 9 and Saturday, June 10 at the St. Louis Park Middle School
  • Friday, June 23 and Saturday, June 24 at the Minneapolis Public Works Department

Get more details including a list of accepted items and the full schedule of 2017 collection events.

Green Tip: Celebrate Arbor Day

Arbor Day tree planting Bloomington

Arbor Day is a great time to get involved with planting and caring for trees.

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Trees provide numerous benefits, including improving air and water quality, reducing soil erosion, capturing stormwater runoff, increasing wildlife habitat, providing savings in heating and cooling, improving health, and increasing property values. 

This year for Arbor Day, Hennepin County foresters worked with students at Valley View middle and elementary schools in Bloomington to plant about 20 trees on the school grounds and at the nearby Oxboro Library.

From attending an Arbor Day event to planting a tree in your backyard, there are many things we can all do to get involved and enhance the tree canopy.

Get involved in your community and at home

  • Attend one of the many Arbor Day events happening throughout Hennepin County this weekend.
  • Plant more trees. Make sure to plant the right tree in the right place and select a variety of trees that are well-suited to your growing conditions. And remember that young trees require maintenance - including watering, mulching, staking and pruning - to ensure they survive in their new environment. Consult your city forester for the best trees to use in your area, follow the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' tree planting information, and see the U.S Forest Service Tree Owner’s Manual for care instructions.
  • If you have ash trees on your property, learn more about the emerald ash borer and your options for managing ash trees. Remember to only prune ash trees from October 1 to April 30 when emerald ash borer is not active. See Hennepin County’s new emerald ash borer brochure for more information. 
  • Dispose of tree waste at compost sites where it will be recycled into a nutrient-rich soil amendment.
  • Do not transport firewood. Tree pests like emerald ash borer can spread more rapidly when infested wood is transported. Buy or get firewood from close to where you plan to burn it.

Contact us

612-348-3777

environment@hennepin.us

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