 Hennepin County awarded grants to 27 businesses to improve recycling this fall, bringing the total of businesses receiving grants in 2017 to 68. The businesses and organizations represent a variety of industries, including apartment buildings, congregations, grocery stores, medical clinics, manufacturing facilities, non-profits organizations, office buildings and restaurants. Learn more about the grants awarded.
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Improve recycling at your business with a grant in 2018
Hennepin County will continue to support improvements in recycling and organics recycling programs at businesses and organizations in 2018. Three types of grants are available:
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Container only grants: Apply anytime to receive up to $2,500 for recycling containers only
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Accelerated grants: Apply anytime to receive up to $10,000
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Competitive grants: Applications accepted three times per year (February 15, June 15 and October 15) to receive up to $50,000 for large or innovative projects
Funding can be used to purchase recycling containers, start hauling services, or improve onsite recycling infrastructure. Learn more.
 Hennepin County is funding seven community groups in 2018 to engage their audiences in learning about and signing up for residential organics recycling programs.
Through the pilot Green Partners Grow program, these community groups attended two days of training in the fall to learn about organics recycling and how to motivate behavior change. They then developed their project plan.
They will now use the information, resources and activities provided during training to engage their audiences in a variety of ways, including at events, door-to-door outreach, workshops and through block leaders.
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The following organizations are receiving grants:
- Cleveland Neighborhood Association
- Field Regina Northrup Neighborhood Group
- Kingfield Neighborhood Association
- Linden Hills Power and Light
- Lyndale Neighborhood Association
- Northside Residents Redevelopment Council
- Recycling Association of Minnesota
Learn more about the grants awarded.
Organics recycling for businesses workshop
January 17, 2018, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at CHS Field (home of the St. Paul Saints)
This event will bring together small, medium and large businesses to talk about their experience in setting up organics recycling programs. Learn how organics recycling can help businesses meet the commercial recycling requirement, hear about the successes and barriers that other businesses experience, and get the inside scoop on closing the loop from a composting facility. A Hennepin County staff member will also talk about business recycling grants, assistance and free signs that are available. The day will end with a tour of CHS field.
Registration is $55 for members of the Minnesota Composting Council and $75 for non-members. Register now.
“Water Connects Us All” exhibit at the Hennepin County Government Center
 Explore questions related to how much water we need and use, is water a right or a privilege, and where does our water come from and go at an exhibit on display at the Hennepin Gallery in the Hennepin County Government Center through January 17.
The exhibit includes 2- and 3-dimensional sculptures and puppets from In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre. Each element is connected with a simple narrative, written in various languages, designed to draw the viewer into deeper considerations of their own relationship to water and our own best humanity in protecting our water.
The gallery will conclude with a brown bag talk called “Nibi (Water) Walks” from noon to 1 p.m. in the Hennepin County Government Center Auditorium. The talk will feature Sharon Day, Ojibwe leader of Nibi Water Walks and Executive Director of the Indigenous People’s Task Force, sharing Ojibwe perspectives on the connections between water and all life. Then Karen Galles, land and water supervisor for Hennepin County Environment and Energy, will provide concrete steps we can all take to protect water.
Fix-It Clinics
 Tackle your resolution of finally getting around to fixing that broken lamp, toaster or coffee maker or mending your favorite sweater or pair of pants at an upcoming Fix-It Clinic. Get free, guided assistance from handy volunteers to disassemble, troubleshoot, and fix household items including small appliances, clothing, electronics, mobile devices and more.
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Fix-It Clinics are scheduled for:
- Saturday, January 13 from noon to 4 p.m. at the North Regional Library, 1315 Lowry Ave N. in Minneapolis
- Saturday, February 10 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Crosstown Covenant Church, 5540 30th Ave S in Minneapolis
- Sunday, March 11 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Osseo Community Center, 415 Central Avenue in Osseo
Choose to swap, donate, repair and reuse in the new year
Start the new year off right by finding some new-to-you goods at an upcoming reuse event. The county’s Choose to Reuse website features a listing of upcoming reuse opportunities, including the following events happening in January:
 Using salt on sidewalks, driveways, parking lots and roads can help improve safety, but too much salt can pollute our water and harm pets and wildlife. Melting snow and ice carries salt into our lakes, rivers and streams, permanently polluting our water.
Hennepin County and many other entities in the state have taken significant steps to reduce their salt use. By implementing best management practices including regularly training snowplow operators, routinely calibrating equipment, and using a variety of techniques to prevent and manage ice buildup, Hennepin County has reduced salt use by about 80 percent since the 1980s.
You can do your part to minimize your impact this winter by following Clean Water Minnesota's 4 steps to using sidewalk salt responsibly:
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Shovel. Clearing walkways before snow turns to ice will reduce the need for salt.
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Select the right product for the right temperature. Sodium chloride doesn’t melt snow below 15 degrees Fahrenheit, so use sand for traction in colder weather. Check out the salt and deicer comparison at the bottom of this web page to learn more.
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Scatter. Use salt sparingly and only where it’s necessary. A 12-ounce coffee cup of salt is enough to cover 10 sidewalk squares or a 20-foot driveway.
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Sweep up leftover salt and sand to prevent runoff and to reuse it later.
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