Many people are interested in taking steps to prevent waste and produce less trash, but aren’t sure where to start. Joining Hennepin County’s Zero Waste Challenge is a great way to learn more and get hands-on help.

The county is looking for 50 households to participate in the eight-month-long challenge that takes an in-depth look at the goods we buy and waste we create to uncover opportunities to recycle more and reduce waste.

You may be surprised by the variety of actions you can take to reduce waste. Repairing items when they break, buying clothes secondhand, shopping for food with less packaging, using your smartphone for as long as possible, and eliminating junk mail are just a few waste prevention actions.

The Zero Waste Challenge will help you better understand the waste your household generates, decide the best waste-reduction actions for you to take, and provide you with support and resources to reach your goals. Past participants have called the challenge eye-opening and a conversation-starter, and said it both educated them and pushed them into action.

The challenge will go from September 9, 2019, to April 30, 2020. Interested households should complete the online application by Sunday, August 18.

Hennepin County is offering grants to cities, affordable housing properties, schools, and nonprofit organizations to make positive changes in the tree canopy and engage residents in taking action to protect trees.

These grants aim to support efforts to educate the public on tree care and the importance of trees, combat threats to trees from invasive insects and disease, and promote the development of a more diverse and resilient tree canopy. See the healthy tree canopy grants flyer (PDF) to learn about the different types of grants available.

Applications for cities and affordable housing properties are due Thursday, August 15. Applications for schools and nonprofit organizations are due In October.

For more information and to get help with grant projects, contact Hennepin County foresters at trees@hennepin.us.

The invasive viburnum leaf beetle has been found for the first time in Minnesota in Eden Prairie. The beetle is an invasive insect native to Europe that feeds exclusively on species of viburnum, which are a variety of flowering shrubs. The beetle eats the leaves of the plant, which weakens and can eventually kill it.

The beetle had previously been found in the northeastern U.S. and Wisconsin, and it is unknown how the beetle made its way to Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture says this is an example of how easy invasive insects, plants, and diseases can spread throughout the U.S. and world.

The larvae of the viburnum leaf beetle are yellow to light brown with black spots and dashes on their bodies. They chew holes in the leaves in a similar pattern to Japanese beetles. Adult insects lay eggs along the twigs in egg pits that are easily seen with the naked eye.

Ways to control the spread the viburnum leaf beetle include selecting varieties that are resistant to the insect, pruning and destroying infested twigs, or using chemical controls. Residents are encouraged to report suspected viburnum leaf beetles to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture by sending photos and location to Arrest the Pest, arrest.the.pest@state.mn.us or 1-888-545-6684.

The county has installed electronic message boards at public boat accesses and on bridges over channels so that aquatic invasive species prevention messages can be shared with lake users close to where they need to take action. The message boards can also display safety and severe weather messages.

The county has also partnered with CD3 to install watercraft cleaning stations at public boat accesses. These stations make it easy for boaters to take action by providing the tools they need to clean their boats and trailers as they remove them from the lake. See the story at 6 minutes, 30 seconds into the episode.

Moving in across the street from a smelly neighborhood pond in Bloomington presented Heidi Niziolek the opportunity to rally her neighbors to take care of their small slice of nature. Niziolek convinced neighbors to adopt Winchester Pond and work together to clean up trash and remove invasive species.

They received a Hennepin County natural resources grant and a grant from Nine Mile Creek Watershed to install rain gardens in neighboring yards and a floating island in the pond. The island, with a base made of fibers from recycled plastic bottles and planted with native pollinator plants, acts as a manmade wetland that can improve water quality while providing habitat for pollinators.

It may take some time to fully understand the water quality impacts of these projects, but the pond has already become a more attractive place for picnics and enjoying nature. Learn more in the Star Tribune.

Start recycling your fruit and vegetable scraps and yard waste into nutrient-rich compost right in your backyard by purchasing a compost bin kit from Hennepin County.

Hennepin County sells compost bins that are made of cedar and wire mesh. Bins are sold as a kit with all materials, hardware, and assembly and composting instructions included; some assembly required. Bins cost $50 each, and optional lids are $10 each.

Bins must be pre-ordered for pick up at a distribution event. Distribution events are scheduled for:

More than one-third of our trash is organic materials such as food, paper towels, and napkins that could be composted. In August, we’ll be visiting farmers markets in cities that recently started offering organics recycling drop-off programs to help residents learn how organics recycling works.

Free starter kits will be available to the first 50 households who sign up for the organics recycling drop-off. The starter kits are for new signs-ups to the drop-off, but additional resources are available for those already participating.