 Hennepin County Environment and Energy is piloting a new internship program called Green Pathways in which a cohort of youth of color are spending their summer learning about various environmental careers.
The intern cohort, comprised of an Urban Scholar and three recent high school graduates recruited through the BrookLynk have been busy pruning and identifying trees with county foresters, mailing environmental education literature, conducting biological monitoring with natural resources staff, shadowing hazardous waste inspectors, and learning how recycling works. They also hosted a table to teach people about reducing food waste, did outreach at a National Night Out event, surveyed haulers at our waste management facilities, and learned about communications and motivating behavior change.
The goals of the program are to create a supportive cohort of youth of color, learn skills to add to professional resumes, and inspire youth to consider environmental careers.
For more information, contact Christina Schmitt at christina.schmitt@hennepin.us.
The county recently awarded 26 Green Partners environmental education grants totaling $470,100 to community organizations to engage their audiences in learning about and taking action to protect the environment. Together, these projects will engage more than 6,000 residents in taking action and reach more than 122,000 residents with environmental messages.
The program prioritizes environmental education and engagement with youth, Black, Indigenous, communities of color and other underserved and historically marginalized communities to reduce health and education disparities and advance environmental justice. Of the organizations receiving grants, 20 will work primarily with Black, Indigenous, and communities of color.
The program includes two types of grants – 13 of the organizations will work primarily with adult audiences to motivate environmental actions, and 13 organizations will work primarily with youth on learning about the environment and becoming environmental stewards.
Grant projects focus on a variety of topics, including protecting natural resources, reducing waste and recycling, and taking action on climate change. Grantees will engage audiences in 14 cities throughout the county.
Learn about the organizations receiving grants and their projects.
For more information, contact Patience Caso at patience.caso@hennepin.us.
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 After a hiatus due to COVID-19, Hennepin County is again offering facility tours at the Hennepin County Energy Recovery Center (HERC) waste-to-energy facility. HERC is a waste-to-energy facility where waste is received and burned to generate steam for the downtown district energy system and electricity sold to Xcel Energy. Tours describe how the plant works and fits within the county’s solid waste management system to divert waste from landfills.
- Tour participants must be 14 years of age or older.
- Masks are optional. (Masks are available at HERC for participants that do not bring their own.)
Tours for groups
Please complete the HERC tour request form to request a tour for a group of five to 16 people. Due to safety precautions related to COVID-19, we are unable to provide tours to groups of more than 16 people at this time. Protecting the health of tour participants and HERC’s operating staff is critical to maintaining our waste and energy infrastructure.
Outdoor tour option: to request a tour that is 100% outdoors, list “outdoor tour” when providing your goal for visiting the facility. Note that outdoor tours will not enter the HERC facility.
Tours for individuals or groups with less than five people
Complete the HERC tour sign up form to sign up for a slot during pre-scheduled tours of the HERC facility. This option should be used for groups of less than five participants. New date options will be added regularly. You will be contacted by a Hennepin County staff person when your slot is confirmed with additional information, including how to access the facility the day of the tour.
Take a virtual tour
Watch a video about HERC (YouTube) to learn more about how waste is managed in the county and how HERC converts waste to energy.
Funding is available for cities, multifamily properties, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and institutions in Hennepin County to establish organics recycling drop-off sites. Up to $15,000 is available for each drop-off site. Funding can be used for hauling and disposal costs, construction, dumpsters or carts, and promotions and educational materials.
Priority will be given to drop-off sites that increase access to organics recycling for residents in multifamily properties without access to city service and in cities that don’t offer organics recycling service.
Learn more and apply
See the organics recycling drop-off funding guidelines (PDF) to learn more, and access the application materials on the Hennepin County supplier portal.
A virtual information meeting about the grant and how to apply through the supplier portal will be held from noon to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, August 30.
For more information and to RSVP to the information meeting, contact Kaitlin Steinberg at kaitlin.steinberg@hennepin.us and Christine Longwell at christine.longwell@hennepin.us.
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We recently added three new articles to our Climate Action website that will help you and your audiences stay safe and cool during the hottest days of the summer. Consider sharing these articles through your social media channels, website, or through email newsletters.
Minnesotans love spending time outdoors during the long days and warm weather of summer. But summer heat and humidity can be dangerous, especially for those with underlying health conditions or who work or exercise outdoors. Learn more about how climate change is impacting summer heat, how to stay safe during hot and humid weather, and how to keep your home cool while saving energy in the articles below and share them with your audiences!
Understanding how climate change is impacting summer heat and humidity
Research by Hennepin County Emergency Management has uncovered a trend that is making our hot days more uncomfortable and dangerous: increased humidity. Days that are extremely humid are becoming more common and more extreme. This is concerning because the body’s ability to evaporate sweat is limited on extremely humid days, making it harder to cool off. Hot and humid days disproportionately affect residents with underlying health conditions, people who work or exercise outside, people without access to air conditioning, and those who live in urban areas.
Learn more about how climate change is impacting summer heat.
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How to stay safe during hot and humid weather
Prepare your audiences to stay safe during hot and humid weather by learning about and preparing for local conditions, drinking plenty of water, wearing a hat and lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing, taking breaks in the shade or air conditioning, and finding a place to stay cool. Check out Hennepin County’s map of cooling options at hennepin.us/cool.
Learn more about staying safe in the heat and humidity.
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Stay cool while saving energy
Teach your audiences about the importance of home energy efficiency and how they can stay cool and comfortable in their homes, even in the warmest months. Keep the sunlight out by closing the blinds or installing heat-reducing window film, close doors and seal leaks to maximize the efficiency of your air conditioner, and upgrade lightbulbs to LEDs, which save energy and produce less heat than incandescent lightbulbs. It also helps to grill out to avoid heating up your home with a stove or oven, place your fans strategically to drive out hot air and bring in cool air, and take advantage of cool summer nights by opening doors and windows to create a cross breeze.
Learn more about staying cool in the summer while saving energy.
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Minnesota Association for Environmental Education conference
September 30 to October 2 at Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center in Finland, MN
Celebrate 30 years of the Minnesota Association for Environmental Education at the 2022 conference, themed Re-Discovering People, Nature, & Ourselves on the North Shore. This year’s conference will highlight promising and proven practices, help push the leading edge of the profession, advance equity and inclusion, and motivate the pursuit of excellence in environmental education, all while sharing and exploring the incredible resources on the North Shore.
Learn more and register.
North American Association for Environmental Education research symposium and conference
October 11 to 15 in Tucson, AZ
The North American Association for Environmental Education research symposium and conference will focus on the powerful role education can play in creating healthier communities and tackling today’s complex environmental and social issues. The conference will explore vital topics such as climate change education and climate justice, the benefits of connecting to nature, building a green workforce, protecting biodiversity, and centering equity in environmental education work. Early bird registration ends on September 9.
Learn more and register.
Save the date: Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education conference
November 3 to November 5 in the greater Milwaukee, WI area
Join fellow environmental educators in November at the Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education conference themed Awareness to Action. Attend to share perspectives, learn about different ways of knowing, share successful programs and practices for educating about our environment, and connect with peers. Conference sessions will be held both virtually and in person.
Learn more about the conference. Registration will open soon.
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Save the date: Minnesota Naturalists’ Association conference
November 11 to 13 at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, MN
Save the date for the 2022 Minnesota Naturalists’ Association conference in November. The conference will feature keynote speakers, field trips, and a silent auction and raffle.
Learn more about the conference. Registration will open soon.
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