 Become a trusted resource and volunteer in your community as a Hennepin County Community Recycling Ambassador! Community Recycling Ambassadors are trained on waste prevention, recycling and composting, and effective communication skills through a six-week course, with one class each week, taught by industry experts and community leaders. This training program is free to participants.
Once training is complete, participants commit to 30 hours of volunteering putting their skills to work on projects and activities that minimize waste and provide waste reduction, recycling and composting education.
Apply for the fall 2025 class
The fall 2025 class will be held in-person every Tuesday from September 9 through October 14 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the St. Louis Park Library.
Applications for the fall class are being accepted until Tuesday, August 26.
Learn more about the program and apply.
In August 2025, the county awarded contracts to 24 Green Partners environmental education projects totaling $497,400 to community organizations to engage their audiences in learning about and taking action to protect the environment. Together, these projects will engage more than 9,000 people, including more than 5,600 youth, and reach more than 165,000 people with environmental messages.
The program prioritizes environmental education and engagement with audiences that experience disparities.
The program includes three types of projects. Five organizations will work primarily with adult audiences to motivate environmental actions, 10 organizations will work primarily with elementary and middle school youth to educate about the environment and becoming environmental stewards, and 10 organizations will engage participants from high school to age 24 in environmental leadership.
Since the program was established in 2012, the county has awarded 286 contracts totaling more than $4.3 million. Stay tuned for updates on these projects in future issues of this newsletter.
 Hennepin County recently awarded 26 Healthy Tree Canopy grants totaling $500,000. Grant projects will take place in nine cities, on two affordable housing properties, at four schools, and through eleven nonprofit organizations, including congregations and neighborhood associations. More than 930 trees will be planted through the grant projects.
Environmental education grants include:
- Fraser: $14,795 to remove and replace four ash trees and conduct tree-related education at two Fraser locations.
- Parnassus Preparatory School: $10,000 to remove and replace 16 ash trees and conduct tree-related education.
- Spark-Y: $7,557 to plant a fruit tree orchard and conduct tree-related education at Edison High School.
- Tree Trust: $10,000 to plant up to 30 trees at a school and conduct tree-related education.
- Trust for Public Land: $10,000 to plant 94 trees and conduct tree-related education at Brooklyn Center Elementary School.
Learn more about the grants awarded.
Volunteers needed at Metro Children's Water Festival
Wednesday, September 24 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds
 Volunteers are needed to help over 1,800 fourth graders engage in interactive education about our water resources. This program is made possible by many generous contributors, including volunteers like you! All volunteers are provided with bagels and hot beverages in the morning and lunch.
Review volunteer positions and sign up.
Minnesota Council of Nonprofits annual conference
October 9 and 10
The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits annual conference will be held in St. Paul with the theme Perennial – Here, Rooted, and Unwavering. Conference highlights include over 40 breakout sessions, the 2025 Nonprofit Mission Awards ceremony and an exhibitor showcase.
Learn more and register for the MCN Minnesota Council of Nonprofits conference.
Minnetonka high school students win awards at international competition
In July at the international Envirothon competition, the Minnesota team from Minnetonka High School won first-place for their oral presentation and placed eighth overall. Congrats!
Watch the team accept their award for the oral presentation.
 “These students are truly leading the way to a promising future in conservation—not just for our great state but for the world. Their passion for sustainability and science is inspiring and reminds us that the next wave of environmental innovators is already making its mark.” said LeAnn Buck, Executive Director of the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
Envirothon is an international competition for high school students, focusing on environmental and natural resources. This year, students showcased their knowledge in soils, land use, aquatic ecology, forestry, and wildlife management around the theme Roots and Resiliency: Fostering Forest Stewardship in a Canopy of Change.
Learn more
hennepin.us/environmentaleducation
Environmental education network Facebook group
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