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Bring gently used items you no longer need. Take home stuff you can use. Swap it — for free!
Hennepin County is starting to offer swap-it events as a fun, sustainable way to reduce waste, share resources, build community, and support local reuse efforts.
These events are funded by a waste reduction and reuse grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and Reuse Minnesota is the contracted event producer.
Swap It: Fall/winter holiday décor
Sunday, October 12 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Brookdale Library in Brooklyn Center
 The first event is a holiday decor swap-it event! Bring fall/winter decorations you no longer need and take home holiday décor you want.
What to expect
- No pre-registration required. Anyone can participate, and kids are welcome.
- You do not need to bring items to take items.
- Everything is free. Take as many items as you can use.
- Check in at the event table where volunteers will check, weigh, and sort your items.
- Items accepted for Swap It: Holiday Décor event should be clean and in good working condition.
- Remaining items will be donated to Arc’s Value Village.
Find a complete list of what's accepted, additional details, and directions to the Brookdale Library at hennepin.us/swap-it.
 Participate in the MNimize Fall Food Tour from October 1 to 31 to support local food spots that are cutting back on single-use plastic. From coffee shops to breweries and bakeries, vegan fare to Somali cuisine and darn good burgers, MNimize businesses have something to offer every appetite, with less plastic on the side.
How to participate
Look for the Fall Food Tour poster near the checkout or entrance. Scan the QR code to enter a drawing for a gift card to a participating business of your choice. Want bonus entries? Post a photo from your visit on Facebook or Instagram and tag @mnimizeplastic.
About MNimize
MNimize is a program of the Minnesota Waste Wise Foundation and Hennepin County that provides support, rebates, and recognition to food businesses working to reduce single-use plastic waste.
 Health mentors receiving supplies to distribute
This spring, Hennepin County Environment and Energy partnered with Better Together Hennepin to launch a reusable menstrual product pilot for students in grades 6–12. The program focused on areas with high diversity and need, including Brooklyn Park and downtown and north Minneapolis.
Aligning efforts to reduce waste, advance equity, and empower teens
This program is part of the county's efforts to achieve a zero-waste future and create a materials management system that eliminates disparities and advances equity. The program also aligns with Better Together Hennepin's focus on promoting adolescent sexual health and wellbeing.
According to a recent waste sort of residential trash, diapers and menstrual products make up about 4% of residential trash by weight. This pilot aimed to empower teens to make informed, sustainable choices that would reduce their reliance on single-use items.
Promising results
Through the program, 190 students were educated about reusable products and 68 students received free supplies, including reusable menstrual cups and pads, for three months. Better Together Hennepin health mentors provided support to students throughout the program.
The results were promising. Over six months, the program prevented 2,040 disposable products from entering the waste stream. Among the students surveyed, 52% felt more comfortable talking about menstruation, and 45% said they would recommend reusable products to others. Nearly half said they have reduced or stopped using disposables, and 40% plan to keep using reusables.
Because purchasing disposable menstrual products can be expensive, part of the pilot focused on reducing costs. About 30% of participants reported having trouble paying for supplies, and about half of these students said they would continue using reusable supplies to save money.
Based on the success of the first year, the pilot program will expand during the 2025 - 2026 school year and provide increased product options for students who need them.
Grand Opening: Brooklyn Park Habitat for Humanity ReStore
Friday, October 10 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, October 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Brooklyn Park Habitat for Humanity Restore is hosting a weekend packed with great deals, raffles, and food trucks during their grand opening. A frequent partner in Hennepin County building reuse programs, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity ReStore provides a place to donate used items or shop for home remodeling materials.
Don't trash it, fix it!
It's always frustrating when something you love stops working. But before you throw it out, consider repairing it. You might be surprised at how many common items can be fixed.
Hennepin County Fix-It Clinics offer free, guided assistance from volunteers with repair skills to disassemble, troubleshoot, and (hopefully) fix small household appliances, clothing, electronics, mobile devices, and more. Clinics are held on the second weekend of every month from noon to 4 p.m., with the last items accepted at 3:30 p.m. Events are first come, first served. No pre-registration required.
Fix-It Clinics for the rest of 2025 are scheduled for:
- Saturday, October 11 at the Brooklyn Park Community Activity Center
- Saturday, November 8 at Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis
- Saturday, December 13 at the Maple Grove Community Center
Minnesota Bat Festival
Saturday, October 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Bloomington
 There are more than 1,400 species of bats worldwide, but have you ever wondered how many species of bats call Minnesota home? Come celebrate and learn about the unique role that bats play in our world during International Bat Week!
The event will feature a live bat program, bat house information and giveaways, bat trivia, opportunities to be a bat scientist, batty crafts, speakers, and more!
Hennepin County wildlife biologists will be at the event sharing information about the native bat species that live in the county. Visit them to test your knowledge about where bats roost. Minnesota Bat Festival details.
 Few things mark the arrival of autumn like the burst of yellows, oranges, and browns in our trees. Maybe we get a few weeks’ warning from a friend up north, but inevitably the day comes when we pass a favorite tree and realize: fall has arrived.
This colorful transformation is more than just beautiful, it’s a smart survival strategy. The process of a tree losing its leaves is called senescence, from Latin for “to grow old.” It’s how trees prepare for winter by shedding leaves that are no longer efficient.
Forests in Minnesota
In Minnesota, we have two main forest types:
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Deciduous broadleaf forests (like oaks and maples) that shed leaves each fall
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Boreal forests (like spruces and firs) that keep their needles year-round
Deciduous trees grow in nutrient-rich soil and can afford to drop leaves and grow new ones each spring. Evergreens, on the other hand, keep their needles to conserve energy in harsher conditions.
But when those leaves fall, they don’t just disappear. Many wash into storm drains and flow directly into lakes and rivers feeding unwanted algae growth next summer.
That’s where you come in - keep our water clean by adopting a storm drain
By adopting a storm drain, you can help prevent pollution. It takes just 15 minutes, twice a month. Since the program began, nearly 16,000 Minnesotans have prevented over 900,000 pounds of pollution from reaching our waters. All you need is a rake, gloves, and a few minutes.
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