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ABOUT GREENNOTES
GreenNotes covers environmental news, programs and events from Hennepin County.
Please take a few moments to read our stories. Share your feedback and ideas for protecting the environment. Pre-order Choose to Reuse coupon books
Register for the fall Master Recycler/Composter course
Recreation center opens with funding from the Environmental Response Fund
Environmental Response Fund grants available
North Minneapolis youth engaged in hands-on, environmental learning
Grants awarded to fund school recycling programs
Outdoor recycling in downtown Minneapolis expands
Get your business listed in the Do it Green! Directory
In the News: Pick up free household products
Events:
- Fix-It Clinics
- Household hazardous waste collection in Shorewood
- Waste pesticide collection
Green Tip: Recycle your batteries
Please forward this email to interested individuals and encourage them to sign up.
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Pre-order Choose to Reuse coupon books
Choose to Reuse coupon books with discounts at 80 local reuse retailers will be available October 1 through November 30. Shopping reuse gets you great deals on quality products, plus it supports local businesses and protects the environment. Participating retailers include local businesses and organizations that rent, repair, resell, consign and exchange used goods.
Registration is open for fall 2012 Master Recycler/Composter course
Join fellow waste reduction enthusiasts and become an advocate for the three Rs in your community as a Hennepin County Master Recycler/Composter. Master Recyclers/Composters are trained volunteers who work to reduce waste generation and increase public awareness of opportunities to recycle and compost. Registration is open for the fall course, which will be held Tuesday evenings, October 2 through 30 and November 13. Optional field trips will take place on Friday, October 12 and 26.
Recreation and learning center in Minneapolis opens with assistance from the Environmental Response Fund
El Colegio Charter School in south Minneapolis recently opened a new public recreation and community space. The new space, named El Patio, includes a soccer field, basketball court, garden and patio/outdoor classroom.
The project was awarded $345,023 from the Environmental Response Fund (ERF) for removal of contaminated soil, design and installation of a storm water infiltration system, placement of a clean soil cover, and final site restoration activities. The environmental cleanup activities represented unexpected costs, and without the Environmental Response Fund, it is unlikely the project would have found sufficient funding for the necessary cleanup work. The project also received funding from the Hennepin County Youth Sports Program for sports fields and the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District to assist with the storm water management costs. The project turned a vacant, blighted lot into a public recreation and community space that also provides the opportunity to teach students about the relationship between land use and water quality. Funding available to clean up contaminated sites
Applications for Environmental Response Fund (ERF) grants are due November 1. ERF grants provide funding for a variety of environmental assessment and cleanup activities at contaminated sites where the added environmental costs hinder site improvements or redevelopment. These are sites that present a threat to human health or the environment, provide community benefit from the cleanup and lack funding from other sources. After cleanup, properties that receive ERF grants are put to a variety of productive uses such as public space, housing or economic development. See Applying for an ERF grant for more information. The state statute that provides the authority to collect the county mortgage registry and deed tax that funds ERF expires on January 1, 2013, and the Minnesota State Legislature did not approve legislation to extend the expiration date. ERF funding has been critical in the redevelopment of contaminated properties throughout the county; the 288 ERF grants totaling more than $41 million that have been awarded since 2001 have resulted in an increase of $433 million in property values. Learn about the future of ERF, and read more in the Star Tribune. Urbanwatch projects engage North Minneapolis youth in hands-on, environmental summer programming
 Several organizations receiving funding from Hennepin County engaged North Minneapolis youth in beekeeping, gardening, and other hands-on, outdoor activities this summer. Beez Kneez established two bee hives at the McKinley community garden and educated youth about beekeeping and the importance of pollinators. During beekeeping classes, youth spent time geared up in bee suits working inside the hives. The Phyllis Wheatley Community Center planted two community gardens and ran an Environmental Explorer’s summer program that engaged youth in environmental science, green careers, environmental art and cooking and gardening. The Environmental Justice Advocates of Minnesota have engaged youth in planting, garden maintenance and composting at a community garden and took youth on several environmental field trips.
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Grants awarded to fund school recycling programs
In August, Hennepin County awarded $200,000 in recycling grants through the School Recycling Assistance Program to seven public school districts and seven independent (non-public) schools. The funding awarded will be used to implement and expand organics recycling programs, initiate milk-carton recycling programs, improve recycling programs, and increase waste reduction and reuse. A total of 61,200 students will be engaged through the program in this round of funding.
Outdoor recycling in downtown Minneapolis expands to Nicollet Mall and Hennepin Avenue
 Pedestrians in downtown Minneapolis can now recycle plastic, glass, cans and paper in containers along Nicollet Mall and in the theater district on Hennepin Avenue. The expansion of the Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District’s outdoor recycling program was funded in part by a grant from Hennepin County.
The expansion is coming after a successful 2011 pilot program in which 80 percent of recyclable material was recycled in locations that featured paired recycling and trash containers. Minneapolis DID hopes to slowly expand the program throughout downtown.
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Get your business or organization listed in the Do It Green! Directory
Do It Green! Minnesota has been promoting Minnesota’s green businesses and organizations for a decade through the Do It Green! Directory. Hennepin County is sponsoring Do It Green as they work on an updated directory that will have an increased reach through both online and print versions. All businesses and organizations listed in the directory pass a Do It Green sustainability certification.
In the News
Pick up free household products at the drop-off facilities
 At the Free Product Centers located in the Hennepin County Drop-off Facilities in Brooklyn Park and Bloomington, residents can pick up usable household products that were previously dropped off for disposal. The products are screened for quality before being placed on the free product shelves for reuse. Common products found in the Free Product Centers include adhesives and glues, aerosols, automotive products, cleaners, paints and stains. In 2011, 20,000 items were picked up from the Free Product Centers, saving $39,000 in disposal costs. Learn more on Channel 12. |
Events
Hennepin County Fix-It Clinic
Have broken household goods or clothing in need of repair? Hennepin County is holding Fix-It Clinics in which volunteer fixers offer free guided assistance to help attendees fix and repair their broken household items. Fix-It Clinics reduce the amount of stuff thrown in the trash, teach valuable troubleshooting and basic repair skills, and build community connections. Fix-It Clinics are being held on the following dates:
Volunteers needed
Volunteer fixers who have skills in soldering, electronics repair, electrical repair, sewing, wood working, small engine repair, and general tinkering are needed to make this initiative a success.
For more information or to volunteer, email Nancy Lo or call 612-348-9195.
Household hazardous waste collection event in Shorewood
The final 2012 household hazardous waste collection event is being held September 13 – 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Shorewood Public Works. Visit www.hennepin.us/collectionevents for specific event dates, locations and materials accepted.
Waste pesticide collection event
 September 19, 2012, 9 to 11 a.m. at Waconia Farm Supply, 11810 Brockton Lane North in Dayton.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is holding a collection event for unwanted and unusable pesticides – including herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, rodenticides, disinfectants and more. Pesticides from farmers, households, commercial pesticide applicators, golf courses, lawn care companies, structural pest control operators and other pesticide end users will be accepted. Participants must be Minnesota residents. Waste pesticides can pose risks to human health and the environment. Find out more about when pesticides become unusable, what the risks are, and how to safely handle and transport waste pesticides. |
Green Tip
Recycle your batteries
 American consumers buy, use and throw away billions of batteries every year. Some batteries contain toxic metals, such as cadmium, lead or mercury, which pose a threat to human health and the environment when batteries are improperly disposed.
You can recycle your batteries in three easy steps:
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- Gather your batteries for recycling. Remember that anything that makes sounds, lights up or turns on without being plugged in contains a battery.
- Prepare your batteries for recycling by removing the battery from the device and placing clear tape over terminals, or place each battery in its own plastic bag to prevent short-circuiting. If you cannot remove the battery, bring in the entire device.
- Recycle your batteries. Hennepin County accepts all types of batteries from households at household battery drop-off containers at libraries, city halls, community centers and other sites throughout the county and at Hennepin County drop-off facilities. Visit www.hennepin.us/batteryrecycling to find a drop-off location near you.
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