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Carolyn Collopy, Master Recycler/Composter Coordinator
Email
612-596-0993
MRC Program
Payback opportunities
Hours reporting form
MRC Facebook group
MRC files
Thank you for your continued efforts to help Hennepin County reduce waste and recycle more! We’re glad you’re part of our outreach and education team!
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 Recycle Everywhere, the 2014 iteration of Hennepin County's recycling campaign, launched last week. The campaign encourages people to recycle everywhere they go, whether they're at work, at home, at school, at a park or an event, and to ask for recycling if they don't see it. The campaign includes ads on TV, radio and online that will run through September. Watch the commercial.
The campaign also features the Recycling Oasis, a portable park constructed with recycled materials and native plants where people can relax, learn more about waste reduction, and recycle and compost their waste.
Volunteer to promote Recycle Everywhere at the Recycling Oasis
MRCs are needed to help staff the Recycling Oasis at Target Field Plaza before Minnesota Twins games and at community events throughout the county. Volunteers will answer recycling questions and help visitors use the appropriate portable recycling and compost bins.
 The following shifts are available:
Target Field Plaza
Outside of Gate 29. MRCs get two FREE tickets to the Twins game the night of the shift
- Friday, August 15 from 4:30 – 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, August 23 from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- Sunday, August 24 from 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Community events
Longer events may be split into multiple shifts.
- Zanewood Summer Splash in Brooklyn Center
Thursday, August 14 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
- Rogers Farmers Market
Wednesday, August 27 from 3 – 6:30 p.m.
- Osseo Lions Roar
Friday, September 5 from noon – 5 p.m.
- Wayzata James J Hill Days
Saturday, September 6 from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Nicollet Avenue Open Streets in Minneapolis
Sunday, September 14 from noon – 5 p.m.
- Bloomington Heritage Days
Saturday, September 20 from noon – 5 p.m.
- Richfield Penn Fest
Sunday, September 21 from noon – 4 p.m.
To volunteer, contact Sarah Goodspeed at sarah.goodspeed@hennepin.us or call 612-348-9850.
Reporting your payback hours
MRCs have reported a total of 2,148 hours volunteering in their communities since 2011, including 638 hours logged in 2014.
Working on your payback? Many of you are doing great things in your communities to further waste reduction in Hennepin County (thank you!) but have not reported any hours. Please use our online form to report your hours or feel free to email carolyn.collopy@hennepin.us an update of what you are up to, and we’ll take care of the rest.
11 more certified MRCs!
Congratulations to the following MRCs on completing their payback hours:
- Alan Makinen (spring 2013) assisted with a low-waste wedding and used his training to educate staff and make changes to how waste is handled at work.
- Anja Curiskis (spring 2014) planned the low-waste North Star Grand Prix and monitored waste stations at the East Calhoun Bike Fest and Kenny Carnival.
- Brian Thielke (fall 2011) tabled at several events, gave a presentation and built a worm bin for staff green week and assisted the NE Farmers Market in their efforts to become a zero waste farmers market.
- Elizabeth Korbuly-Johnson (fall 2013) helped at a couple of Fix-It Clinics, planned an electronics collection drive, hosted a low-waste event and talked to residents about waste at several events.
- Greta Rittenhouse (fall 2011) spent her payback hours helping out at many Fix-It Clinics.
- Jack MacMillan (fall 2013) worked with a church and a non-profit organization to improve their recycling programs and trained and oversaw volunteer waste monitors for the Linden Hills Festival.
- Joe Gellman (fall 2013) monitored waste stations and talked to residents about waste at several events.
- Jenny Kedward (fall 2013) worked with her property manager to improve recycling at her apartment building.
- Kristi Otterson (spring 2013) helped out at many Fix-It Clinics and staffed a table at a General Mills employee picnic.
- Renae Kuehl (spring 2012) volunteered at several low-waste bike races, hosted a low-waste birthday party, planned a low-waste work chili cook-off and talked to residents about waste at a City of St Louis Park event and the MN State Fair.
- Sara Nelson-Pallmeyer (fall 2012) starred in a video on how to recycle for the City of Minneapolis, monitored waste stations at several events and helped out at several Fix-It Clinics.
You can now sign up to receive an email notification when payback opportunities are added to the MRC payback opportunities web page (www.hennepin.us/MRCpayback). This will make it easier to learn about payback opportunities without needing to check the web page for additions. You can also continue to learn about payback opportunities through the MRC Facebook group.
If you have questions about the email notification, contact Alisa Reckinger at alisa.reckinger@hennepin.us or 612-348-4788.
The fall 2014 MRC training will be held on Wednesday evenings from October 1 – November 5 at the Matthews Recreation Center in southeast Minneapolis. Registration will open in September.
If you know anyone that is interested in becoming a Master Recycler/Composter, they can contact carolyn.collopy@hennepin.us or 612-596-0993 to be placed on the notification list. If they don’t live or work in Hennepin County, Dakota and Anoka counties are also offering MRC trainings this fall.
Choose to Reuse coupons now available
 Choose to Reuse coupons, which offer discounts at 50 local retailers that rent, repair, resell, consign and exchange used goods, are available now and valid through October 31.
The free coupons are available on smart phones through the Chinook Book app, or coupon books can be picked up at participating retail locations, Hennepin County Service Centers, Hennepin County libraries Minneapolis Park Board recreations centers and Three Rivers Park District locations.
If you would like coupon books to distribute or flyers to promote the mobile app, please contact Sunny Wacek at Sunny.Wacek@hennepin.us or 612-348-4168.
Grants available for public space recycling
 Grants are available to public entities through the new Hennepin County Public Space Recycling Program to implement or expand recycling and composting programs at parks, sports venues, special events and along commercial districts. Applications are due August 25, 2014.
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Grants for businesses and non-profits to improve recycling
Applications for the final funding round of business recycling grants in 2014 are due October 15. Grants are available to businesses and non-profits to help with the purchase of recycling containers, equipment and hauling services and minor improvements to loading docks and waste enclosures.
Compost bin distribution events
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Hennepin County is selling compost bins to encourage backyard composting. Compost bins are 3’ x 3’ x 3’, made of cedar and wire mesh, and cost $45.
There are two options for purchasing a bin:
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- Pre-order online to pick up at a distribution event. Events are scheduled for Sunday, August 17, Friday, September 12 and Sunday, September 21 in Minneapolis.
- Purchase a bin at the Hennepin County Drop-off Facility in Brooklyn Park. Pay at the facility; no pre-order needed. Bins are for sale during regular drop-off facility hours.
We have an article, flyer and photo available to promote the compost bin sales.
School recycling grants awarded
Hennepin County recently awarded $81,000 to eight schools for projects that reduce waste and increase recycling. Learn more about the grants awarded.
World's largest wad of paper at the Minnesota State Fair showcases the opportunity to recycle more
The Eco Experience exhibit at the Minnesota State Fair will feature, if all the measurements add up, the world's largest wad of paper. The 426-pound ball of paper represents the amount of paper Minnesotan's throw away every 30 seconds and is intended to encourage people to recycle more. Minnesota is home to several paper companies that use recycled paper to make new products, but these companies often struggle to get enough recycled-paper supply from Minnesota and truck in paper from out of state. Read more in the Star Tribune and sign up for a shift at the Eco Experience.
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