Join us at the EarthFest Expo on Earth Day (April 22)
Join us at the annual EarthFest Expo this Saturday, April 22, from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at the Northrop Community Education Center (201 8th Street NW, Rochester).
This event will have a variety of activities/attractions that celebrate Earth Day!
- Joel Magnuson, Ph.D., economist, writer, speaker, and affiliated professor of economics at Portland State University is the keynote speaker (10:30 am). Magnuson’s presentation is titled, “Toward a Livable Post Carbon Economy.”
- 30 Sustainability Exhibitors
- Electric Vehicle Show
- Food Trucks (Old Abe and Taco Jed)
- Live Music by Root River Jam
- Games and Children’s Activities (face painting, sidewalk chalk, playground)
- Secure Bike Corral
- Educational Classes (solar electricity, urban homesteading, sustainable living, permaculture, energy appreciation and energy bills 101)
We can’t wait to celebrate Earth Day with you!
Hundreds Visit Olmsted Waste-to-Energy Facility Open House
The Olmsted Waste-to-Energy Facility (OWEF) held its annual open house on Saturday, April 15, 2023. We would like to thank everyone who took time out of their weekend to learn about the facility and the rest of Olmsted County's Integrated Solid Waste Management System. The event was a success with 498 visitors!
 Residents stop in the Control Room at the OWEF; photo by Anthony Wittmer
Celebrate Earth Day with the Waste Wizard!
Do you need to get rid of old appliances, furniture, or even hazardous materials, but you're not sure where to go? Visit olmstedwaste.com and enter your items into the Waste Wizard. This one-stop information hub will explain where to dispose of your items properly.
If an item can't go in your curbside garbage bin or recycling cart, the Waste Wizard will tell you where to take each item, when to drop it off, and whether or not there's a fee. Disposal instructions in the Waste Wizard are intended for households; businesses should email pwservice@olmstedcounty.gov with questions.
Give Recycling a Shot at Arbor Day in the Park
Rochester Public Utilities will host the 21st Annual Arbor Day Celebration on Friday, April 28, 2023. The event will be held at Three Links - Silver Lake Park (840 7th St NE in Rochester) from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
The festivities include:
- Free Admission
- Free Food
- Live Music
- Free Trees
- Giveaways
- Activities and Games
- Smokey the Bear
Prizes will be given to participants who stop by the Environmental Resources booth to "give recycling a shot." In the event of extreme weather, the celebration will be moved indoors to Rochester Community and Technical College's Field House. For more information, visit RPU's website.
Sign up to Help Make Rochester a Litter Bit Better
Rochester's Litter Bit Better city-wide clean-up starts Saturday, April 22 and runs through Sunday, April 30. There are still plenty of available sites to pick-up.
All volunteers should use online registration and follow the instructions below. Visit the RNeighbors Website.
- Look for adoption sites on the Litter Bit Better interactive map. The map has zoom capabilities and adoption site details when an area is clicked on.
- You’ll open the event registration page by clicking on “more info” shown in the adoption site details pop-up window or by following the links on the RNeighbors webpage to a city quadrant.
- You must know the site number you want to adopt in order to register.
- Select your site and complete the registration information.
- You’ll receive a confirmation email from Eventbrite with important group leader details.
Once a site has been adopted, no other groups will be able to adopt the same site.
The online map will be updated on a weekly basis to show at quick glance which areas have been claimed. If you’re unable to find a site on the Eventbrite page and you’re on the correct quadrant page than that site has been adopted but may not yet be reflected on the map.
If you wish to adopt an area not on the map, please email a description of the site. If bad weather or other conflicts come up for your expected pickup, please pick up the site when conditions allow, you do not need to re-register or contact us about a different date.
Green Trash and Blue Recycling bags can be picked up prior to the event, at the Government Center, near the City Hall Rotunda Entrance: 201 4th Street SE, and at the Development Services & Infrastructure Center, at 4001 West River Pkwy NW, in the main doorway. These are the same locations as last year. Groups can use their own bags if they prefer.
Once you have completed the litter pick up, pile the bags in a location where a vehicle can access (you can make multiple piles, condense if possible). Please call, text, or email Mike Kraszewski at 507-254-8169 or Mkraszewski@rochestermn.gov for the bags to be picked up. If you notice bags that are sitting for multiple days, do not hesitate to send another message, even if they are from a different group.
This is the 17th year for the event, thanks again for making Rochester a Litter Bit Better!
Disposal Discussion - E-Cigarettes and Vape Pens
E-cigarettes and vape pens contain lithium-based batteries which are considered hazardous waste. Residents should bring their e-cigarettes and vape pens intact to the Olmsted County Hazardous Waste Facility (do not take apart or remove components). Please place in a plastic baggie for safe handling.
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