 Success Story:
Hidden Harbor Marina Finds
an Easier Way to Recycle
Before receiving a BizRecycling Grant, the Hidden Harbor Marina’s boaters were
hauling their trash and recycling from their boats to plastic, 55-gallon
barrels located at dock entrances. Marina owner, Tim Kennedy, knew this could
be improved. He contacted BizRecycling and signed up for free on-site
assessment.
With the grant money, all of the marina’s boaters received
small recycling bins that could easily be stored on boats. The harbor also
received new carts and labels, making it easier for staff to recycle. With the
new programs in place, the harbor now diverts an additional 11,000 pounds of
recycling every year! BizRecycling is a program of the Recycling & Energy
Board.
Read more success stories on LessTrash.com.
News You Can Use:
Disposing of Electronics Safely
Have a broken TV tucked away in the basement
closet? Or an aging laptop that doesn’t
start up? Don’t put them in the
trash. There are several local recycling
options for these electronic items and more. In most cases, you will have to pay a fee. TVs and computer monitors with a cathode ray
tube contain toxic substances like lead. It is illegal to throw them in the trash. For a list of recycling options, go to
RamseyRecycles.com. You can also call 651-633-EASY (3279), which
is answered 24/7.
A Free Program for Reusing Household Products
Why check out Ramsey County’s Product Reuse Center? It’s an incredible resource
for free products! Common free products include interior and exterior house
paint, spray paint, stains, household cleaners, motor oil, antifreeze, fuel
conditioners, pool chemicals and the list goes on. Whether you are painting
your bedroom, refinishing old furniture, washing windows, or changing the oil
in your lawnmower, Ramsey County’s Product Reuse Center has free products
suited to the task. Stop in and find out why over 6,000 of your neighbors took
home nearly 100 tons of free products in 2015! Visit our RamseyRecycles.com for
location and hours.
Five Items You can
Bring to Ramsey County’s Fix-It Clinics
Ramsey County is hosting its next FREE Fix-It Clinic at Hamline Midway
Library on September 24, 2016 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteer Fixers will work
with individuals to fix up to three broken items and teach valuable repair
skills free of charge. What can you bring to the Fix-It Clinics?
Here are 5
ideas to get the juices flowing:
- The vintage fan on your dresser that makes your
room look like an ad for Pottery Barn but does nothing during a Minnesota
summer.
- That bright green, leopard print lamp currently
serving as an eclectic paper weight in your office.
- The broken sewing machine you once used to turn
your graduation gown into a ninja costume.
- Those awesome windbreaker pants you ripped down
the middle during a particularly intense aerobics class.
- The busted karaoke machine that made you the
life of last year’s holiday office party.
Remember: items must be carry-in – no oversized items. For
more information about Fix-It Clinics, visit RamseyRecycles.com.
In the meantime, Ramsey County will see you…and
your windbreaker pants…at the next Fix-It Clinic!
Resident Survey Shows
Greater Support and Awareness for Recycling
Since 1989, Saint Paul – Ramsey County Public Health’s Environmental Health
Division, has surveyed our residents and businesses to guide decision-making
about where to invest our resources and efforts most effectively. In April, 700
phone surveys of a representative sample of our residents were conducted. In
general, the results showed support for waste reduction initiatives and
awareness and use of recycling resources has increased in the past two years.
- Nine-in-ten residents are now willing to help
achieve our 2030 recycling goal of 75 percent.
- Nine-in-ten also support waste-to-energy
programs (up from 75 percent in 2014).
- Awareness of how to best dispose of items has
grown in nearly all categories since 2014, especially regarding electronics,
paint, branches and brush, and medications.
Interestingly, while those age 18-34 are more willing to
separate organics from trash and travel further to drop them off, that same age group is less likely to be aware of yard waste and household hazardous waste
drop-off sites. Data like this provides us with guidance to help us fine-tune
our outreach approach, such as providing more targeted social media to younger
people.
However, attitudes are no substitute for action. At the end
of the day, we need to judge our education efforts on how much our programs and
facilities are being used. And they’re being used a lot!
Did
You Know?
Medicine Collection
Program Approaching 5-Year Anniversary
Ramsey County began operating the first year-round medicine collection
program in the Twin Cities metro area in September of 2011. The program is a collaborative effort between
Saint Paul - Ramsey County Public Health and the Ramsey County Sheriff’s office
to prevent crime and protect the environment. During the past five years, the program has received over 15,000 visits
from residents dropping off over 28,000 pounds of waste medicines. The program is free-of-charge for residents. For more information including drop-off
locations, hours and items accepted, go to RamseyRecycles.com.
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