Success Story:
Local Supermarket Diverts 1,000 Pounds of Food Waste from the Trash Weekly
La Guadalupana Supermercado is a supermarket serving the west side of Saint Paul. The owners, who are committed to operating more sustainably, applied for and received a BizRecycling grant to increase recycling and start collecting organic waste.
The grant paid for color-coded organics, recycling, and trash bins, as well as a six-month supply of compostable bag liners to collect food scraps from the kitchen, dining and deli areas. La Guadalupana also used the grant money to purchase a dishwasher and reusable dishes for their operation.
Since implementing these changes, La Guadalupana reduced the size of their trash dumpster from six yards to four yards, saving $200 a month and diverting about 1,000 pounds of food waste each week.
BizRecycling works with businesses in Ramsey and Washington counties to improve their recycling or organics collection. Visit BizRecycling.com or call 651-266-1199 to learn how your business can get started.
News You Can Use:
Recycle Your Live Christmas Tree
The holiday season has come to an end and it’s time to recycle your live Christmas tree. You have several options for easy disposal:
- Bring your tree to a Ramsey County yard waste site for free disposal. Spruce top arrangements are also accepted. Visit RamseyRecycles.com/yardwaste for locations and hours or call 651-633-EASY (3279). Please remove all decorations, lights, tinsel and tree bags prior to drop off. Flocked trees and wire wreaths and garland are not accepted and may be placed in the trash.
- Contact your trash hauler to see if they will take your tree to a compost site for you for a fee.
While a Christmas tree can legally be placed in the trash, we encourage you to recycle it. Have another holiday item you need help disposing of? Visit RamseyRecycles.com/AtoZ or call 651-633-EASY (3279), answered 24/7.
Test Your Home for Radon for Only $2
January is Radon Action Month. You can purchase test kits from Ramsey County for only $2! Did you know that two in five homes tested in Minnesota have radon levels that could pose a major health risk? Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas and is the second leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking. It can enter your home through the foundation and floor-wall joints. Winter is the best time to test for radon.
Call the Environmental Health office at 651-266-1199 for more information and to request a test kit.
Burning the Right Wood in the Right Way
Cold nights call for warm fires. But are you using your fireplace wisely? Here are a few simple tips for burning the right wood in the right way:
- Only burn wood that has been aged for at least six months. Seasoned wood burns hotter, cuts fuel consumption and reduces the amount of smoke your fireplace produces.
- Use only clean newspaper or dry kindling to start a fire. Never use gasoline, kerosene, charcoal starter or a propane torch.
- Don’t let your fire smolder overnight. It does little for heating and increases air pollution.
- Clean ashes from your fireplace. Excess ashes can clog the air intake vents of your fireplace, reducing efficiency. Dispose of ashes in a metal container, away from the house or any flammable material, to reduce risk of fire.
- Keep your chimney clean. A clean chimney provides a good draft and reduces the risk of a chimney fire. Have your chimney inspected by a professional once a year.
Visit www.epa.gov/burnwise for more information on how to burn wisely.
Did you know?
Each year, Ramsey County collects over 4,000 pounds of string lights and cords for recycling! If you have strands of lights or cords that don’t work, please don’t put them in your recycling cart or recycling dumpster. They can get tangled in the sorting machines.
Instead, bring them to Ramsey County’s year-round household hazardous waste collection site in Saint Paul, where they will be transported in bulk to a local recycler that will recycle them. All types of string lights and cords are accepted. Please remove battery packs or attached electronics/appliances prior to drop-off.
Sign up to receive Green Ramsey in your inbox each month.
Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. |
