June Green Ramsey

Ramsey County, Minnesota sent this bulletin at 06/11/2020 04:38 PM CDT

June 2020

Recycle better - Now more than ever

With more people staying at home, recycling facilities are seeing more paper, cardboard, metal cans, plastic containers and other packaging waste coming in. Our nation’s supply chains are eager for these materials, which will be made into packaging, toilet paper and other vital items in high demand right now. By recycling better, you can do your part to keep vital items in stock.

Donation options for clothing
and household goods

We know many of you have been cleaning out your closets and finding things you no longer want to keep. Thank you for holding on to your donatable items over the past several weeks. Many donation centers are accepting items again. Contact your nearest donation center to find out if they are open and how to safely drop off items. Please be patient when dropping off items, as wait times may be long.

Never drop off items at closed locations. It’s not only illegal to do so, many items become unusable when left outside in the elements. The donation center then must pay for their disposal.

Food saving tips: Storing and using fresh herbs

Fresh herbs give vibrant, deep flavor to many dishes. Learn how to cook with and store herbs to make the most of their flavor profiles.

Local laundromat recycles more than
3,000 pounds per year

Beautiful Laundrette is a self-serve laundromat on the West Side of Saint Paul dedicated to making customers’ washing and drying experience comfortable and hassle-free. In 2019, Laurel Gamm became the new proprietor of the laundromat on the corner of Elizabeth and Stryker Avenue in Saint Paul. After renovating the space, Gamm re-opened it as Beautiful Laundrette.

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Options for recycling electronics

Cleaning out your closets and basement? If you find any old computer equipment, cell phones, MP3 players, radios, video game systems, televisions and other electronics you no longer need, be sure to recycle them. They contain valuable materials and can be harmful to people and the environment if disposed of in the trash.

Here are options in or near Ramsey County that are currently open, as of June 10:

Green Lights Recycling in Blaine. Call 763-785-0456.
Office Depot Office Max in Roseville. Call 651-233-1219.
PCs for People in Saint Paul. Call 651-354-2552.
Ramsey County’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection sites (cell phones and tablets only, no charge). Call tel:651-633-EASY (3279).
Tech Dump in Saint Paul. Call 763-432-3117.
The Retrofit Companies in Little Canada. Call 651-766-7422.

Please refer to their website or call them to find out what items are accepted, when they are open, how to safely drop off your items, and what fees are charged.

How to use compost

Do you have a yard, a garden or some potted plants? Consider adding compost to your soil. Compost improves soil health in many ways:

Contains nutrients for plants.
Increases the retainment of nutrients and water near the plants’ roots.
Allows water to move easily into the plants’ roots.
Can suppress some plant disease.
Reduces the need for pesticides.

Compost can be used as a top layer for lawns and gardens, as well as for potted plants. Find out how to mix compost with your soil for different types of plants and see the benefits!

Participate in a local plywood rescue program

ReUSE Minnesota, a local non-profit, is collecting reusable plywood from Twin Cities businesses removing it from their windows and doors as they reopen. This plywood will be reused for building repairs, future construction projects, or even creative art projects. Murals and artwork will be preserved by the Minnesota Historical Society and other organizations.

If you are an interested business, visit Reuse Minnesota’s website to find drop off locations or to request a pickup. Volunteers are needed to outreach to businesses, transport plywood to central locations, and sort plywood for reuse. If you want to help, sign up today!

What to do with plastic bags

Several retailers in the metro area (like Target and Cub Foods) are not accepting plastic bags/film for recycling due to health and safety concerns with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Therefore, we suggest storing plastic bags/film at home until collection programs resume. Remember to keep bags clean and dry. Bags can be compressed and stored inside another plastic bag.

Visit PlasticFilmRecycling.org for more information on what to do with plastic bags during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Celebrate World Environment Day

From the foods we eat, the air we breathe and the water we drink, to the land we live on, the Earth sustains us. The more diverse our world is with different species of plants and animals, the healthier it will be for them and us.

Friday, June 5 was World Environment Day and a time for us to reflect on the importance of biodiversity, or the variety of life in the world. Take this biodiversity quiz and test your knowledge of nature!

Free pollution prevention assistance for businesses

Attention dry cleaners, auto body shops, industrial painters, printers and similar industries. Make your business healthier for your employees, your neighbors, your community and your bottom line.

The Business Pollution Prevention Program helps businesses reduce the use of chemicals that contain or produce perchloroethylene (PERC) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These can be harmful to the environment and lead to costly disposal and regulatory fees.

Receive free technical assistance and financial support of up to $50,000 to help your business transition to safer, more sustainable chemicals and modern, high-efficiency equipment.

Learn more.

Earth Day Action Quest a success!

April marked the 50^th anniversary of Earth Day. To celebrate, Ramsey and Washington counties offered Earth Day Action Quest – a series of activities for people to participate in from their homes and neighborhoods. Activities encouraged people to leave the Earth a better place for future generations, pick up some thrifty habits, and get out and enjoy the spring weather.

The Earth Day Action Quest site had 1,414 visitors, with the most visits on Earth Day. Thank you to those of you who participated. Earth Day Action Quest will be back next year!

ReUSE Minnesota hosting a national virtual conference in July

ReUse Minnesota, a member-based organization focused on bringing visibility to the reuse, rental and repair industry, will be hosting a national virtual conference on July 13 and 14. ReUSE2020: Vision for a Circular Future will showcase speakers and panelists exploring how reuse, rental and repair play an essential role in supporting and stabilizing sustainable communities.

For more information and to register, visit the conference page. Early bird registration rates are available through June 26, and a “pay what you can” option is available for attendees experiencing economic uncertainty.

Sponsorship opportunities are also available.

BizRecycling receives honorable mention for Environmental Initiative Awards

BizRecycling was nominated and won honorable mention for the Environmental Initiative Awards in the Large-Scale Sustainability Impacts category. BizRecycling provides free assistance and grants of up to $20,000 to help businesses start and improve their recycling programs. More than 900 businesses have participated in the program including restaurants, places of worship, multi-unit dwellings and more.