Happy 40th Earth Day

Today is a great day to celebrate the great things we do to keep our environment clean for future generations, but more importantly it is a great day to do more. Here are a few little things you can do that add up when we all do it.

• When you are done with your soda at lunch, if there is not a recycling container around, take it home with you and put it in your recycling container. Repeat 260 times each year (1x for every work day) and you will save the equivalent energy of 12 gallons of gasoline.
• Plant a tree, you already know this but food and lemonade tastes better in the shade on a hot day.
• Bring your reusable bag to the grocery store, it makes cents (about 5 cents at some stores)

Happy recycling and Happy Earth Day!

Cell Phone Recycling Week

Did you know that April 5-11 is National Cell Phone Recycling Week? I didn't until today, but I thought I would pass along some information about it. You've heard it before, but every phone counts. Recycling one cell phone saves enough energy to power a laptop for 44 hours. Wow!

You can always recycle cell phones for free at the Hennepin County Recycling Center at 8100 Jefferson Hwy. in Brooklyn Park.

The Environmental Protection Agency has more information on cell phone recycling opportunities as well at: http://www.epa.gov/cellphones

Yard Waste Site Now Open

I think we can officially say spring is here. It is 76 degrees out, the sun is shining, and most importantly the Maple Grove Yard Waste Site is open! Bring all your leaves, tree branches up to 10-inch diameter, and (eventually) grass clipping to the site. There is no charge at the gate for residents of Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center, Crystal, and New Hope. The site is open April 1st through November 30th, Mon-Sat 8am to 7pm and Sundays Noon to 7pm. For more information visit www.mgyardwaste.com

Cash for Appliances

As some of you may know, more federal stimulus money is up for grabs. Whether you agree with the funding or not, if you have an old refrigerator, freezer, dishwasher or washing machine, this is a good opportunity to trade up and save up to $200. The idea is to get some of these energy "hogs" off the grid and replace them with Energy Star models that use about 1/3 of the energy. Your old appliance must be recycled. Details are available at www.mnappliancerebate.com

The rebates will go fast and you can apply to reserve your rebate starting at 8:00 a.m., today, March 1st.

Hangover

I've had writer's block (loser's hangover) since my last post, because every time I look at it I see Vikings and I'm still not over that game (and won't be until we get to and win a superbowl). Enough about my Vikings.

Today I'm promoting a great opportunity for Brooklyn Park residents to get involved in our community. Nearly 400 people gathered at community cafe's and more recently, 31 community members came together in a 3-day strategic planning session. Both are part of the process of making BP a better place in the future. We are looking for more community members to help by joining an action team geared towards three areas; resources, diversity, and youth. The deadline to join an action team is Feb. 26th. Please see our video clip or www.brooklynpark.org for more information. GO BP!

Do not recycle part 2

I'm continuing my series of things we should not recycle (in the curbside recycling cart). If you are like many Minnesotans, you may be enjoying a pizza this Sunday evening while watching the Vikings game. The pizza came in a box that you might think is recyclable, but it is not. Once a little grease and cheese get on the box, it should go in the trash. When grease and cheese sit on the pizza box for a while, mold starts growing and that is the last thing you want when you are trying to turn an old box into new cereal boxes and other boxes for food. Thanks for not recycling (pizza boxes) and GO VIKES!

Do not recycle part 1

I'm starting a series on items that we should not recycle in your curbside recycling cart. Today it is plastic bags. Please do not put plastic bags in your recycling cart and please do not put recyclables in plastic bags in your recycling cart. Plastic bags fowl up the sorting systems that are used at material recovery facilities. They get stuck in the conveyors and wind up as trash.

So what should you do with plastic bags...?

1. Don't use white or black trash bags for your recyclables at home, use a paper bag or put the recyclables in the cart without a bag. Personally, I use a small plastic trash container without a bag. When it is full, i walk it to my recycling cart and dump it - no bag needed!
2. Bring your own reusable bag when shopping
3. If you buy a small item, tell the cashier you don't need a bag
4. Recycle your plastic bags at Drop Off sites such as Festival Foods, Cub Foods, Lunds, Byerly's, or the Hennepin County Recycling Center (8100 Jefferson Hwy.,Brooklyn Park)

Thanks for not recycling (plastic bags in your cart).