Get paid to recycle

It has been far too long since I blogged, but I couldn't pass up a chance to help you get some cash. Xcel energy pay you $50 if you recycle your energy sucking 2nd fridge. Check out the details here. Have a great day!

Regular Recycling Schedule for the Holidays

Many times during the holidays our recycling schedule is affected, but not this year! So, this is my reminder for everyone to put your recycling cart out on your regular day by 6:30 a.m. the week of Christmas and New Years. Happy Holidays!

Holiday Light Recycling

Do you have your strands of Christmas or holiday lights strung? Maybe you found that some of your old ones don't work. Well don't just put them in a pile for spare lights or throw them away...Recycle Them!  Here is a link to find all of the free recycling drop off locations for unwanted holiday lights...

http://www.cleanenergyresourceteams.org/campaigns/ryh-11-12#map

The closest sites in Brooklyn Park are the Hennepin County Recycling Center at 8100 Jefferson Hwy and Cherokee Hardware. The closest site in New Hope is Frattallone's Hardware.  Happy Recycling!

What happens to your recyclables?

Kare 11 did a nice video at the Waste Management recycling facility following recycleables. Here is a link to the video...

http://www.kare11.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=1267215425001

Pumpkin Recycling

Now that Halloween is over, don't forget to give your pumpkin a second life...recycle them!  Okay, it is not really recycling, it is composting, but you get the idea. Drop you pumpkins off from Nov. 1 - Nov. 7 at the Central Park parking lot across the street from the Operations & Maintenance shop at 8300 Noble Ave N.  Please remove candles and have fun throwing the pumpkin in the dumpster!

#1 - #7 Plastic Recycling

You can now recycle #1 - #7 plastic bottles and containers in your recycling cart in Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center, Crystal, and New Hope. This includes items such as butter tubs, yogurt cups, medicine bottles, flower pots, fruit/deli containers and much more, but NO plastic bags and NO Styrofoam. Plastic bags often clog and break down the sorting equipment at the recycling facility we contract with, other programs may take plastic bags, but for now we are not able to accept them. Plastic bags may be recycled at many grocery/retail stores and the Hennepin County Recycling Center at 8100 Jefferson Hwy. in Brooklyn Park.

Public Input Wanted on Trash Collection in Brooklyn Park

On June 6, 2011, the Citizen Long-range Improvement Committee (CLIC) presented a recommendation to the City Council to hold a public hearing and pass a resolution of intent to organize the garbage collection system consistent with the goals outlined in their Solid Waste Collection system study which are to be a city, proactive and committed to being "Economically Green", improving the City's environment, while promoting a possible lower cost of service with high efficiency, adding more safety in our neighborhoods and conserving our streets.

The city council took the recommendation under consideration and asked staff to develop a community engagement plan to get more feedback from residents on the issue of organizing the garbage collection system.

Staff is planning three community cafe style public meetings, one in each voting district in the City. The meetings will be facilitated by members of CLIC, with staff assistance as needed. They will include an overview of organized garbage collection by staff from the MN Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and insights from CLIC on their two year study of garbage collection and their recommendations. The rest of the cafe will be spent in roundtable discussions getting input from attendees on solid waste and recycling collection.

Community Cafe Schedule

August 8th from 7:00-8:30pm at Brooklyn Park Evangelical Free Church- 7849 West Broadway Brooklyn Park, MN 55445

August 11th from 7:00-8:30pm at Grace Fellowship- 8601 101st Ave Brooklyn Park, MN 55445

August 15th from 7:00-8:30pm at Discover Church- 1400 81st Ave N Brooklyn Park, MN 55444

All of the comments and findings from the cafes will be consolidated into a report and presented to the City Council targeted for August 29th or September 6th.

For more information contact me at dan.ruiz@brooklynpark.org Please come be part of the process!