Make Plymouth Green

Are your closets filled with old shoes that have seen better days? Don't let them gather dust or end up in a landfill! Learn about environmentally friendly options to deal with your footwear and give your old shoes new life. Repairing your shoes is the best choice to save money and reduce your environmental footprint. Learn how: hennepin.us/choose-to-reuse/tips/shoe-repair

Outdoor water use restrictions are in effect through September in Plymouth. To reduce stress on aquifers during peak demand, outdoor lawn watering is prohibited from noon to 5 p.m. on all days. Water customers must also follow an odd-even schedule when sprinkling lawns.

➡️ More info: plymouthmn.gov/watering

The time for spring cleaning is here! Did you know that curbside mattress recycling is now available in all cities in Hennepin County? This service ensures your mattresses and box springs are recycled instead of landfilled. For more information and to schedule a pickup, visit secondchancerecyclingmn.com

With Easter right around the corner, remember that plastic Easter basket grass (left) lasts forever in the environment, often ending up in bird's nests and our waterways. Opt for the crinkled paper version (right). It eventually biodegrades and is much safer. Or even better, make your own re-purposed paper Easter grass so you can skip the plastic packaging all together! 🐰🐣🌱

Spring cleaning! When you’re decluttering, check out the Green Disposal Guide to find places to donate stuff, get rid of household chemicals, old paint and more. hennepin.us/greendisposalguide

Many products make claims about being green, natural, or eco-friendly, but that language is not regulated and doesn’t actually tell you what’s in a product or how environmentally and health-friendly it is. Rather than worrying about which products are truly green and which are “greenwashed,” you can simply make your own. You might already have most of what is needed around the house. If you have vinegar, baking soda, dish soap and a rag, you’re in great shape! Most jobs can be done with these ingredients. Download our green cleaning recipe cards to get started: http://ow.ly/bCta50MWift

Making swaps to a low-waste lifestyle isn’t easy and adding a baby to the family can make it even more difficult! Read our new blog to learn more about how to make low-waste swaps as a new parent. http://ow.ly/uerb50MMrWQ

The application for the spring Community Recycling Ambassadors class is now open! Community Recycling Ambassadors are friendly sources of information on waste prevention, recycling, and composting. The spring Community Recycling Ambassador class will be held every Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. from February 15 through March 22. Complete your application by February 5: hennepin.us/recycling-ambassadors

Join the movement to reduce waste with the Hennepin County Zero Waste Challenge! This challenge will help you take an in-depth look at the goods we buy and waste we create to uncover opportunities to recycle more and reduce waste.

Don’t trash it, fix it! Hennepin County to offer free Fix-It Clinic this weekend Household items break all the time, but in an effort to keep those items out of the landfill and help people gain valuable repair skills, Hennepin County offers a Fix-It Clinic once a month. The clinic is free and open to the public. People can bring in anything that they can carry for fixing from s...

Remember - the next Fix-It Clinic is this weekend, Saturday, November 12, from noon to 4 p.m. at Saint Louis Park Recreation Center. All clinics are first come, first served. No pre-registration required. Come join us and reduce the number of repairable items that are thrown in the trash! hennepin.us/fixitclinic

🚩 Red Flag Warning 🚩

Due to dry conditions, high winds, and low humidity, the National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning starting Sunday, November 6, 2022, at noon and extending until 6:00 p.m. for Anoka, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Chippewa, Cottonwood, Dakota, Douglas, Faribault, Freeborn, Goodhue, Grant, Hennepin, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac Qui Parle, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Pope, Ramsey, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Rock, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, Stearns, Steele, Stevens, Swift, Traverse, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan, Wright, and Yellow Medicine counties.

While the Red Flag Warning is in effect:
⚠️Burning restrictions are in place for many counties: mndnr.gov/burnrestrictions

🚫 Don’t burn brush and yard debris!

✔️ Check recent campfires and any burning done recently to ensure the fire is out COLD!

🔥 Be extra cautious with outdoor activities that could produce heat or a spark.

🐻 Remember, only you can prevent wildfires!

Plymouth property owners: You may be eligible to receive a rebate for replacing inefficient toilets, washing machines, irrigation controllers, dishwashers, sprinkler heads and more through the Water Efficiency Rebate Program.

Rebate funds are limited and will be issued to qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis. View more info: plymouthmn.gov/waterrebate

https://zerowastechef.com/2017/08/31/18-energy-reducing-tips-for-the-kitchen/

22 Tips to Slash Energy Consumption in the Kitchen - Zero-Waste Chef Updated 09/26/17 Here in the U.S., food-related energy accounts for about 16 percent all the energy we consume nationally. That energy includes all the steps in the food supply chain—growing and processing the food, packaging it, shipping it, storing it, preparing it and handling all that food we ...

Mark your calendars! The next Fix-It Clinic is on August 13 at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis (5025 Knox Ave. S). The event is from noon to 4 p.m. with the last items accepted at 3:30 p.m. Bring your broken household goods and clothing in need of repair as well as any tools and supplies you think might help with the job. The event is first come, first served. No pre-registration required.

Is your home wasting energy? Is inefficiency costing you more on your utility bills? Find out with a Home Energy Squad visit 📊🔌💡🏠

Plymouth residents are eligible for reduced-cost in-person Home Energy Squad visits to learn about their home’s energy use and identify ways to conserve. Learn more and sign up for an assessment: plymouthmn.gov/homeenergysquad

Share priorities and concerns about Plymouth’s lakes, streams and wetlands by completing a 10-question survey – surveymonkey.com/r/VNRNHDK

Feedback will be used while updating local watershed management plans for Basset Creek, Elm Creek, Shingle Creek and Minnehaha Creek watersheds.

Reserve Your Free Tree from CenterPointe Energy

We’re looking for volunteers to help create a pollinator-friendly garden and orchard 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 21 at Fazendin Park 🌷🌱

The volunteer event will include the planting of 10,000 native flowering perennials and 10 fruit trees, including heirloom apple trees.

Volunteers must be 14 years old or accompanied by an adult ➡️ More info: bit.ly/3w90h8N

"No Mow May" is crucial to help bees and pollinators in early spring It’s a campaign that is trying to get you to leave the lawnmower in the garage this month called “No Mow May”. Proponents say leaving grass alone helps pollinators such as bees thrive when they are coming out of hibernation at this time of year.

Zero Waste Plan survey Please share your thoughts with us via the following survey. It will take about 10 minutes to complete. Thank you!

Happy Arbor Day! Take a stroll around your neighborhood today and have some fun with neighborhood tree bingo! http://ow.ly/Ixhi50IkKmi

Keeping rainwater on your yard is a good way to prevent localized flooding and protect water quality. Climate change means more rain in our region, and as we head into the rainiest time of the year, it’s a good time to plan for how you will capture and reuse rainwater at home. Learn more about what you can do here: http://ow.ly/OiYo50IKiX7

New blog post! Take one or more of these effective 12 actions this Earth Day—and every day! As you help heal the planet, you will benefit personally. Three of the 12 tasks:

1. Join a climate-focused organization.
2. Plant a native (or two or three) to regenerate biodiversity.
3. Buy nothing new (on Earth Day, during Earth Week or for longer!).

As UN Secretary-General António Guterres said regarding the recent IPCC report, "Every fraction of a degree matters. Every voice can make a difference. And every second counts."

Go here for the full list: https://zerowastechef.com/2022/04/19/12-simple-ways-celebrate-earth-day-every-day/

Shown in the image: self-seeding, vibrant orange, native California poppies in my backyard.

North American birds are in decline. Here are 8 simple ways you can help : Life Kit Birds are what scientists call "indicator species" – their health helps us understand the health of our environment. In this episode of Life Kit, we get expert tips on how we can help birds survive, and thrive.

We're getting excited! Four times a year there's a day with free entry to all 75 Minnesota state parks and recreation areas - so, no vehicle permit required. The next free park day is coming up Saturday, April 23. Come out and join us! mndnr.gov/freeparkdays
🥾🌲🌳🌸

If you are looking for ways to volunteer in your community, consider becoming a Master Recycler/Composter! The summer Master Recycler/Composter class will be held every Wednesday at 6-8 p.m. from May 18 through June 22. The application for the summer class will open on April 25. Learn more about the program and add your email to be notified when the application opens: http://ow.ly/qs9T50IGzH9