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Remove garlic mustard at Pine Bend Bluffs SNA

March 1, 2017

Located just 20 minutes south of St. Paul, Pine Bend Scientific and Natural Area is home to some of the best views of the Upper Mississippi River and is a welcome respite from the bustle of the cities. After a short hike volunteers will work closely with FMR staff to remove the invasive species garlic mustard. Although a serious…

“The Lawn of the Future: Converting Kentucky bluegrass to native alternatives—from those appearing lawn-like to meadows of pollinator habitat”

February 28, 2017

Tired of mowing, watering, fertilizing, raking to keep up with your neighbors? This lawn of the future will free you from those chores while staying within the rough conventions of lawn appearance. There are many ways to transform common Kentucky bluegrass turf into low maintenance alternatives. Douglas will present examples of “No Mow”, where it…

Spring Cleaning? Don’t Forget Your Electronics. Take a Tech Dump During Salvage Saturdays in March!  

February 28, 2017

Clear your closets and create jobs! Drop unwanted e-waste at Tech Dump during March Salvage Saturdays. Cables, cords, computers and cell phones free. Fees apply for some items.   WHEN:   Saturday, March 11, 2017 , 9 am-1 pm   Saturday, March 25, 2017, 9 am-1 pm

Spring Cleaning? Don’t Forget Your Electronics. Take a Tech Dump During Salvage Saturdays in March!  

February 28, 2017

Spring Cleaning? Don’t Forget Your Electronics. Take a Tech Dump During Salvage Saturdays in March!  

February 28, 2017

Green Tips

Start a Recycling Program at Work

If your office doesn’t have a recycling program, consider being a catalyst for big change by starting one yourself. See our full list of tips on how to get started (including identifying a Recycling Coordinator and selecting a Recycling Company) in our article, Green Your Office.

Take Easy Steps to Save Energy at Home

The average Minnesota family spends over $4,000 on energy (includes natural gas, electricity and gasoline) and produces over 50,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. Here are some easy ways to save energy:

Turn off lights and electronics (TVs, radios, computers) when leaving a room. This can help your family avoid producing 298 pounds of carbon dioxide over the course of the year.
Be mindful of your heat and central air. Turning your furnace thermostat down just two degrees in the winter saves $53/year and prevents 569 pounds of CO₂, and you won’t even notice the change.
Unplug electronics and appliances while not in use, like cell phone chargers, video game consoles, and microwaves. Anything with a clock, remote or LED light is using energy all the time, even if it’s turned off. Power strips are a quick fix—and you can save $14/year.

Check out our Personal Energy Checklist for more great ideas!

Green Your Child’s Lunch

Home-packed lunches can be fun, healthy, and green, with very little time or money required. A child’s lunch, including organic fruit, requires less than five minutes on average to prepare and could cost as little as $1.00 per day-compared to over $2.25 for school lunch.

Try these suggestions to green your packed lunches, whether for children, adults, or picnics!

Take the Energy Challenge

The fastest, cheapest, easiest way to reduce your carbon footprint is through energy efficiency and conservation. Plus, you’ll save yourself money in the process! Need a little boost to get started? Join the Minnesota Energy Challenge and learn from thousands of Minnesotans who have pledged to reduce their energy use—and are finding fun, creative ways to do it. Read more about the Challenge here.

Host an Art Night

Looking for a new way to connect with your neighbors, get free life advice, and spark your creative juices? Consider hosting an art night at your house, complete with paints, modeling clay, colored pencils and art smocks. Get messy, be creative, and let the conversation flow. For inspiration and resources, check out this article.

Keep Learning

Minnesota is a national leader in environmental education and offers a number of resources to help you stay on top of the latest information. This article offers brief descriptions of some of Minnesota’s key environmental education programs, publications and organizations.

Think Twice About Bottled Water

If you live in an area with clean drinking water, fill a reusable bottle with tap water and bring it with you wherever you go to avoid buying bottled water. The U.S. sends 2 million tons of plastic water bottles to landfills each year—and producing those bottles requires oil and emits carbon dioxide. Some restaurants in the Twin Cities feel so strongly against bottled water that they refuse to sell it. Learn more.

Pack a No Waste Lunch

A ‘no-waste lunch’ is a meal that does not end up in the trash. Buy food in bulk and put it in reusable containers to carry to school or work. Packing your food in reusables is typically less expensive and creates less waste than buying food that comes in disposable containers.

Check out our No Waste Lunch tips!

Learn from St. Paul

Wondering what our state’s capitol city is doing about climate change? The city is committed to making St. Paul “The Most Livable City in America” and a leader in sustainable urban living. To accomplish this, the city concentrates on energy efficiency and conservation, clean energy supply, alternative fuels, transportation options, recycling and waste reduction, and other areas. Find out more here.

Learn from Winona

Environmental change is coming fast to the historic Mississippi River town of Winona. Learn about collaboration at its best in this article. It describes how Winona’s major public institutions—the city, county, Winona State University, and Winona Public Schools—are joining forces to become an ISO 14001 community.

How Our Food Choices Effect the Planet

Remove garlic mustard at Pine Bend Bluffs SNA

“The Lawn of the Future: Converting Kentucky bluegrass to native alternatives—from those appearing lawn-like to meadows of pollinator habitat”

Spring Cleaning? Don’t Forget Your Electronics. Take a Tech Dump During Salvage Saturdays in March!

Spring Cleaning? Don’t Forget Your Electronics. Take a Tech Dump During Salvage Saturdays in March!

Spring Cleaning? Don’t Forget Your Electronics. Take a Tech Dump During Salvage Saturdays in March!

How Our Food Choices Effect the Planet

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