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 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 AND  Saturday, March 25, 2017, 9 am-1 pm   WHERE:     Tech Dump Saint Paul, 698 Prior Avenue N, Saint Paul, MN 55104  55427    …

Stencil storm drains and more with FMR

February 28, 2017

If you’re looking for a great service outing that is educational, active, outdoors and provides a significant community benefit, consider storm drain stenciling. Reservations for stenciling outings and presentations, as well as group cleanups, are now being taken for mid-April-October 2017. FMR can organize stenciling outings, presentations and cleanups in St. Paul for most any local…

‘State of the River’ Presentation in Minneapolis

February 28, 2017

How is the health of the Mississippi River? Can I safely swim in it? Can I eat the fish I catch? What can we do about silver and other invasive carp? How are bald eagles faring? At FMR we hear questions like these all the time. That’s why we partnered with the National Park Service’s Mississippi…

March for Science

February 28, 2017

The March for Science champions publicly funded and publicly communicated science as a pillar of human freedom and prosperity. We unite as a diverse, nonpartisan group to call for science that upholds the common good, and for political leaders and policymakers to enact evidence-based policies in the public interest. Facebook Event

Metro Woodland Restoration at Westwood Hills Nature Center

February 27, 2017

Join Great River Greening at the second public event in our ongoing partnership with Westwood Hills Nature Center! Once a golf course, this 160-acre site is now a beautiful natural area comprised of rolling hills of big woods forest, tallgrass prairie, and wetland habitat surrounding Westwood Lake. 100 volunteers at this event will hike into…

Green Tips

Check Windows and Doors for Energy Efficiency

Here are some easy tips for Home Energy Savings:

Leaky windows, doors and frames can let out the air you paid to heat or cool. Once a year, check the caulking around your windows, doors and joints to make sure everything is sealed tightly.
Install weather stripping around any leaky windows and doors.
If you use storm windows, check them each winter to be sure they provide a good seal and are not cracked.
If you have only single glaze windows, you can purchase do-it-yourself plastic storms that just tape into place.
If you use window air conditioners, take them out for the winter. If they are attached to the wall or too big to move, make sure they are well-covered with insulating material to avoid leaking a lot of your warm air.
If you have a fireplace, install a glass door that reduces hot air loss.

Check Out This Template for Action

Scientists say a global warming “tipping point” in the Arctic seems to be happening before their eyes. Sea ice in the Arctic Ocean is at its second lowest level in about 30 years. These news flashes are just some of our climate’s changes happening daily. You and your kids can help. Read more here, and then check out Climate Generations’s Take Action! Guide, which offers hands-on activities for grades 3-12.

Learn from Minneapolis

The City of Minneapolis continues to be a national leader in reducing the impact of global warming on our planet. Minneapolis’ sustainability work is guided by 24 indicators that measure our progress at creating a sustainable future for our residents. Check out this article to learn about Minneapolis’ sustainability accomplishments and be inspired.

Go Green with Cloth Diapers

An average child will go through 8-10 diapers a day until the age of 30 months. That’s about 8,000 diapers, and a cost of about $2,500! A good set of 20 cloth diapers will cost an average of $350 and can be used for future children or even resold. Cloth diapers save you money and keep a significant amount of trash out of the landfill or incinerator.

Plant a Rain Garden

Many people do not realize that rain carries pollutants from our houses, yards, streets, sidewalks and parking lots to the nearest storm drain, leading directly to local lakes, streams and rivers. Rain gardens are designed to have a center depression to help rainwater seep into the soil. This infiltration helps recharge groundwater and reduces polluted runoff.

Check out our article on rain gardens to learn more.

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.

Recycle Your Paper Products

Most people don’t realize it, but one way to reduce global warming is to recycle paper products. Recycling one ton of paper saves 17 trees. Each tree helps reduce global warming by capturing and holding carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas. Remember your bottles and cans, too—any recycling you do means fewer of the Earth’s raw materials are used. Learn more here.

Unplug to Avoid Phantom Load

Did you know that you have electronics in your home leaking electricity—electricity that you pay for—24 hours a day, 7 days a week? The power drain is called “phantom load,” and it is a big problem with a simple solution.

The easiest strategy is to use power strips to cut the power to your electronics. When you turn off a power strip, it stops phantom load leaks. Start with your entertainment center and home office where you can find the biggest leaks: televisions, game consoles and computers. Make sure your power strip is located in an easy-to-reach place so you can easily turn it on or off. Set up a power strip as a charger station where your family can plug in all their cell phones, PDAs and music players. Most importantly…turn it off when you’re not using it!

Plant a Seed, Grow a Community

Community Gardens are community spaces that are communally cultivated and cared for; these spaces may consist of individually-worked plots, multiple person caretaker areas, sitting areas, and small-scale children play areas. Some say community gardens are the last existing opportunity Americans have to reclaim common spaces. This article offers great information about the many benefits community gardens provide.

Purchase Sustainable Lumber and Wood Products

Minnesota’s forests are vital to the state economy and environment. The Minnesota wood products industry provides employment to rural communities and serves markets throughout the world. As global trade in forest products grows, forest certification has emerged as a mechanism for consumers to identify wood products produced from sustainably managed forests. Nearly 50 different companies in Minnesota manufacture and market certified products. Retailers and distributors sell a variety of lumber, paneling, and decking products. Numerous local paper and printing companies also offer certified products.

More info here!

How Our Food Choices Effect the Planet

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

Stencil storm drains and more with FMR

‘State of the River’ Presentation in Minneapolis

March for Science

Metro Woodland Restoration at Westwood Hills Nature Center

How Our Food Choices Effect the Planet

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