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Blog

The Do's and Don'ts of Recycling

2/21/2020

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Recycling has been a part of mainstream knowledge since the 1970s, and most people are familiar with the principles behind the program. While imperfect, recycling programs worldwide go a long way in reducing raw materials energy consumption and are still very much an important part of our waste diversion efforts. While composting and overall consumption reduction efforts should come first, knowing how to maximize your recycling efficiency is also an integral piece of the climate puzzle. By reducing the contamination of our recycling plants, we can ensure that the energy used in the recycling process is being spent in the most productive way possible.
Let's start with what can be recycled.


Aluminum, tin, steel. Ensure there is little to no food residue (Hennepin County suggests 95% clean as a general rule of thumb). Avoid tossing pressurized cylinders, electronics, and scrap metals. Minneapolis has solid waste programming in place for the bigger, bulkier items you may need to get rid of, such as the aforemention electronics and scrap metals. Find more information here.
Cartons. Think milk cartons, juice boxes, and wine cartons. Toss the lids before recycling. If they’re dirty, give them a thorough rinse before tossing them in the bin.

Glass. Most glass bottles and jars can be recycled, but be more cautious with glass that does not contain a product upon purchase; many of these contain strengthening additives that can interfere with the recycling process. Instead of throwing these out at all, try out a new craft or two (ideas here) to reuse this non-recyclable glassware.

Plastics. Minneapolis accepts plastics #1-#5. Minneapolis is unique in that we have industrial composting facilities that can accommodate #7 plastics. However, #6 plastics still belong in the trash. Placing them in the recycling is counter-productive, as more energy will be wasted in the process of sorting them out than by simply throwing them away. Try to cut down on this waste by reducing your consumption of #6 plastics and by reusing or re-purposing them several times before finally tossing them.

Cardboard cans. These come from a wide variety of products, including powdered drink mixes, refrigerated dough, and even baby formula. Do not recycle grease or wax containers. 

For a more comprehensive list of what can and cannot be recycled in Minneapolis, be sure to read this page with lots of helpful recycling information published by the city. 
Another strategy to increase your recycling efficiency is to avoid “wishcycling,” or putting things in the recycling bin without checking recyclability in the hopes that it will be recyclable. This can contribute to inefficient recycling processes, which can be more energy intensive in the long run than it would have been to toss it in the garbage in the first place. Unfortunately, the current rule of thumb is “when in doubt, throw it out.” This wasteful adage can be countered, however, by the reduction and reuse of household waste products. 
Remember that recycling programs vary from city to city. In Minneapolis, we are incredibly lucky to have curbside, one-sort recycling, but that is not the case in all cities across America. Remember to check for local recycling and organics recycling rules when traveling or visiting family. Following the city or county rules goes a long way in increasing recycling efficiency. If you don’t feel comfortable throwing things out that you could otherwise recycle (or compost!) at home, consider bringing a paper bag along to bring them home with you. 
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2020 Resolution Reboot

2/14/2020

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Take a moment and reflect. Now that it’s almost March, how are you doing on your New Year’s resolutions? Are you sticking to them? Did you forget about them? Or have they simply fallen by the wayside? If you’ve fallen off track (or even if you haven’t), try picking up two or three of the following tips to reduce your environmental impact in the new year. You might surprise yourself with how much better you feel both physically and emotionally; when we take care of the environment, she takes care of us. 
  1. Start composting. Also known as organics recycling, this is a great way to reduce your footprint on harmful incinerator emissons from places like the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC). If at-home composting isn’t your style, Minneapolis has a free curbside organics recycling program. Sign up here.
  2. Invest in reusable grocery bags and containers. While this topic was addressed in-depth in a previous blog post, a resolution reboot is a great time to make it actually happen. Do a little research--20 minutes should suffice--and locate or order the best bags and containers for your families’ grocery needs. Remember, if you can, choose glass over even reusable plastic. Also, check out our Boomerang Bags Sewing Bees to help create reusable bags from upcycled fabric that we distribute to local stores.
  3. Try your hand at mending and repairs. One important component of zero waste living is responsible consumption; even if you and your family only compost and recycle, that’s not zero waste. Instead, try integrating a philosophy of upcycling into your home one step at a time. Try darning your next pair of socks with a hole in them. Repurpose the next vase your kids break into something you can continue to use: backsplash for a kitchen or bathroom update, or even an artistic birdbath. Creativity counts when it comes to sustainability. Check out the Hennepin County Fix-It Clinics to get household items fixed for free!
  4. Dust off your bike and use it! Remember the ABC’s of bike check-ups: Air, Brakes, and Chain. Fill your tires, check your brakes, and ensure the chain is in good condition. More information here. In less than ten minutes, you’re ready to ride. You don’t have to be a diehard cyclist to ride in the winter; set a goal to ride in place of driving at least once a week, and remember to wear a helmet!
  5. Reconnect with nature. Spend some quality alone or family time in the great outdoors. Remind yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing. In the winter, grab a pair of cross country skis or a pair of warm boots and check out the Chain of Lakes, warming up for hot cocoa in Uptown. In springtime and summer, swim and birdwatch at Theodore Wirth Regional Park or go for a walk along Minnehaha creek (for a unique adventure, plan ahead to bring tubes and a picnic lunch for a float down the creek). Check out some more places here.
These are just a few suggestions for getting back on track with your 2020 resolutions in a way that is environmentally conscious. If you have other ways you are doing your part to help keep our planet clean and cool, share them with us! 

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When to Drive and When to Fly?

2/7/2020

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     At this point in the winter, it’s hard to avoid looking toward summer. With summer often comes the promise of traveling, whether it’s to visit family or to do some adventuring. However, there are a lot of questions to answer when making travel plans. Today’s blog post will seek to demystify the question: is it better for the environment to drive or to fly?     
    To answer this question, we will start with some background information on the fuel expenditure of cars and planes, as well as their respective short-term and long-term environmental impacts. From there, we can draw conclusions about making the right travel decisions. 
     Light vehicles (read: cars) contribute 59% of the United States’ domestic transportation emissions. Meanwhile, the US aviation industry contributes just 11% of domestic transportation emissions. 
     Additionally, one gallon of jet fuel produces relatively similar carbon dioxide emissions to gasoline. However, air travel includes several other concerning emissions: water vapor, nitrous oxide, and sulphur oxide, all of which contribute to the global greenhouse effect. 
      While airplanes have (along with cars, buses, and trains) gotten more fuel efficient over the years (per passenger per mile), studies indicate that these reductions are tapering off. To make matters more confusing, a University of Michigan study conducted by Michael Sivak found that car travel to be two times as energy intensive as flying. This finding comes as a result of the fact that cars are increasingly being driven with only one person in them.
     So, what does this all mean for you? Is there even a right choice? Yes, but it depends. Namely, on the distance traveled (short trips versus long trips) and the number of people traveling. For example, consider the difference in travel needs between a cross-country business trip and a family road trip to Wisconsin. 
     For a short trip with one person, take a plane. Driving by oneself can be very energy-intensive. For a short trip with multiple people, take the car. If someone has a hybrid or an electric car, opt to use that vehicle. For a long trip with one person, take a plane. Choose economy class; a full plane is more fuel efficient than an empty one. For a long distance trip with multiple people, the answer lies in the fuel efficiency of the vehicle being used. Wherever possible, opt for the smallest, lightest, most fuel-efficient option available for use. If the only option is an excessively large SUV, air travel may be a more efficient alternative. 
      Bear in mind that these are just general guidelines. If you are curious to learn more about the carbon emissions of a specific trip, try these online carbon-calculator web tools to get the information you’re looking for. This one, from CoolCalifornia, calculates carbon emissions from various sources, including household, travel, and even shopping. Another web tool, this one from the Nature Conservancy, offers specific ways to drop your carbon footprint from 16 tons/year to 2 tons/year. Lastly, ICAO’s Carbon Emissions Calculator tackles air travel specifically.
      As with any travel, there are certain steps you can (and should) be taking to cut down on your carbon footprint, whether it’s driving or flying. Here are five rules of thumb to consider when planning your transportation, especially in and around the city. These will save you time, money, and carbon emissions. 
  1. Combine trips. Opt to run errands all in the same day, and plan a route that has stops in one area, rather than back-and-forth across town.
  2. Don’t go if you don’t have to. Do you really need those eggs today, or can they wait until you run your Sunday errands?
  3. Carpool/rideshare. Coordinating your driving with a friend or family member is a great way to spend quality time while making eco-friendly choices.
  4. Make use of public transit. Minneapolis has an incredible transit system, and it’s a great way to see the city.
  5. Bike and walk. Minnesota summers are short; biking and walking are excellent ways to spend time outside while getting where you need to go.

    This post is a synthesis of information from various sources. For a full-length analysis of this issue, check out this article from Yale Climate Connections. 




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Creative Ways to Cut Down on Plastic Waste at the Grocery Store

1/31/2020

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It’s no secret that single-use plastics are polluting the natural landscape. Petroleum-based, these one-time use bags, bottles and wraps can last anywhere from 20-1000 years in a landfill before they finally biodegrade. 
One of the best ways to cut down on your single-use plastic consumption is to keep it out of your house altogether. Much of our household plastic comes in the form of packaging, especially from food products. Today’s blog post will be centered on specific ways that you can cut down on how much single-use plastic you bring home from the grocery store each week.
  1. Bring your own containers. Glass and tupperware containers, in addition to mesh produce bags (try these from EcoBags), are excellent alternatives to the flimsy, store-supplied produce and bulk bags. While glass is preferable to tupperware, both are better alternatives than single-use grocery store bags. Worried about paying more for by-the-pound products? Don’t worry! All grocery stores are able to weigh your containers at the beginning of your shopping trip-- all you have to do is ask a cashier. Labeling each container with its corresponding weight is an easy way to stay organized between shopping trips. When you’re ready to check out, just ask the cashier to “tare” out the weight of each container. This way, you’re only paying for what you’re buying. Many reusable mesh bags available for purchase even come with the tare weight on the bag already! 
  2. Buy in bulk when possible. Armed with your reusable glass, tupperware, and mesh grocery containers, buying bulk foods is another effective way to reduce plastic waste at the grocery store. Grocery stores with impressive bulk bin sections include Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Fresh Thyme, as well as most local co-ops (Seward, Linden Hills, Eastside, and The Wedge). Tare Market, in southeast Minneapolis, is packaging-free and sustainably run. Litterless has a great city-by-city list for bulk shopping in Minnesota. Bulk bins are also a great way to stock up on many of your kitchen staples: beans, grains, dried fruits, legumes, flour, and so much more. Often cheaper than traditionally-packaged food items, bulk bins are an economically-friendly way to cut down on plastic waste. It’s truly a win-win!
  3. Rethink your reusable bags. While it may be easy to reach for the first reusable grocery bag available, likely made from a semi-flimsy plastic, there are some truly eco-friendly alternatives out there that go a long way in cutting down on plastic waste. Try instead to opt for a grocery bag that isn’t made of plastic at all! Look for materials including cotton, canvas, and other plastic-free options. My personal favorite is the Trader Joe’s Jute Tote (available in stores), which is made from sustainably-sourced jute and cotton materials. Unlike plastic reusable grocery bags, this one is sturdy and biodegradable. This bag is also bigger than many other reusable bag options, making it perfect for carrying your groceries in one trip, without any fear of broken handles. Don’t be afraid to get creative when it comes to grocery-carrying: I’ve seen shoppers use woven baskets and cardboard boxes to get their groceries to and from their cars and homes. Creativity counts in sustainability! If you are interested in getting even more involved in the reusable bag movement, consider participating in one of our Boomerang Bags sewing bees.  Boomerang Bags upcycles used fabric into reusable shopping bags, which are then locally-distributed to  reduce our community's single-use plastic waste.
  4. Skip the pre-cut fruits and veggies. Pre-packaged produce might be incredibly convenient when it comes to on-the-go snacking, but it has two major drawbacks. The first is that it is significantly more expensive than “as-is” produce. To better illustrate this price comparison, I’ve included the prices of specific fruits from several grocery stores both as-is and pre-packaged, as well as their per ounce (oz) weights for comparison. It is important to remember that these prices are always changing, and typically fluctuate to reflect seasonal availability and sale prices. This are just reference points.
At Kowalski’s, pre-packaged pomegranate is sold in an 8oz package for $6.99 (on sale). This comes to $0.874/oz. While Kowalski’s doesn’t sell whole, un-cut pomegranates, they can be purchased at Fresh Thyme Farmer’s Market for $2.99, less than half of Kowalski’s pre-cut sale price. 
At Cub, a whole pineapple will set you back just $3.99. Assuming a whole pineapple (conservatively) weighs 32oz, this brings the price to $0.125/oz. By comparison, 12oz of pre-packaged pineapple at Cub costs $4.99, or $0.416/oz. 
At Target, whole mangoes sell for $1.19 each. Assuming a medium mango weighs 8oz, this is a per ounce price of $0.149. Meanwhile, the pre-cut mango option is sold in a 15 ounce package for $5.99, or $0.399/oz.
    The second major drawback associated with pre-cut produce is that the fruit’s natural packaging-- in the form of a peel or skin -- is removed and replaced by a single-use plastic container. That pre-cut pomegranate may save you 10 minutes of time now, but the plastic clamshell packaging will take upwards of 10 years to biodegrade under perfect conditions. If cutting up labor intensive produce (read: pineapples, mangoes, and pomegranates) daily seems daunting, try setting aside one day a week to prep your produce for the week. Personally, I’ve found that dedicating a half hour post-shopping trip to wash and cut all my produce saves lots of time in the coming week or two. By taking the simple steps of slicing peppers and washing spinach in advance, you are also able to save a lot of time when it comes to weeknight food prep. And of course, by storing this produce in eco-friendly containers (see point one), you are also going the extra mile to cut down on your household single use plastic waste.

These are just a few ways in which you can use your weekly grocery trips as an avenue toward more conscious, sustainable living. But don’t be afraid to get creative: are there other ways that you can get creative to reduce your waste at the grocery store?
​

Included in this article are links to examples of alternative products as well as websites with additional information. Minneapolis Climate Action is not affiliated with any of these sites. We are simply working to provide you with the information and resources needed for you to make informed, conscious decisions. 

Sincerely,
Gretchen North
Outreach & Policy Intern
Minneapolis Climate Action
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Sustaining Membership Launch

5/15/2019

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​It's official - laughter is carbon neutral!

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended, donated, sponsored, laughed, made new friends, and became a sustaining member of Minneapolis Climate Action at our annual fundraiser, "Is Laughter Carbon Neutral?".

As the executive director of Minneapolis Climate Action, I had the honor of telling the story of our work at the fundraiser. I invite you to read the words below and become a sustaining member, too, if you see your values reflected in our work:

I am in awe everyday at the stunning and mysterious beauty of Earth and am grateful for her gifts. It is my honor and duty to care for Earth and all my human and non human relatives. I could recite all kinds of statistics about greenhouse gas emissions and parts per million of CO2 in the air. The science is crucial to understanding what is going on with our planet - yet the numbers alone aren’t what move us. We do this work because we love our planet and believe that you do, too.

I knew in my heart, looking out at the love, fear, grief, and hope reflected back at me in the faces of the audience, that we can face the grave threat to our planet if we join together.

We can come together and collectively use the crisis of climate change to make a bold leap to a better society. We can take back ownership of energy systems, reconnect to nature, create economies that take our relationship with Earth into account and create communities that value us as citizens, not consumers. What heals Earth will heal people. What heals people will heal Earth. 

When people laugh together, we create community, and when we create community, we solve problems and build a just and sustainable city now and in the future.

Sustaining Membership: Your home for climate action
Starting this year, Minneapolis Climate Action has become a member organization. We invite you to become a sustaining member and be part of our growing community. Just like we join our resources and build public radio stations and support farmers through community supported agriculture, we can join forces and build a climate movement in Minneapolis that is a model for the country.

Our initial goal for membership in 2019 is 500 people. This revenue from small monthly contributions will allow us to grow our staff, secure office space, reach more people, expand our programs and thus increase our power for real impact. Fifteen people joined at our fundraiser. That may like a small number, but we are thrilled! If you were one of those 15 - thank you! Strong foundations start with a few bricks.

If you are looking for a way to make a difference in the greatest and most urgent threat to life on earth--start right here in your own city and join us in this challenge.

Minneapolis Climate Action is committed to helping Minneapolis be one of the most climate aware and socially just cities in the country.
  • We need your support to grow and reach more of our neighbors.
  • We need your voice to help shape what success looks like as we address one of the most urgent issues we have ever faced.
  • Become a sustaining member at even $5 a month. It's quick and easy and we will be in touch soon with member events and benefits beyond the work we do.
Sincerely,

Kyle Samejima
Executive director
Minneapolis Climate Action
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