Environment

Ways to Reduce Food Waste Over the Holiday

Americans generate an extra 5 million tons of household waste, including three times as much food waste, during the holidays (World Watch Institute). Minneapolis Solid Waste & Recycling encourages you to be realistic this holiday season about the amount of food you prepare to reduce wasted food:

Get an accurate head count of guests that you will be cooking for and prepare amount of servings needed accordingly
Make a list of the amount of food you need before going to the grocery store
Begin saving your old containers and tupperware and/or ask your guests to bring their own to take leftovers home from the holiday meal
Delegate a specific dish for each guest to bring so you don't end up with three uneaten green bean casserole and not enough dessert
If you do have food scraps to dispose of, you can compost them through Minneapolis' organics recycling program. If you don't already have an organics recycling cart visit www.minneapolismn.gov/organics or call 612-673-2917 to sign up.

For more information about how to reduce wasted food this holiday season visit www.SaveTheFood.com.

Earth Day Saturday, April 25

Saturday, April 23, 2016
9:30 am to Noon
Lake Harriet Band Shell
Join your neighbors at the Lake Harriet bandshell parking lot on Saturday, April 23 for Earth Day.
Volunteers will be on hand between 9:30 am and noon to provide bags, assist with registration and answer questions. A limited number of thin cotton gloves are available. We encourage you to bring your own gloves. Interested in volunteering? Contact Bruce Wadman at brucewadman@msn.com

This annual community event would not be possible without the support and contributions from volunteers, neighborhood groups, private businesses, non-profit agencies and community service organizations.

Fall Lawn Care

Fall is the best time to fertilize lawns and control weeds. Here are some tips for keeping a healthy fall lawn that looks nice and protects the health of nearby lakes and streams:

Mow – Mow often, leave clippings on the lawn and leave your grass 2.5 to 3 inches high. This strengthens roots and retains moisture for a green, resilient lawn.

Fertilize – Mid-to late October is the best time to fertilize your lawn. Fertilizer provides grass with nutrients for spring growth. Use “zero phosphorus” fertilizer (look for a middle number of 0 on the package). Water your lawn for 1 to 2 hours after application.

Control Weeds – September is the best time to treat dandelions, plantain, clover and creeping Charlie. Limited numbers of weeds should be removed by hand or spot-treated with herbicide.

Sweep up - Sweep up and reuse lawn care products that fall on streets, sidewalks and driveways

Rake – Rake leaves to keep them out of storm drains and nearby water bodies, where they release phosphorus and other unwanted nutrients. Keep them away from driveways, streets and sidewalks.

What to do with leaves – There are a few ways you can get rid of leaves:

· Compost – Recycles nutrients
· Mulch – Use leaves as mulch, either whole or shredded
· Mow – If there is less than 2 inches of leaves on your lawn, leave them in place and make several passes over them with a power mower. This provides your lawn valuable nutrients and makes it look like you just raked!
· Bag – Rake and bag your leaves for pick-up by city crews. Some towns compost bagged leaves.

Blue Green Algae

Late summer, hot weather, and lots of nutrient-rich runoff have created the right conditions for blue-green algae growth across the state. In high concentrations and certain conditions, blue green algae can be toxic to people and animals.

In our system, the lakes that have a higher probability of blue green algae issues are Powderhorn, Nokomis, and Hiawatha. Blue green algae often looks like a scum, like spilled green paint, or sometimes water just looks like thick pea soup.

Guidance from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the MN Department of Health says that if you are in the water up to your knees and can’t see your feet – the water is not in good condition for swimming. Also, if water looks like people shouldn’t swim in it, pets should not swim in it or drink it either.

In our system, we have some naturally occurring features that sometimes can be mistaken for blue green algae – and are sometimes mistakenly shown in news reports on blue green algae. Duckweed, milfoil mats, and filamentous algae are not harmful. If you have park patrons with questions about identifying what is blue green algae and what is not, this website has some good pictures and explanation.

Roberts Bird Sanctuary Improvements Project March 30

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) has allocated capital improvement funds for the Robert Bird Sanctuary Improvements Project. The project will look to improve bird habitat, and access into and protection of the sanctuary.

The second public input meeting will be held:
Wednesday, March 30
6:30-8:30

Lyndale Farmstead Park, 39th & Bryant Ave S

All are welcome to attend and contribute your knowledge of the sanctuary and hear more about their efforts!

For more information on this project go to the following links:
www.minneapolisparks.org/currentprojects and click on Roberts Bird Sanctuary Improvement Project.
Draft habitat assessment report
Presentation materials for the first public meeting held in February.

For more information, contact the MPRB Project Manager, Tyler Pederson, at tpederson@minneapolisparks.org or 612-499-9084.

East Harriet Offers Rebate To Residents For Emerald Ash Borer and Dutch Elm Disease

East Harriet is announcing two rebate offers to residents or property owners.

The continuation of a $200 rebate for the treatment of Dutch Elm Disease. Residents are now eligible for a 2nd rebate.
Adding a 20% rebate up to $200 for the treatment or removal and replacement of ash trees affected by Emerald Ash Borer

More information and details can be found on the East Harriet Farmstead Neighborhood Dutch Elm and Emerald Ash Borer Rebate Guidelines.

A Low-Salt Diet for Our Lakes and Streams

A little salt goes a long way for managing snow and ice. But too much salt – which may be less than you think – can cause irreversible damage to nearby lakes and streams.

The danger of ice and snow on roads and sidewalks is a fact of life in Minnesota, and salt and sand can help reduce ice and add traction. When that snow inevitably melts, however, most of that salt and sand wash directly into nearby waters.

Currently, salt use is not regulated, but it poses a real threat to clean water. The chloride contained in one teaspoon of road salt can permanently pollute five gallons of water. Chloride upsets aquatic environments and can kill birds and some plants.

Many people use more salt than they need. But using more salt does not melt more ice, or melt it faster. In reality, salt only works when there is enough snow or ice for it to react with and excess crystals will eventually become a pollutant. It’s best to use less than four pounds of salt per 1,000 square feet. One pound of salt fills up a 12-ounce coffee mug.

Want to protect your local lake or stream from chloride pollution? Here are some easy ways you can help:

Apply salt or other de-icers before snow storms, so you will need less later.
Shovel regularly (a great form of winter exercise) to minimize ice buildup.
Break up ice with an ice scraper before deciding if sand or a de-icer is necessary for traction – you may find that it’s not.
Use sand instead of salt in below 15 degree temperatures.
Sweep up any salt that’s visible on dry pavement and use it elsewhere or throw it away.

By using salt wisely, you can save money, time and the environment without sacrificing safety. Learn more at www.minnehahacreek.org/salt.