March 30, 2022

Hello!

Like many nonprofits, Reuse Minnesota has been eagerly awaiting the return of in-person events. This weekend, you can find us out in the community at the Eden Prairie Eco Expo. We will join other eco experts as we inspire and inform visitors on the importance of sustainable practices. We are hitting the road in May and taking our member meeting to Detroit Lakes! Our hosts will be Reuse Member, Becker County Environmental Services, and board member, Sandy Gunderson, Recycling/Waste Education Coordinator and Household Hazardous Waste Regional Coordinator. We look forward to engaging current members and reaching new audiences with our work. We hope to see you at one of our events!
 

Eden Prairie Eco Expo
April 3, 2022 | 10am - 4pm | Eden Prairie Community Center

Reuse Minnesota will be at the Eden Prairie Eco Expo! Come visit us at our table or listen to speakers present topics ranging from geothermal renewal energy to easy swaps for an eco-friendly lifestyle. Don't forget to enter the raffle for many fun prizes! This is a family-friendly event. Free admission and parking.

Sustainable built environment practices
April 14, 2022 | 9 - 11:30am | Online

Minnesota GreenStep Cities and Tribal Nations is hosting a workshop on how you can more easily encourage sustainable building material management in your community. Staff from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency will be hosting a workshop geared towards cities, tribal nations, and other governmental entities to learn how they can integrate sustainable “built environment” practices into their sustainability, climate resiliency, and solid waste reduction goals.

Dakota County fix-it clinic

April 16, 2022 | 12 - 3pm | 8098 Blaine Avenue, Inver Grove Heights, MN 

​​Get items fixed or mended for free and learn useful repair skills at an upcoming Fix-It clinic. Skilled volunteers help you figure out what's wrong and fix your broken items.

Reuse Minnesota member meeting
May 25, 2022 | 9am - 3:3pm | Detroit Lakes, MN

Join us in person or virtually for our May member meeting. Following the meeting, there will be in person tours of SuLaine’s Antique Mall, Boys & Girls Thrift Store & More, and Becker County Reuse Center. RSVP is required.  

Request for proposal: Measuring statewide impacts of reuse

Reuse Minnesota is seeking an individual or firm that is well-versed in concepts and use of life cycle analysis and datasets to provide and execute a methodology/tool(s) for measuring the statewide impacts of reuse activities. The tool(s) will be used to document the benefits of the products and services provided by reuse businesses and organizations in Minnesota. At the conclusion of this contract, a formal report will summarize the findings and provide a detailed methodology for the approaches used to measure these impacts. Funding for this project is from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF).

Proposals should include a detailed budget, desired payment schedule, and names and qualifications of key individuals involved with the project. Submit proposals to info@reusemn.org by 4:00 pm (Central) on Monday, April 4, 2022. See full RPF details here.

Share your thoughts on reuse

Are you a Reuse Minnesota member? We are collecting video testimonials on what reuse means to you. These clips will be used in various marketing pieces highlighting reuse from many aspects. We would love to hear what you have to share! Click here if you are an individual membership holder. Click here if you are a nonprofit, government or education entity. Click here if you represent a business. Thank you for sharing your story!

Reuse Minnesota conference

Planning is underway for our annual conference. What speaker topics would you like to see represented at the conference?

Spring cleaning with a reuse mindset

Read our latest blog post about incorporating eco-friendly practices and actions into our seasonal transition. The promise of warmer weather and longer days means spring is here! And with that, a good dose of spring cleaning is in order. We have some great tips to help motivate you, and reuse solutions you can use. 

Support for HF 2661 (Hollins): Zero-waste grant program

Last week, Executive Director, Emily Barker, testified in support of HF 2661: Zero-waste grant program. The bill would establish a competitive grant program for eligible entities to pursue projects that are consistent with zero-waste practices, such as electronic waste reuse and recycling, source reduction, market development, and organics recycling infrastructure. Appropriates $1,500,000 each year in fiscal years 2022 and 2023 from the general fund for this program. The proposed bill was recommended to the Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy committee. That committee met on March 29, and Reuse Minnesota was once again asked to testify in support of HF 2661. After a bipartisan vote in favor of HF 2661, the proposed bill will be referred back to the Workforce and Business Development Finance and Policy Committee.  

Request for proposal: Refuse service

The City of Columbia Heights, MN is seeking citywide residential refuse service bids for four major curbside operations: household trash, single-sort recycling, compost (yard waste & organics), and bulk (or junk) removal services. There is also a RFP for cart handling (household delivery/removals) services. Respondents can bid on one or all of the services. Please email Publicworks@columbiaheightsmn.gov for more information. Bids will be accepted through April.

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