It’s that time of year again, when masses of tangled light strings are discovered in boxes of holiday decorations. If they are tangled to the point of no return, there is a way to recycle them, rather than toss them in the trash.
Unwanted and non-working light strings and old extension cords are now recyclable in Greater Mankato, just in time for the holidays. The “Recycle Your Holidays” program is sponsored by the same group that brought away-from-home recycling, Message in a Bottle, to area convenience stores and car washes in Mankato.
Bins with the familiar “Recycle More in Greater Mankato” logo will be placed at businesses, churches and schools. MRCI WorkSource staff and clients will collect the strings, remove the light bulbs, and recycle all.
‘This is a great opportunity for clients to have paying jobs, to participate in the community and give something back to the community,” according to Linda Leiding, MRCI WorkSource Senior Vice President of Programs.
“In addition, this is a great, new way to preserve resources through recycling, rather than wasting resources,” says Blue Earth County Recycling Coordinator Jean Lundquist. “It’s also an opportunity for people to purchase energy-efficient light strings to replace the old ones.”
Recycle Your Holidays is a program by the Recycling Association of Minnesota (RAM). “It’s the second program of its kind in the nation,” according to RAM Executive Director Ellen Telander. “The first program is located in Hutchinson, Minnesota and we were amazed at how many strings of lights we kept out of the landfill. We expect even more lights collected in Mankato.”
Any business interested in having a bin to collect light strings and extension cords can call Tammi or Jackie at MRCI WorkSource at 386-5799. Bins will be distributed, and collections will start in November. Also, look for the boxes at Holiday by the River on November 27th.
Sponsors include: MRCI WorkSource, Pepsi Mankato, Blue Earth County, Radio Mankato, Recycling Association of MN, LJP Waste and Recycle, with special support from participating Touchstone locations, including Benco in Mankato.
(from RAM website)
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Recycle Your Holidays in Rochester area
New Holiday Lights Recycling Program in Rochester
With the help of The Recycling Association of Minnesota (RAM) and The Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) there is a better alternative for getting rid of your old, broken holiday light strands. This year there is a way to recycle them, rather than toss them in the trash.
Unwanted and non-working light strands are now recyclable in Rochester, just in time for the holidays. The “Recycle Your Holidays™” program is a free service sponsored by The Recycling Center of Minnesota (RAM). The program recycles every part of the light strand, even the colored light bulbs are recycled by a project partner, Green Lights Recycling.
Collection bins with the “Recycle Your Holidays™” logo are located around Rochester.
Collection locations include:
The lobby of the Olmsted County Public Works building (2112)
The Salvation Army
Ace Hardware Stores in both Byron and Rochester.
Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC) has three drop off locations including the Heinz Center Lobby, Sports Center Complex, and the atrium of the University Center Rochester (UCR) building.
The “Recycle Your Holidays™” program will provide collection boxes through January 15th, 2010. Jobs Plus of Waseca will collect the light strands from these locations and transport them to be disassembled and properly recycled.
Please help recycle these resources and exceed the program’s goal of collecting over 50,000 pounds of holiday lights!
Sponsors include: Ace Hardware, Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs), Green Lights Recycling, Minnesota Waste Wise, Olmsted County, Recycling Association of MN (RAM), Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC), The Salvation Army, and Jobs Plus of Waseca.
With the help of The Recycling Association of Minnesota (RAM) and The Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) there is a better alternative for getting rid of your old, broken holiday light strands. This year there is a way to recycle them, rather than toss them in the trash.
Unwanted and non-working light strands are now recyclable in Rochester, just in time for the holidays. The “Recycle Your Holidays™” program is a free service sponsored by The Recycling Center of Minnesota (RAM). The program recycles every part of the light strand, even the colored light bulbs are recycled by a project partner, Green Lights Recycling.
Collection bins with the “Recycle Your Holidays™” logo are located around Rochester.
Collection locations include:
The lobby of the Olmsted County Public Works building (2112)
The Salvation Army
Ace Hardware Stores in both Byron and Rochester.
Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC) has three drop off locations including the Heinz Center Lobby, Sports Center Complex, and the atrium of the University Center Rochester (UCR) building.
The “Recycle Your Holidays™” program will provide collection boxes through January 15th, 2010. Jobs Plus of Waseca will collect the light strands from these locations and transport them to be disassembled and properly recycled.
Please help recycle these resources and exceed the program’s goal of collecting over 50,000 pounds of holiday lights!
Sponsors include: Ace Hardware, Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs), Green Lights Recycling, Minnesota Waste Wise, Olmsted County, Recycling Association of MN (RAM), Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC), The Salvation Army, and Jobs Plus of Waseca.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
MREA Receives Training Funding
The Midwest Renewable Energy Association has been awarded $3.3 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to provide training to technical and community college instructors across the Midwest. The MREA, a non-profit organization based in Custer in north-central Wisconsin, has been teaching about solar electric and solar thermal technologies since 1990. The organization will work with training partners from technical colleges in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa and Minnesota to offer training institutes for instructors that includes hands-on training in installation of solar panels and connecting them to the grid.
Source: www.jsonline.com
Source: www.jsonline.com
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Prairie Biomass Harvest Field Day
From Fulda Free Press
November 11, 2009
A field day will be held November 19, 2009, near Dundee, Minnesota, to discuss the impacts and benefits of harvesting prairie plants for renewable fuels. The Prairie Biomass Harvest Field Day will be held from 1:00pm to 3:00 p.m. at a local research plot being utilized by Dr. Clarence Lehman, University of Minnesota, and partners.
The field day, located within Talcot Lake Wildlife Management Area, will be an interactive event in which participants will discuss the research being done and the multiple benefits of using prairie plants for renewable fuels. The research project’s harvest equipment will be available for viewing thanks to Minnesota Native Landscapes. This is an outdoor event. Please dress accordingly.
Partners for this event include: University of Minnesota, Rural Advantage, South Dakota State University, EcoSun Prairie Farms, Minnesota Native Landscapes, University of Minnesota Extension, The Nature Conservancy, Pheasants Forever, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture though a Conservation Innovation Grant.
Directions: From Windom, go about 15 miles west on State Hwy 62, then north on Cottonwood Co Rd 7. Travel West on Co Rd 15 for about 1/2 mile. Plot will be on south side of road. From Fulda, go about 8 miles east on State Hwy 62, then north on Co Rd 7. Travel west on Co Rd 15 for about 1/2 mile. Plot will be on south side of road.
Field days will be rain or shine. However, difficult traveling due to snow or ice will be call for cancelation. For weather related cancellations, please contact: 763-234-3846
Source: Jill Sackett, Conservation Agronomist & Extension Educator with Rural Advantage & University of Minnesota Extension, Fairmont, Minn.
November 11, 2009
A field day will be held November 19, 2009, near Dundee, Minnesota, to discuss the impacts and benefits of harvesting prairie plants for renewable fuels. The Prairie Biomass Harvest Field Day will be held from 1:00pm to 3:00 p.m. at a local research plot being utilized by Dr. Clarence Lehman, University of Minnesota, and partners.
The field day, located within Talcot Lake Wildlife Management Area, will be an interactive event in which participants will discuss the research being done and the multiple benefits of using prairie plants for renewable fuels. The research project’s harvest equipment will be available for viewing thanks to Minnesota Native Landscapes. This is an outdoor event. Please dress accordingly.
Partners for this event include: University of Minnesota, Rural Advantage, South Dakota State University, EcoSun Prairie Farms, Minnesota Native Landscapes, University of Minnesota Extension, The Nature Conservancy, Pheasants Forever, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture though a Conservation Innovation Grant.
Directions: From Windom, go about 15 miles west on State Hwy 62, then north on Cottonwood Co Rd 7. Travel West on Co Rd 15 for about 1/2 mile. Plot will be on south side of road. From Fulda, go about 8 miles east on State Hwy 62, then north on Co Rd 7. Travel west on Co Rd 15 for about 1/2 mile. Plot will be on south side of road.
Field days will be rain or shine. However, difficult traveling due to snow or ice will be call for cancelation. For weather related cancellations, please contact: 763-234-3846
Source: Jill Sackett, Conservation Agronomist & Extension Educator with Rural Advantage & University of Minnesota Extension, Fairmont, Minn.
Le Sueur Putting Wind Energy to the Test
By Brian Ojanpa
Mankato Free Press
November 11, 2009
LE SUEUR —
The city of Le Sueur is tilting at windmills, but unlike what that idiom stands for, it’s not intended to represent an unwinnable battle.
While the 120-foot wind turbine in the city’s industrial park will produce only a token amount of electricity, its presence symbolizes the quest for alternative power-generating modes of the future.
“We just wanted to make a statement that we’re behind this,” city electric utility director Greg Drent said of a cooperative venture to erect turbines in 11 Minnesota cities.
Le Sueur and other member cities of the Minnesota Municipal Power Agency are participating in what could be described as a show-and-tell public relations initiative on renewable energy.
The power cooperative purchased the refurbished windmills from Palm Springs, Calif., for $300,000 each. All are expected to be producing power by year’s end.
Drent said Le Sueur’s should be operational by Thanksgiving, and though it will only produce enough to power about 18 homes, it also will serve as a testing ground to gauge its practicality and cost-effectiveness.
Read entire story.
Mankato Free Press
November 11, 2009
LE SUEUR —
The city of Le Sueur is tilting at windmills, but unlike what that idiom stands for, it’s not intended to represent an unwinnable battle.
While the 120-foot wind turbine in the city’s industrial park will produce only a token amount of electricity, its presence symbolizes the quest for alternative power-generating modes of the future.
“We just wanted to make a statement that we’re behind this,” city electric utility director Greg Drent said of a cooperative venture to erect turbines in 11 Minnesota cities.
Le Sueur and other member cities of the Minnesota Municipal Power Agency are participating in what could be described as a show-and-tell public relations initiative on renewable energy.
The power cooperative purchased the refurbished windmills from Palm Springs, Calif., for $300,000 each. All are expected to be producing power by year’s end.
Drent said Le Sueur’s should be operational by Thanksgiving, and though it will only produce enough to power about 18 homes, it also will serve as a testing ground to gauge its practicality and cost-effectiveness.
Read entire story.
Monday, November 9, 2009
SE CERTs 11/19 Meeting
The next CERTs Southeast Steering Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 18th from 2:00-5:00pm at the Heintz Center in Room 112. After discussing SE CERTs business we will be discussing the grant proposals received in response to the 2009 CERTS Seed Grant RFP.
Schedule:
2 pm - SE CERTs business, including workshop partnership with SMIF
3 pm - Review of grant RFPs
Steering committee members: Please send any questions and submit your evaluations both to Lissa Pawlisch and Michele Vigen by Monday, November 16th, at 12:00 noon.
Schedule:
2 pm - SE CERTs business, including workshop partnership with SMIF
3 pm - Review of grant RFPs
Steering committee members: Please send any questions and submit your evaluations both to Lissa Pawlisch and Michele Vigen by Monday, November 16th, at 12:00 noon.
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