Minnesota Waste Wise

At Waste Wise, our sustainability specialists work with business owners across the state of Minnesota to help them find ways to reduce waste, apply for grants that make upgrades more affordable, and reduce their overall carbon footprint. Find out how we can help you save by visiting MNWasteWise.org. #mnwastewise #mncc #goodclimatenews #wastereduction #minnesotaowned #smallbusiness #twincities #minnesota

Welcome, Audrey! She says, “I am excited to join the Waste Wise team because working in sustainability can feel overwhelming sometimes with all the progress that needs to be made. Working on the Waste Wise team allows me to focus on local businesses and non-profits and see the impacts waste reduction can have in our local communities in Minnesota. A fun fact about me is that in my free time, I love running, and I just completed my first ultra-marathon! I ran a 50k as part of the Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance Runs!

The month of July is for going plastic free! Plastic Free July is a global movement that helps millions of people focus on using less single-use plastic every day. The Waste Wise MNimize program does this daily! MNimize helps food service businesses take action to reduce single-use plastic waste in their operations. There are now more than 100 participating businesses! Some reduction possibilities: 🥤Encourage customers to bring reusable containers, cups, and bags by offering a discount. 🍴Switch out single-use plastic items for reusable or compostable alternatives. 😃Display information about your plastic reduction efforts for your customers and staff, explaining the positive impact you're making. Contact MNimize with questions and have a great Plastic-Free Month! Visit Mnimize.org for more information.

Welcome Chelsey, our new Sustainability Specialist at Waste Wise! Chelsey's passion? Making a real impact on waste reduction in Minnesota and spreading the joy of recycling. A very fun fact about Chelsey is that she recently completed a midnight 5K (mostly walking) in Iceland during the summer solstice! 🏃♀️ Join us in welcoming Chelsey to the team!

Recycling not only conserves water during manufacturing but also reduces pollution and protects water sources from extraction activities! Have you taken these actions? -Boost your paper recycling rate by placing clearly labeled bins near copy machines. -Purchase recycled-content paper products to support the recycled fiber industry. -Go paperless by implementing a paperless office policy and encourage digital documents and e-signatures.

Plastic bags cause big problems at recycling facilities! Remember to keep plastic bags out of the recycling. Bags get shredded and tangled on the recycling equipment and force temporary shutdowns while staff manually remove them. If your cleaning staff collects recyclables in plastic bags, make sure they are emptying the items out of the bags and into the dumpster loose.

🚨 New Team Member Alert! 🚨 We're thrilled to introduce Lauren Gaffron, our newest Sustainability Specialist at Waste Wise! Lauren is eager to connect with local businesses and support them in achieving their sustainability goals. When she's not knee-deep in recycling projects, you'll find her at the piano. Lauren has been playing since she was 6, and her favorite piece is Florence Price's beautiful "Piano Sonata in E Minor: II Andante." 🎶 Welcome to the team, Lauren! We're excited to have you on board!

If your organization receives a bin and bag grant and you suddenly find yourself with a bounty of bins, don’t panic! Waste Wise will assist with labeling and strategically placing the bins precisely where they will be most useful. Asking yourself WHY SO MANY BINS? The amount of waste tossed in the trash drops significantly when a recycling and/or organics bin is placed conveniently next to it. Paired bins with labels makes it easier for people to recycle and dispose of items in the right place. Let Waste Wise know if your business or nonprofit needs more bins!

Abrahamson Nurseries, a landscape and greenhouse retailer in the St. Croix River Valley, aimed to reduce plastic waste with the help of a BizRecycling grant. Grant funding helped the nursery build an indoor storage and soil mixing shed enabling them to mix their own potting soil and avoid individually packaged bags of soil. They have eliminated all plastic waste from their potting process! -927 pounds of plastic soil bags, pallet wrap, and peat bale wrap reduced annually -960 pounds of wood pallets reduced annually Do you have an idea for waste reduction at your business? Waste Wise and the BizRecycling grant can help, get in touch!

The Minnesota Waste Wise Foundation is thrilled to announce Johanna Halverson as the recipient of the 2024 MWWF scholarship! Johanna, a rising junior at Bemidji State University, is pursuing a B.S. in Wildlife Biology with an interest in conservation. Her passion lies in actively participating in natural resource management, conducting field research, and implementing hands-on techniques for ecosystem health. We are excited to support Johanna's education financially and look forward to seeing her achieve her conservation goals!