Organics Recycling Project Community POWER Lauren Anderson Recycling & Environmental Coordinator

Mac-Grove community Boundaries: Summit Ave, Randolph Ave, the Mississippi River, and the Ayd Mill Rd/ 35- E corridor Population of 19,500 (7,850 households) Macalester College and University of St. Thomas Community Council mission: The Macalester-Groveland Community Council (MGCC) fosters citizen participation in government and community decisions that make our neighborhood a desirable place to live, work, learn and play. City of Saint Paul

Mac-Grove Organics Recycling Drop-off Site Opened in June ,000+ pounds collected Anyone who lives or works in St. Paul can join for a low fee 12 full scholarships provided through grant Current membership: 600 residents (220 households)

Accepted items Food scraps and leftovers (including meat & dairy) Non-recyclable paper products (toilet paper tubes, egg cartons, frozen food boxes, etc.) BPI-certified compostable products Dryer lint, cotton balls, hair, nails, etc.

Hauled to Organics hauled to Specialized Environmental Technologies’ Empire Township Site for composting

Main grant activities Drop-off Site (recruitment, info sessions & scholarships) Volunteer trainings Four community workshops Home visits Discount organics bins sales Newsletter, newspaper, e-newsletter articles Zero waste events & tabling Tools: – Compostable bag test & recommendations – Color bin labels – Home set-up guide

Project Volunteers Project planning Curriculum & tool development Trainings Led home visits, workshops Zero waste & educational activities at events Sounding board Amazing volunteers from our council’s Organics Task Force

Interactive – community input through stations: Composting (Backyard & Organics Recycling Drop-off Site) Curbside & apartment recycling Neighborhood Clean- ups E-waste, appliances & other bulky waste Trash hauling Plastics Recycling & Composting Forum Attendees at the plastics station

Presenters from: Ramsey County Eureka Recycling City of Saint Paul MGCC (staff and trained volunteers) Attendees received: Rethink Recycling & County resources Reusable grocery bag Recycling & Compost Forum Mac Students and City of Saint Paul staff

Reducing Kitchen Waste Workshop Strategies to: Shop smarter (& plan meals) Extend the life of perishable foods & prevent food waste Make organics recycling in the kitchen easy & convenient Fabulous presenters from: Mississippi Market Eureka Recycling MGCC

Reducing Kitchen Waste Workshop Attendees received: Handouts with tons of great tips New online tools Box of BPI-certified compostable bags Some picked up discount bins (preordered before workshop) The great bin and bag pick-up!

Planning Green Events Workshop Hosted at council’s Home Improvement Fair Strategies to cut waste for small to large events Attendees received free box of compostable bags Developed & presented by MGCC staff & volunteers using County & Rethink Recycling resources Ongoing education: –Initial orientation –Monthly e-updates –Resources/guides –Workshops and home visits

Where Does the Compost Go? Forum Featured: Expert from SET’s local commercial compost site Overview of windrow composting process Lots of Q & A Tons of wonderful pictures

Where Does the Compost Go? Forum Attendees received: County & City recycling resources Box of BPI-certified compostable bags Countertop compost bins donated by the Recycling Association of MN

Zero Waste Home Visits Goal: Provide practical but low-key on-site technical assistance to families to help them … Recycle and compost more Rethink and reduce overly packaged/disposable items Connect to local drop-off programs (Clean-ups, Ramsey County HHW & YW, plastics) Centered around Home Waste Inventory: Exhaustive room-by-room inventory tailored to Mac-Grove & its local programs

Zero Waste Home Visits Led by two trained volunteers and/or staff Took place in late afternoons, evenings or weekends at individuals’ homes Often involved whole families Good mix of renters, homeowners, and seniors High time commitment, high impact

Zero Waste Home Visits Families received: Rethink Recycling reusable grocery bag donated by Ramsey County MORE BPI-certified compostable bags Color, laminated bin labels Blue recycling bins County & City recycling guides Compostable bag recommendations Smart plastics guide Home waste audit how-to Backyard composting & Drop-off Site info

Discount Bin Sales Requirements: –Must backyard compost or use Drop-off Site –Attend the Reducing Kitchen Waste workshop or receive a home visit Buying ALL the bins at several Home Depot stores Bin sets: –Found for $20/set –Sold for $10/set (thanks to cost share)

Zero Waste Events Made eight MGCC events zero waste Tabled at five community events Groveland Night Out 2013 Earth Day Celebration 2013

Tips, articles & tools Photos of in-home set-ups Downloadable color organics & recycling labels Facebook E-democracy forum Drop-off Site member guide

Tips, Articles & Tools Compostable bag testing & top picks Articles – Quarterly newsletter – Biweekly e- newsletter – Local newspaper Monthly e-updates for Drop-off Site members FAQs and tips At-home hint: Keep meat, dairy, bones, and other very wet materials in a tub in your fridge or freezer. Add to your dry organics just before heading to the Drop-off Site. At-home hint: Keep meat, dairy, bones, and other very wet materials in a tub in your fridge or freezer. Add to your dry organics just before heading to the Drop-off Site.

Engagement & Outreach Strategies Neighborhood events (block parties, fairs, Annual Meeting) Newsletters Outreach to faith-based organizations, local colleges, etc. website E-democracy forum Facebook Flyers Local newspapers Educational events (workshops and info sessions) Partner organizations

Outcomes Higher-than-anticipated participation – Relevant incentives helped immensely Overwhelmingly positive response from participants – will repeat workshops Increased social capital throughout neighborhood Greater recognition of program through awards Development of much-needed organics recycling resources Several communities planning to replicate Drop-off Site

Challenges Time commitment of volunteers Staff time required Drop-off Site move MGCC web host and limited ability to expand organics pages Drop-off Site reconstruction – May 2013

Thank you!