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HomeMy WebLinkAboutConservation Commission - 09/13/2016 APPROVED MINUTES CONSERVATION COMMISSION TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016 7:00 P.M., CITY CENTER Prairie Rooms A & B 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS: Lori Tritz (Chair), Amanda Anderson (Vice Chair), Gena Gerard, Michael Bennett, Ashley Young STUDENT MEMBERS: Hayden Bunn, Emilie Cleveland, Zoe Pettit, Annika Quam STAFF: Beth Novak-Krebs, Planning Division Leslie Stovring, Engineering Heidi Wojahn, Recording Secretary I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Tritz called the meeting to order at 7:06 p.m. Anderson arrived at 7:15 p.m. Gerard arrived at 7:31 p.m. Student Member Pettit was absent. The new Student Members were welcomed. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Bennett moved, seconded by Young, to approve the agenda. Motion carried 3-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Bennett noted it was Young who seconded the agenda at last month's meeting, not Anderson as she was absent. MOTION: Young moved, seconded by Bennett, to approve the August 9, 2016 minutes as amended. Motion carried 3-0. IV. REPORTS FROM STAFF A. INTRODUCTIONS Introductions took place. Anderson arrived at 7:15 p.m. CONSERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES September 13, 2016 Page 2 B. DISCUSS EXPECTATIONS OF STUDENT MEMBERS Tritz referenced a handout outlining the roles and expectations of Student Members. She explained the Commission wants their voice to be heard and to make a difference. The Student Conservation Program consists of education in the form of monthly ten-minute presentations regarding some aspect of conservation delivered by Commissioners, participation by manning at least one shift at a community outreach event such as the Citywide Open House in October or the Home and Garden Show in March, and completion of a project that speaks to the student's own passions. The project can be done individually or with a group and will culminate in a ten-minute presentation to the Commission next spring. Project ideas are to be presented next month. Stovring offered to be a resource or network with other Commissioners. Novak-Krebs also requested they participate in monthly meetings and share their comments, ideas, and thoughts. C. OVERVIEW OF CITY GOVERNMENT/DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION Novak-Krebs explained the duties of the Commission are laid out in the City Code. Students will be sent a copy to review before the next meeting. The City is embarking on new initiative called Sustainable Eden Prairie (SEP). The Commission will be participating and commenting on goals and targets of where to go in the next few years and how to get there. Another responsibility will to be help develop the sustainability component of the City's updated comprehensive plan. D. DISCUSS OCTOBER 8 CITYWIDE OPEN HOUSE EVENT Novak-Krebs announced this year's Citywide Open House will be held Saturday, October 8 and will include activities both inside and outside. Stovring explained the layout of event. The Conservation Commission (CC) will have two tables, two chairs, and an easel. Novak-Krebs said CC will be located by the front door and may be outside weather permitting. Stovring shared preliminary ideas focusing on a simple poster with messages. She reviewed some sample messages for the poster. She distributed drafts of the poster and a flyer and asked for feedback on what messages to include. The flyer is one-sided and promotes recycling per Hennepin County guidelines. The flip side can be added at a later time. Anderson said she liked the flyer and said to use the SEP logo going forward. Stovring showed Commissioners other publications she is working on with Communications. Gerard arrived at 7:31. p.m. Bennett asked if the picture on the flyer was of recyclables or non-recyclables. He was informed in a phone inquiry that egg cartons and paper towel tubes are not recyclable because the fibers are too short. Gerard said haulers will take them,but CONSERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES September 13, 2016 Page 3 they are at the end of their life. Anderson said the picture above the column of non-recyclables should be of items that cannot be recycled to avoid confusion. Stovring distributed pollinator seed packets. She showed the different types of prizes she has to give away at the event. Some are geared towards kids while others are for adults. There are several types of recyclable and reusable bags designed for different purposes and coupon books. She plans to stock up on colored pencil sets, too. There are logo t-shirts for CC members to wear while working the event. Her thought was individuals would have an opportunity to earn prizes upon completing a survey. Tritz said there needs to be discussion on how to distribute the prizes. Novak-Krebs said kids can make buttons they design themselves. Tritz said she has some images to show Stovring for other ideas. Stovring said new ideas are welcome and need to be communicated to her soon. Time is needed to get the poster ready. The end product will be larger. Gerard said recycle and trash stickers can be ordered from Hennepin County at no cost. Bennett suggested putting that website address on the flyer. Tritz recommended getting a supply of stickers to have on hand if possible. Anderson noted the message of recycling throughout the entire home is not on the flyer. How to recycle could replace the last paragraph under the "Recycle Everywhere" column. Tritz noted there are other free handouts available on the County website as well addressing how to reduce hazardous waste/chemicals, recipes for green cleaning, and other earthy-friendly tips. Young said having magnets on what to recycle would be helpful. Stovring said this can be done specific to each room in the home. Gerard suggested getting some for each room and noting which supply gets depleted the quickest. She likes the poster because it shows how to sort via pictures and provides explanations. Having actual examples at the event would be a good visual. Tritz said the button maker and coloring options are appealing for kids and will get parents to stay. There will be a six-question quiz parents can take on an iPad to educate them and help them qualify for a prize. She will hand it off to Anderson to follow through on. Discussion ensued about the logistics for prizes in terms of how to award them and tracking numbers and supplies. Stovring said visitors should have to do something to get a prize and when they're gone, they're gone. She currently has enough supplies for 100 prizes. Young said running out will create a buzz for next time. Stovring explained individuals need not be present to win the big prize. Bennett mentioned a kids Adirondack chair valued at $200 as a big prize. Hennepin County may also be willing to donate a couple backyard composting bins to give away. Tritz said participants can play "Where Does the Garbage Go?" with recycle/reuse/landfill or other appropriate categories as options. Garbage bingo is another idea. Anderson said perhaps attendees can submit ideas on what the City can do to improve its conservation practices, and Council can vote on a winner. Bunn suggested a child-friendly quiz for sorting as well. Cleveland said if they are CONSERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES September 13, 2016 Page 4 shown at a young age what to do, it will become habit when they're older. Tritz recommended one activity with kids and adults working together. Bennett explained how the recycling sorting game works. Participants will randomly be given three or four items to correctly sort into one of three bins. If they do the game and the quiz, they can fill out a ticket for the Adirondack chair drawing. To avoid long lines, it cannot take too long to play. Anderson said there will be four iPads. Staffing needs for the Wad quizzes, button-making, and sorting game were discussed. Stovring will make arrangements to get bins for the sorting activity. Commission members who are working should plan to attend all three hours of the event with half hour relief slots for each, while student volunteers should plan on at least 1.5-hour shifts. Anderson and Gerard stated they have conflicts. Gerard said she may be able to help with setup and Anderson said could provide a student volunteer. Stovring said she will get an additional table and follow up on where to park. Tritz will forward Anderson questions for the quiz. Bennett noted the complexity of recycling. He went through a variety of items explaining which were recyclable, which were compostable, and which were trash and why. Lids and caps should be left on plastic bottles and milk cartons. Otherwise they end up on the floor and in the trash because they are too small. Lids should be removed from glass jars because if they shatter, the shards get caught in the grooves of the lid. Jars need to be rinsed. It is ok to leave paper on plastic water bottles. The triangular recycle symbol doesn't necessarily mean an item is recyclable. It depends on the number on the container. Gerard said items need to be Building Performance Institute certified in order to be compostable. It is not a problem to leave paper on soup cans either. Anything aerosol is hazardous waste. Plastic bags can be brought to a stores and should not be put in the recycling. Tritz asked what the consequences are of putting non-recyclable items in the recycling. Bennett said good sorters will remove the items at the plant. If loads have too much contamination from a particular center, the price drops and may prevent future acceptance. People can call their haulers to ask, but if the hauler isn't local they may not have the answer and there may be delays. He doesn't want the game to be too difficult for participants. Tritz said more complicated items should be included as part of an education corner instead. Gerard noted what haulers are accepting is always changing as are the markets, so just the obvious recyclable items should be included in the game. Bennett will be in charge of the corner while Young and Tritz will oversee the sorting game. E. DISCUSS WATER CONSERVATION REBATE OPEN HOUSE Stovring said the new irrigation rebate is expanding. Increased rebates will be issued for using water-conserving systems. An open house format is one idea, but she is looking for additional ideas on how to best advertise the program. Bennett CONSERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES September 13, 2016 Page 5 suggested publicizing it at events such as Brewfest or those sponsored by Parks and Rec. Also,it would go nicely with education on pollinators. Stovring explained the grant program runs through June, so spring is too late to plan something. Bennett recommended creating a poster to go alongside the other information at the City Wide Open House. Stovring stated rebate information will be available at the event. Property and association managers and water irrigation professionals are being targeted. Stovring wants help coming up with ways to get the word out. Anderson recommended the Chamber of Commerce. Bennett suggested a newspaper mention and contacting home improvement stores. Young said to let real estate agents know and residents who are redoing their landscapes. Gerard said CC could partner with Bachman's during spring. There is also an Eden Prairie property managers network to tap into. Stovring said fire departments could be notified. She will bring it up at the next staff meeting as well. V. REPORTS FROM CHAIR VI. REPORTS FROM COMMISSION Gerard shared some research she had done on organics and asked about support around messaging on this topic. It may be the year 2025 before residential curbside or organized collection around organics occurs here, and that is if a proposal to do so passes. Her contact, Ben Knutson, advised her to take advantage of available resources and identify barriers with haulers. One option to explore in the meantime is the drop-site concept. Hennepin County has resources to help with research and planning. Knutson has offered to provide additional information and support as able. The other option is to be proactive in terms of food waste reduction. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched a new campaign called"Food Too Good to Waste" which is just starting to roll out across the metro area. Someone in our region is needed to help develop the campaign using EPA resources. Food waste has an environmental impact and can be handled better. Stovring mentioned as part of SEP, one topic for next year is to look at options for an organics drop-off site. The City needs to start looking at organized collection. Young asked if there was any update on the Council's SEP discussion of providing organics hauling for a trial period of one year and investigating if residents would be willing to pay for a second year. Stovring said the idea is just getting started. VII. REPORTS FROM STUDENTS CONSERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES September 13, 2016 Page 6 VIII. CONTINUING BUSINESS A. 2016 EDUCATION PLAN Stovring asked Commissioners to select five items from the topic survey she distributed by next month's meeting to work on for public education and outreach. Articles for the next issue of Living Green are due November 14. There will likely be something included addressing recycling of holiday lights. Also Stovring mentioned the possibility of another"Recycle Everywhere" article. Gerard asked if the County provides tool kits on different topics. Stovring said they do. Gerard said she was interested in obtaining any information the County has available on the topic of food waste as it is a year-round issue. Novak-Krebs said she will be working on the 2017 work plan soon. Stovring said she needs workshop ideas. There have also been updates on almost every page of the Living Green website, so she requested Commissioners review the site and provide feedback. IX. UPCOMING EVENTS Citywide Open House - October 8, 2016 Student Members should let Stovring know of their availability to work the event. X. NEXT MEETING The next CC meeting will be Tuesday, October 11, 2016, 7 p.m. at City Center, Prairie Rooms A & B. XI. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Anderson moved, seconded by Young, to adjourn. Motion carried 5-0. Chair Tritz adjourned the meeting at 9:07 p.m.