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<br />Help protect our lakes, streams, and ponds
<br />Every year, the water bodies around
<br />Arden Hills become a concern to resi-
<br />dents due to algae and weed growth. Ad-
<br />ditionally, sediments and other debris can
<br />fill ponds, reducing their water treatment
<br />capability, making them less of an aesthetic
<br />amenity for neighborhoods. Here are some
<br />steps to help protect our water:
<br />Fertilize smart: Use phosphorus-free fer-
<br />tilizer and sweep up fertilizer spills on hard
<br />surfaces. This helps prevent fertilizer from
<br />getting into the storm drain.
<br />Grass--don’t blow it off: Remove grass
<br />clippings and leaves from the street,
<br />sidewalks, trails, and driveways. Grass
<br />clippings and leaves in the street end up in
<br />the storm sewer and are carried to ponds
<br />and lakes.
<br />Scoop the poop: Pick up after your pets.
<br />Rainwater washes pet waste into lakes and
<br />streams. Pet waste contains bacteria that
<br />can cause illness.
<br />Keep a healthy lawn: Aerate your lawn,
<br />seed bare patches, and mow at a higher
<br />setting. A healthy, vigorous lawn needs less
<br />water, fertilizer, and maintenance.
<br />Adopt a storm drain: Keep storm drains
<br />free of leaves, trash, seeds, and grass clip-
<br />pings. Storm drains are directly connected
<br />to the nearest pond or lake.
<br />Replace turf with native plants: Replace
<br />high-maintenance lawn with low-mainte-
<br />nance plants and grasses. Native plants de-
<br />velop deeper root structures, reduce runoff
<br />and allow for better water infiltration.
<br />Vegetative buffer: If you own shore land
<br />on a pond or lake, a vegetative buffer by a
<br />water body helps protect it.
<br />For more information, check out the Blue
<br />Thumb Planting for Clean Water Program
<br />at www.bluethumb.org
<br />Summer is coming, which means it’s
<br />time to start planning those summer
<br />vacations. Wherever you’re heading, have
<br />you thought about how you will get there,
<br />what you’ll bring and how you’ll recycle
<br />while you’re there? There are lots of ways
<br />to keep your commitment to reducing,
<br />reusing and recycling even when you are
<br />away from home. Environmentally friendly
<br />travel involves every-
<br />thing from where you
<br />go, how you get there,
<br />where you stay, and the
<br />actions you take while
<br />you’re there.
<br />Booking green
<br />When planning your vacation, keep the
<br />environment in mind. Look into travel
<br />companies like iStayGreen and Respon-
<br />sible Travel that can help you find green
<br />hotels and activities. Consider making your
<br />vacation about ecotourism, which is re-
<br />sponsible travel to natural areas that focus
<br />on conservation and sustainability.
<br />Getting there
<br />Choose the best travel option by look-
<br />ing into how far you’re going and try to
<br />get direct flights. Consider bus or train
<br />travel, and try to walk, bike, or use public
<br />transportation to get around. Keep an eye
<br />on what your trip is doing to your carbon
<br />footprint and avoid paper by using apps
<br />for plane tickets, itineraries, reservations,
<br />maps, and other travel documents.
<br />Pack smart
<br />Become an eco-friendly traveler by bring-
<br />ing a refillable water bottle, travel mug
<br />and reusable bag or backpack to avoid
<br />acquiring extra waste. Refill your travel-
<br />sized bottles from larger bottles in your
<br />home, and only bring as much as you’ll
<br />need. Reduce.org provides even more
<br />ways to reduce while traveling whether
<br />you are heading to a hotel or taking a
<br />fishing trip.
<br />Live like a local
<br />You may be a guest, but try to live like a
<br />local by using public transportation and
<br />looking for locally sourced, sustainable
<br />goods as souvenirs. Best of all, eat local!
<br />Find farmers markets and sustainable
<br />restaurant options to eat delicious food
<br />and reduce your carbon footprint at the
<br />same time.
<br />Oh, the places you’ll recycle this summer!
<br />Refuse and electronics drop-off is avail-
<br />able for a reduced cost to Arden Hills
<br />residents during the Spring Cleanup Day
<br />on Saturday, May 20, at :
<br />Ramsey County Public Works Facility
<br />1425 Paul Kirkwold Drive
<br />Arden Hills, MN 55112
<br />Household hazardous waste materials will
<br />be accepted during the event. However, if
<br />you only have household hazardous waste
<br />items you can dispose of these materi-
<br />als year around at facilities throughout
<br />Ramsey County. Please visit RamseyRe-
<br />cycles.com or call 651-633-EASY (3279)
<br />answered 24/7, to learn options for other
<br />drop-off dates and locations.
<br />Spring Cleanup Day is May 20
<br />April 10, 2017
<br />Approved the following consent items (all
<br />by 5-0 vote):
<br />• Appointed Brent Bartel (alternate) and
<br />Nick Gehrig (regular) to the Plan-
<br />ning Commission for terms expiring
<br />December 2018
<br />• Appointed Sheila Kilander to the Eco-
<br />nomic Development Commission for
<br />a term expiring December 2019
<br />• Approved purchase of 2018 Mack
<br />truck for the Public Works Depart-
<br />ment for $197,350 to replace a 2001
<br />Sterling truck
<br />• Authorized summer work hours of
<br />7:30 a.m.-5p.m. Monday-Thursday
<br />and 6:30 a.m.-noon on Fridays May 30
<br />to September 5
<br />• Appointed eight Public Works Sea-
<br />sonal Maintenance Workers and four
<br />Parks and Recreation positions
<br />Approved Rice Creek Watershed District
<br />Maintenance Agreement for the 2015
<br />Pavement Management Plan (5-0)
<br />Approved $5,000 for WSB Design and
<br />Bidding Services for the rehabilitation of
<br />the City’s 500,000 gallon north water tower
<br />(located near Cummings Park). Total proj-
<br />ect previously estimated and budgeted for
<br />$900,000 (3-2) (Holmes and Scott)
<br />Benchmarks--a review of
<br />City Council Action
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