2015 Vol. 9 Issue 5 September - Laserfiche WebLink

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Gem Lake News Page 4 of 6 The Art of Filling Your Recycling Cart: Keep ‘em Loose” You’ve perfected the art of rinsing out your cans, breaking down your boxes and getting your cart to the curb every other week before 7:00 a.m. But, have you perfected the art of filling your recycling cart? Keep ‘Em Loose! These three words are the secret to ensuring your recycling efforts aren’t wasted. Keep your recyclables loose in your cart, not contained in plastic bags, and you will make sure they escape the fate of the landfill. The beauty of single sort (single stream) recycling is that all accepted material can be tossed in the cart together. Sure, they will be sorted later at the facility, but until then, the more mixed up the better! When plastic bags get into the cart, they wreak havoc at the recycling sorting facility. Why Plastic Bags and the Sorting Facility Don’t Mix Plastic bags, of any kind, are not recyclable in your curbside cart. When recycling facility employees spot a plastic bag, even if it’s full of recyclables, it is pulled from the line and sent on to the landfill. The reason? Bags get wrapped in the equipment at the recycling sorting facility and can cause damage, and even halt the processing line. Basically, bagged recyclables at the sorting facility are as good as trash. Now that you know the secret to filling your cart, it is as easy as “keep ‘em loose. Consider a few of these other tips:\ *Conserve space by breaking down boxes and crushing milk jugs. *Review what’s accepted to make sure you are filling your cart with the right items. *If wind and blowing recyclable are an issue, try to place heavier recyclable toward the top of the cart to weigh down loose papers. Make sure your lid is completely closed, and set your cart out in the morning, rather than the night before. City News Page Dog Licenses are Due for Renewal It’s time to make your dog an official member of the Gem Lake community. Dog licenses in our fair city run from June 1-May 31. If you currently have a licensed dog, you will be mailed a new application form. The application should be returned with a $10 fee and a copy of your dog’s rabies certificate. The certificate will be returned to you. If you need more information or another copy of the application form, call Karen Edson at 651- 747-2755. Community Solar Gardens—Interested?? Learn how to invest in Local, Clean Energy at a seminar entitled “Community Solar Gardens,” to be held Thursday, September 17 at 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the Wildwood Library. The library is located at 763 Stillwater Road in Mahtomedi. Interest in community solar is booming, as Xcel Energy works to fulfill its commitments to grow renewable energy in the state. Community solar gardens provide consumers a way to tap the sun’s energy, even if they don’t have enough sun—or funding—for their own array of collectors. Solar gardens help finance a centrally located system that then credits consumers’ electric bills for the amount of power produced. Al Holcomb of the Mahtomedi Area Green Initiative will give a brief overview of what Community Solar Gardens are and how they differ from other more familiar ways of obtaining solar energy. Jeff Williams of Able Energy Company will present their community solar energy program. This program offers subscriptions to local solar energy gardens for Xcel customers. This event is free and is being co-sponsored by the Izaak Walton League, Mahtomedi Area Green Initiative, Mahtomedi City Environmental Commission, League of Women Voters-- White Bear Lake Area, River Valley Action and the White Bear Unitarian.