Just a reminder that this Saturday is the 11th Annual MCNC River Cleanup. The event starts at 9:00 a.m., with headquarters at the Boom Island Park (700 Sibley St. NE, Minneapolis 55413)
More details, including cleanup locations can be found at: http://www.mcnc-mpls.org/events.asp?eventid=165 If you can come to the River Cleanup, don't forget to bring your old fishing sinkers and jigs to the Lead Tackle Exchange taking place from 10am-2pm, also at Boom Island. You can trade in your old tackle for samples of new non-toxic fishing tackle and help protect our state's waterfowl from lead poisoning. See more details at: http://www.moea.state.mn.us/reduce/sinkers.cfm#exchange Also coming up soon is the Second Annual Mow Down Pollution Exchange set for May 22. See the press release below for details. Mark Snyder Windom Park ________ Popular program reduces pollutants from gas-powered lawn equipment MINNEAPOLIS (May 2004) - By popular demand, the Clean Air Minnesota lawn mower exchange program returns later this month. The first 45 attendees can trade their gas mowers for $100- or $50-off coupons on a specified electric mower or reel-to-reel (push) mower. This year's event follows the overwhelming success of last August's mower exchange, which was likely the first of its kind in Minnesota. Mow Down Pollution is presented by Clean Air Minnesota and sponsored by Frattallone's Ace Hardware & Garden and Black & Decker. The event will be held at the 1804 Nicollet Avenue Frattallone's on Saturday, May 22, from 10 am to 2 pm, or until all 45 coupons are distributed. If all 45 mowers allocated for the exchange are distributed, almost a quarter-ton of volatile organic compounds (VOCs help create smog) will be prevented from entering the air-and our lungs-annually. The mower exchange helps homeowners make the switch from noisy, polluting gas-powered mowers to quieter, healthier and more environmentally-friendly electric and push mowers. Consumers must bring in a working gasoline powered mower and provide proof of Minnesota residency. They will trade their mower for a $100-off coupon for a Black & Decker battery-operated cordless mulching mower; or a $50-off coupon for a Black & Decker corded electric mower; or a $50-off coupon for a reel-to-reel mower. Mowers must be purchased at the Minneapolis Frattallone's. Attendees also can enter to win a free Black & Decker cordless mulching mower. Yard care equipment emits 7,368 tons of VOCs annually in the Twin Cities, adding to the area's air quality problems. More than 5 percent of the VOCs in the metro area come from this equipment, with two-cycle (gas/oil mix) mowers creating five times the pollutants of four-cycle mowers. Did you know* * A typical 3.5 horsepower gas mower can emit the same amount of VOCs in one hour as a new car driven 340 miles. * An estimated 17 million gallons of fuel nationwide are spilled each year while refueling yard care equipment. * Electric mowers are quiet, clean, easy to start and require no tune-ups. The battery-operated models are ideal for yards of 1/3 acre or less. The total cost to charge these mowers is only about $3 per year. * Today's reel-to-reel mowers are lighter and easier to use than older models. * Converting one acre of turf to 'no-mow' vegetation cuts VOCs by quite a bit - the equivalent of two automobiles' emissions totaled over one year. * By tightly closing the cap on your gas can, in a day you can prevent as much VOC pollution as is emitted by driving a vehicle 15 miles. About Clean Air Minnesota Clean Air Minnesota is a voluntary partnership of businesses, environmental groups, government agencies and citizens working together to achieve significant, measurable reductions in air pollution. Clean Air Minnesota is a program of the Minnesota Environmental Initiative, a nonprofit organization focused on building innovative partnerships to develop solutions to Minnesota's environmental problems. For further information on MEI, Clean Air Minnesota or Mow Down Pollution, go to www.mn-ei.org. Minnesota Environmental Initiative 219 N Second Street, Suite 201 Minneapolis, MN 55401 Program Contact: Colleen Coyne, 612-334-3388 ext. 109 Media Contact: Jana Stender, 952-946-6200 REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
