Environmental Concerns in District 1

We've had a lot of things come up lately in our neighborhood that have environmental concerns at their core. Because of our location near 3M, along the river bluffs, and with Pigs Eye Lake inside our borders, we have folks very active around environmental issues. We have folks with private wells and septic systems, and concerned about how pollution may affect their health. We have the city's environmental magnet school within our boundaries, taking advantage of being close to Battle Creek Park, and young people, regardless of where they live, tend to name the environment as one of their major concerns.

But we also have people in the district who don't see how environmental concerns relate to their lives.

So we conducted a survey of residents to see what their main concerns were and here are the big three: Water and air quality, the economy, and toxic waste.

In the next tier of concerns were waste reduction, recycling and general pollution.

The District Council partners with Eureka Recycling to help residents recycle effectively... how does this benefit people who are more concerned about their household budget? By removing the recyclables from your trash, you should be able to reduce the amount of trash you have for pick up. In my house, we went from one trash service to another, and a smaller bin and cut our garbage hauling costs to 1/3 what it was before.

The District Council partners with Eureka Recycling and the City to hold a community clean-up every year. Here we also help people reduce the amount of stuff they may be putting in the trash or paying to have hauled away. A lot gets reused by folks who are in need - check out our October blog...

We have also held workshops on home energy savings, and we can refer people to organizations that will help them make home improvements that will save them money AND help the environment.

We work with Metro Transit and with the City to make sure there are transportation choices available for all our residents. Alternatives to driving a car save money, and help our air and water quality.

And we have partnered with the Watershed District and with local schools to teach kids about pollution solutions for our surface waters. (Here's a photo attached of work that kids at Battle Creek Middle School have done to clear invasive species from our wooded areas, and learn about taking care of the environment - thanks to the Ramsey Washington Metro Watershed District for the photo!)

A healthy environment makes for healthier residents. We are committed to listening to neighbors, working with our partners, and making decisions that will provide us all with a healthier future. How are you willing to work with us?