County commissioners honor Recycling Ambassadors
This past April, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners recognized the Recycling Ambassadors and Fix-It Clinic volunteers for their contributions furthering the mission of environmental health. Recycling Ambassadors have given 1,200+ hours of service and engaged more than 8,000 residents since the program began in 2021. It can be challenging to understand the ins and outs of recycling and composting. However, through the hard work and dedication of our volunteers, residents have more opportunities to learn more about Ramsey County resources and have eye-opening discussions about waste.
Recycling Ambassadors teach their own communities how to manage waste more responsibly. One example of their service is helping residents sort their waste at events around the county. The ambassadors help residents determine if their items are compostable or recyclable instead of immediately putting them into the trash bin. This helps reduce waste and gives trash another life. Volunteers also teach residents about county waste collection programs for yard waste, household hazardous waste and food scraps at community events. This is done by handing out brochures with take home information and a prize wheel for all ages that makes learning fun! By having conversations with residents one on one, they can understand the specific needs of that person and answer waste-related questions.
Current volunteers have had positive experiences through the Ambassador program and are proud of the difference that they are making in their community. If this sounds interesting to you, good news: there is a chance for everyone to become a Recycling Ambassador in Ramsey County. The training includes a variety of topics, including general recycling, yard and food waste, climate change, environmental justice and more. Current Ambassadors are encouraged to stay updated on community events through our Recycling Ambassador Program newsletter where a variety of volunteering roles will be listed. There is also a spot to track your volunteer hours in order to reach the 20-hour mark for the year.
Ramsey County has a wide range of volunteers with diverse experiences: From retired waste management professionals to concerned residents wanting a more sustainable future. Fix-It Clinic volunteers were also honored by the board in April.
Learn more about the Recycling Ambassador program
This article is featured in Green Ramsey, an environmental health newsletter from Ramsey County.
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