Use this link to join the Zoom on September 10
Overview:
The LWVMN Climate Change Task Force and the Council of Metropolitan Area Leagues (CMAL) will co-sponsor a program on the metro area's trash problems. This program will feature MPCA Assistant Commissioner Kirk Koudelka and Division Director Dave Benke. Gretchen Sabel from the Climate Change Task Force will moderate this event.
Description:
We generate a lot of trash here in the metro area. In fact, collectively, we generate almost 3.3 million tons of waste in the Twin Cities each year. The amount of garbage going to our metro landfills has increased by more than 30% in just one year. At the current rate, those landfills are going to run out of space. This talk will focus on the options that are available now, and look at what could be possible in the future. Join us to learn about this issue, and find out what you can do as an individual and in your League.
Background:
Most of our garbage in the Twin Cities goes to two landfills: Pine Bend in Inver Grove Heights and the Burnsville Sanitary Landfill. If the MPCA does not expand landfill capacity, the waste would have to go to facilities in Greater Minnesota or out of state. The result would be higher costs for metro residents. It would also be worse for the environment because of the extra fuel burned to transport the waste. Expanding landfills is not a long-term solution for the metro. For every one ton of garbage that is thrown into a landfill, it generates 2.94 tons of greenhouse gases. In just one year, Twin Cities landfills generate greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 223,787 cars on metro roads.
