Sustainable Minot 2020

Welcome! Thanks for working to help make Minot a better, cleaner, and more sustainable place!

2020 marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. We have come together to solve so many challenges in these fifty years - let's keep the progress going!

This document is meant to provide a list of easy to implement action items that individuals, families, and businesses in our community can take to help save money, consume fewer resources, have a positive impact on the environment, and to help make Minot a cleaner and healthier place to call home.

Are the actions on this list the solution to all of the environmental challenges that community and larger world face? Probably not! But these changes are a great practical starting point for us to learn about how some simple changes can save us money, make a positive impact on our shared environment, and help to ensure that the environment that we leave behind for our children and grandchildren is one in which they will want to live.

How to earn a Sustainable Minot certificate:

1)     Read through the list of actions and mark any actions that you currently do or plan to start doing soon.

2)     Each action has a point value assigned to it. Add up your score for each category. Make sure you are meeting the minimum required actions for each category!

3)     When you reach the end, add up the score from each category. If your total score is 60 or higher, you are officially a Sustainable Minot person, home, family, etc. Way to go you! Celebrate your achievement and tell your friends!

4)     If you did not achieve a score of 60 or higher, don’t worry! Go back over the list and identify some actions that you think you could tackle or would be ready to add to your life. Exit the survey and then click on the link again and take the survey again with your changes in place. Hopefully this time, the numbers worked!!

5)     Rest well knowing that you and your community are working toward being better stewards of the environment for future generations – you rock!!

The Minot Environmental Policy Group will send you a cool certificate/logo via e-mail for you to print out and put up in your window, refrigerator, or office space. You should be proud of your efforts!

Please let us know if you have any questions. We can be contacted via e-mail at environmentminot@gmail.com.

Thanks!!

The Minot Environmental Policy Group

(Tim, Shannon, Tom, Monica, Joe, and Teresa)

Question Title

* 1. Waste: (Must select at least 3)

-Save and Reuse Gift bags/wrapping (1pt.)

-Say No to Balloons. Decorate for Parties and Get togethers with Plants or biodegradable decorations. (Botanical Paperworks, Susty Party, Green Party Goods, etc.)(1pt.)

-Recycle when possible, but reuse everything you can! (1pt.)

-Say no to coffee pods (1pt.)

-Switch to wool dryer balls instead of dryer sheets (1pt.)

-Switch to Reusable or Refillable Cleaning and Laundry Products – (Norwex, Blueland, etee, Tru Earth, Dropps, Sheets Laundry Club, Force of Nature, Grove, etc) (1pt.)

-Return plastic plant containers to the nursery - they can reuse them! (1pt.)

-Say “No thank you” to straws, plastic cutlery, and extra packaging (1pt.)

-Switch to non-plastic Cotton Swabs (1pt.)

-Sign up for online bill payment to avoid extra papers (and save money?!) (3pt.)

-Switch to Reusable or Refillable Bathroom Products (Shampoo & Conditioner bars, Bamboo Tooth brushes, Zero Waste Floss, tubeless TP, etc) (3pt.)

-Choose personal care items that can be refilled, reused, will take back their packaging for recycling, or are Zero Waste. (Myro, Humankind, LimeLife by Alcone, Bite Toothpaste Bits) (3pt.)

-Sign up to remove your name from junk mail and catalog lists (3pt.)

-Switch to pet food in recyclable containers (cans vs. plastic pouches) (3pt.)

-Make a backyard compost bin and use it! (5pt.)

-Choose to use cloth diapers (5pt.)

-Switch to non-disposable female hygiene products (DivaCup, Thinx) (5pt.)

-Switch to homemade cleaning products (i.e. vinegar-based products) (5pt.)

-Cook and make your own food to skip excess packaging and take out waste (5pt.)

Question Title

* 2. Waste: (Must select at least 3)

-Save and Reuse Gift bags/wrapping (1pt.)

-Say No to Balloons. Decorate for Parties and Get togethers with Plants or biodegradable decorations. (Botanical Paperworks, Susty Party, Green Party Goods, etc.)(1pt.)

-Recycle when possible, but reuse everything you can! (1pt.)

-Say no to coffee pods (1pt.)

-Switch to wool dryer balls instead of dryer sheets (1pt.)

-Switch to Reusable or Refillable Cleaning and Laundry Products – (Norwex, Blueland, etee, Tru Earth, Dropps, Sheets Laundry Club, Force of Nature, Grove, etc) (1pt.)

-Return plastic plant containers to the nursery - they can reuse them! (1pt.)

-Say “No thank you” to straws, plastic cutlery, and extra packaging (1pt.)

-Switch to non-plastic Cotton Swabs (1pt.)

-Sign up for online bill payment to avoid extra papers (and save money?!) (3pt.)

-Switch to Reusable or Refillable Bathroom Products (Shampoo & Conditioner bars, Bamboo Tooth brushes, Zero Waste Floss, tubeless TP, etc) (3pt.)

-Choose personal care items that can be refilled, reused, will take back their packaging for recycling, or are Zero Waste. (Myro, Humankind, LimeLife by Alcone, Bite Toothpaste Bits) (3pt.)

-Sign up to remove your name from junk mail and catalog lists (3pt.)

-Switch to pet food in recyclable containers (cans vs. plastic pouches) (3pt.)

-Make a backyard compost bin and use it! (5pt.)

-Choose to use cloth diapers (5pt.)

-Switch to non-disposable female hygiene products (DivaCup, Thinx) (5pt.)

-Switch to homemade cleaning products (i.e. vinegar-based products) (5pt.)

-Cook and make your own food to skip excess packaging and take out waste (5pt.)

Question Title

* 3. Electricity/Energy Use (must select at least 4)

-Lower your winter thermostat by one degree. One degree = 1% off your heating bill. (1pt.)

-Replace or clean your furnace filter every three months. Dirty filters are the enemy of efficiency. (1pt.)

-Replace your most commonly used lights with LED versions. (1pt.)

-Install motion detectors for outdoor lights. (1pt.)

-Turn off lights when you leave the room, even if just for a moment. (1pt.)

-Unplug unused TVs and electronics from the wall (or turn off the power strip) to stop electrical draw when not in use. (1pt.)

-Put a lid on your pans when cooking. (1pt.)

-Close your windows when the air conditioning and heat are on. (1pt.)

-Run a winter ceiling fan clockwise to keep the warm air down. (3pt.)

-Run a summer ceiling fan counter-clockwise to pull up the warm air up. (3pt.)

-Choose the microwave, stovetop, or toaster oven over the oven when possible to use less electricity. (3pt.)

-Avoid opening the oven door when checking on food. Use the oven window instead. (3pt.)

-Buy a programmable thermostat like Nest and use it. It could save you up to $180 a year on your heating and cooling costs. (5pt.)

-Pledge to buy for efficiency!! (EnergyStar appliances, LED lighting, vehicle mileage, etc.) (5pt.)

-Set water heater to 120 degrees or lower. (5pt.)

-Switch to low flow shower heads. (5pt.)

Question Title

* 4. Water (must complete at least 2)

-Turn off the water when brushing your teeth (1pt.)

-If washing the car at home, only use the water to pre-rinse and post-rinse and wash the vehicle on your lawn to avoid run-off. (1pt.)

-Get your cool drinking water from a refrigerator dispenser or a pitcher in the refrigerator. (1pt.)

-Make a new family rule: no flushing of wipes or anything else that is not toilet paper! (3pt.)

-Sweep up sand and other gutter debris and put in the trash rather than down the storm drain. (3pt.)

-Switch to washing only full loads of laundry. (3pt.)

-Upgrade to a dual flush toilet in your home (attachment or new toilet). (3pt.)

-Wash your dishes in a full dishwasher if you can. Handwash only if necessary. (3pt.)

-Collect the “I am waiting for the shower to warm up” water for use in your garden, landscaping, or rinse water in the kitchen. (3pt.)

-Add compost or organic materials to your landscaping or plants to help retain water. (3pt.)

-Water outdoor plants in the morning to avoid evaporation. (3pt.)

-Place a brick or toilet tank bank in your toilets. (5pt.)

-Install a rain barrel to water your lawn and garden. (5pt.)

-Fix any leaky faucets, toilets, or pipes. (5pt.)

-Switch to low flow showerheads. (5pt.)

-Install a low flow aerator on your most used faucets (if not all of them) (5pt.)

-Add a moisture sensor to your automated lawn watering system (5pt.)

-Plant native grasses and plant species that do not require intensive amounts of water. (5pt.)

Question Title

* 5. Transportation (must choose at least 2)

-Bike or walk for small errands when possible. (1pt.)

-Consolidate errands into one trip when possible. (1pt.)

-Empty your car trunk of excess weight. (1pt.)

-Ensure tires are properly inflated for maximum fuel mileage. (1pt.)

-Properly maintain your car for maximum fuel mileage. (1pt.)

-Set guidelines for when and where you let your car idle. (In front of schools? When you go into stores? etc.) (3pt.)

-Plan to upgrade your fuel efficiency when you purchase a new vehicle. Consider hybrid or electric vehicles. (5pt.)

Question Title

* 6. Building Materials/Home Design/Landscaping

-Commit to appliance repairs. (1pt.)

-Commit to restain, repaint, or refinish rather than replace when possible. (1pt.)

-Water your lawn less. (1pt.)

-Commit to reusable or recyclable building materials when you purchase them. (3pt.)

-Create a backyard compost bin and use it! (3pt.)

-Plant perennial flowers, plants, herbs, fruits, and vegetables in your flower beds (vs. annuals). (3pt.)

-Eliminate grass space that needs mowing by planting trees, shrubs, and perennials native to this region. (3pt.)

-Learn more about the USCGB LEED Certification requirements and see how your home or business can follow them. (5pt.)

-Use an electric or push-reel mower to mow your lawn (vs. gasoline). (5pt.)

-Plant deciduous trees (lose leaves) on the south and west side of your house to provide summer shade and winter sun. (5pt.)

-Plant coniferous trees on the north side of your house to protect it from winter winds. (5pt.)

-Minimize fertilizer and herbicide (chemicals) use on your lawn – they wash into our waterways. (5pt.)

Question Title

* 7. Food/Diet (must choose at least 1)

-Make a grocery shopping list to avoid food waste. (1pt.)

-Plan out your meals for the week. (1pt.)

-Purchase foods that have no or little packaging (bulk, fresh, etc.). (3pt.)

-Select one meal every week (i.e. Wednesday lunch) that you will make without meat. (3pt.)

-Choose locally produced meat. (3pt.)

-Choose locally produced vegetables and fruit. (3pt.)

-Try a mostly plant-based diet. (5pt.)

-Purchase a share in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm. (5pt.)

-Pledge to combat food waste in your home, your place of work, and at the grocery store. (5pt.)

Question Title

* 8. Community (choose as many as you like)

-Join the Environmentally Minded People of Minot Facebook group or like the Friends of the Souris Facebook page to stay up to date on environmental issues in our community. (1pt.)

-Talk with your family about the ways you create waste and consume energy and find ways to reduce those amounts. (1pt.)

-Write a letter to the Minot City Council expressing your support for environmental sustainability efforts in our community (reducing, reusing, composting, recycling, etc.). (3pt.)

-Call Verendrye Electric (1-800-472-2141) or Xcel Energy (1-800-895-4999) to find out more about how to conserve energy and support non-carbon or renewable energy development in Minot. (5pt.)

Other (please tell us what else you are doing to help promote sustainable use of our resources in Minot!)

Question Title

* 9. Information

What is your name?

What is an e-mail address that we can use to send you a pdf of the Sustainable Minot Logo 2020 for you to display in your window, workspace, or refrigerator?