Get Involved with Sustainability
Sustainable Homes
Waste & Recycling
- Do you have questions about reducing your waste, recycling or composting? Visit our Recycling Center’s page for more information about how the city can help!
Energy
- Centerpoint Energy’s Home Energy Squad will assess your home offer custom energy-saving solutions that could save you money on future bills. Learn more and request a visit here.
- Interested in joining a solar garden, installing solar on your roof, or purchasing renewable energy from your utility company? Visit our Solar Resources page to learn more about options available to you.
Environment - Lawn and Garden
- Lawns to Legumes reimburses Minnesotans for up to $350 to create pollinator habitat in their yards.
- The Anoka Conservation District offers technical assistance with rain garden design as well as financial assistance for installation cost.
- Have questions about your garden? Ask an Anoka County Master Gardener!
- The city allows for residents to install native planting areas. Once established, native plants require less maintenance, less water, and provide habitat to pollinators including bees, butterflies and more. Learn more about our City Code specifications for these areas here.
- Coon Rapids allows for residents to raise backyard chickens. Learn more about our backyard chickens program and permit requirements here.
- Visit our Forestry Division page to learn more about our tree and landscape program, including our tree sale.
Transportation
- Coon Rapids has a large network of parks and trails. View our system in an interactive map!
- Drive Electric Minnesota has information about electric vehicles and how you can help make transportation cleaner in Minnesota.
- View local public EV charging stations on the PlugShare map, including a station at City Hall and at the Ice Center.
- Metro Transit’s Carpool and Vanpool program will help match you with a carpool partner and qualify for reduced-rate parking and express lanes.
- Learn more about the fixed route bus lines that serve Anoka County and Coon Rapids. You can also view Metro Transit’s larger system map here.
Community
- Sign up for a city community garden plot here.
- Visit the farmer's market at the Coon Rapids Ice Center during the summer and fall.
Sustainable Businesses
Waste & Recycling
- Have MN Waste Wise perform a waste stream analysis of your daily trash and recycling stream
- The Coon Rapids Recycling Center accepts many items not offered by your waste hauler
- See what commercial recycling resources are available through Anoka County
- See what business recycling resources are available through the Pollution Control Agency and Recycle Minnesota
- Find places to recycle your hard to manage items such as:
- Learn more with Rethink Recycling’s comprehensive list of resources available for businesses
Energy
- The MN PACE Program provides financing for energy efficiency projects
- The LEED rating system provides energy efficiency and sustainability best practices for homes, neighborhoods, new buildings, and interior renovations
- The B3 programs are Minnesota-specific sustainability standards for buildings that can be applied to any project
- The Clean Energy Resource Team provides technical assistance and advice about how businesses and organizations can adopt renewable energy and energy efficiency
- Find a financial incentive or rebate for your renewable energy and efficiency project
- Minnesota Energy Smart provides energy consultations and an energy efficiency grant program for businesses
- Learn more about how to purchase or install solar energy in Coon Rapids on our Solar Energy page
- Contact your utility provider to discuss potential energy efficiency programs and financial incentives for equipment upgrades and system-wide improvements
Transportation
- Get your work place EV ready:
- Drive Electric Minnesota provides information on how to install EV chargers at your business
- PlugShare shows where chargers are currently installed and helps you plan EV trips
- Workplace Charging provides information on the benefits of installing chargers for employees at your organization, and guides on how to start the process.
- Zef Energy provides guides and products for workplace charging infrastructure
- Alternative commuting:
Community
- Apply to be certified in the Coon Rapids Community Sustainability Partnership recognition program. Learn more on the program webpage.
- Learn more about national green business best practices
- Read the Small Business Guide to Sustainable Business Practices
- Explore the Green Business Certification with Green America
- Learn from the sustainable initiatives suggested by the Green Business Bureau
- Learn more about national green business best practices
Purchasing
- Learn about establishing a local purchasing preference for your business:
- Buy and sell, new or used items from other businesses and organizations:
- Buy Green:
- EPA Environmental Purchasing breaks down sustainable options in many different purchasing categories.
Volunteer
- Sign up to adopt a local storm drain and help protect our water.
- Become an Anoka County Recycling Ambassador to learn more about waste management and become an advocate in your community.
- Become a Minnesota Water Steward to help prevent water pollution and educate community members to conserve and protect our waterways.