Rebels Gymnastics, the nonprofit gym at 2001 W 94th St., has cut its trash output by 75% after reworking how it sorts waste, the city said. Executive Director Jaime Tsurusaki led the change, which centered on replacing generic garbage bins with color-coded, clearly labeled containers so parents, kids and staff could tell recycling from trash from food scraps at a glance.
The gym also started an organics recycling program, diverting food waste from the trash stream, and applied for Hennepin County's Bin and Bag grant, which lets qualifying businesses and nonprofits pick up to $3,000 worth of bins and compostable bags at no cost. Rebels worked with Lauren Gaffron, a sustainability specialist with Waste Wise, the county-backed program that offers free recycling consulting to businesses and nonprofits.
"By choosing to invest time in no-cost resources, businesses can achieve significant success in waste reduction initiatives," Gaffron said, per the city.
The city held up Rebels' overhaul as proof that even a small, volunteer-heavy nonprofit gym can make a real dent in its waste stream without spending much money — mostly by making the right bin the easy bin. Waste Wise's consulting services are free to any business or nonprofit in Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott or Washington counties, and the Bin and Bag grant is open to other local organizations looking to do the same.