Current community recycling ambassadors

Find information for current Community Recycling Ambassador volunteers including volunteer opportunities and course files and presentations. 

Thank you for your continued efforts to help Hennepin County reduce waste and recycle more!

Fill out the Community Recycling Ambassador volunteer hours reporting form to report your hours spent volunteering.

Join the Facebook group.

Events

Summer 2026 refresher

Wednesday, June 23 from 5 - 7:30 p.m.
Rockford Road Library
6401 42nd Avenue N
Crystal, MN 55427

RSVP is not required but appreciated: 2026 Summer refresher survey

Summer 2025 refresher

Watch the recording of the summer refresher on Youtube

Manual 

Community Recycling Ambassadors course manual – all chapters (PDF, 6MB)

Download manual chapters

• Introduction (PDF, 3MB)
• Chapter 1: Solid waste management (PDF, 2MB)
• Chapter 2: The recycling process (PDF, 5MB)
• Chapter 3: Food and organic wastes (PDF, 5MB)
• Chapter 4: Residential waste – consumption and the three Rs (PDF, 3MB)
• Chapter 5: Commercial waste reduction and recycling (PDF, 3MB)
• Chapter 6: Construction and demolition waste (PDF, 3MB)
• Chapter 7: Household hazardous waste and problem materials (PDF, 3MB)
• Chapter 8: Recycling at events (PDF, 2MB)
• Chapter 9: Engaging the public and motivating behavior change (PDF, 4MB) 

Volunteer opportunities

There are two ways to be notified of volunteer opportunities:

• Receive information of volunteer opportunities via the newsletter.
• Join the the Facebook group.

Report your hours

Many of you are doing great things in your communities to improve recycling and reduce waste in Hennepin County. Reporting your hours help us track your progress toward completing your 30 volunteer hours and becoming a certified Community Recycling Ambassador. It also helps us track the impact of the program.

Report your hours by filling out the Community Recycling Ambassador volunteer hours reporting form.

See the volunteer hours update (PDF, 1MB) to check your current hours (last updated in September 2025).

Resources

These resources help you do outreach or plan waste reduction and recycling programs.

Environmental education items order form
Order free factsheets, brochures and other items

Environmental education kits and supplies
Includes activity ideas, product examples and more that can be checked out for use at events or presentations

Event recycling
Reserve portable event recycling containers or access the zero waste planning checklist and green event resources

Waste reduction and recycling
Links to Hennepin County's waste reduction and recycling programs and information