The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) operates five Minnesota State Veterans Homes located on scenic campuses throughout the state where Residents and staff not only value the natural beauty of their surroundings, they also recognize the need to help protect it. In recognition of Nov. 15 as America Recycles Day, MDVA is proud to share how we are helping protect the environment at our Minnesota Veterans Homes while providing the high-quality care and services our Veteran Residents, and their families, have earned.

In September, the Minnesota Veterans Home - Hastings, located on 128 acres, started an organics recycling program and purchased new indoor recycling containers with funds received from a Dakota County Business Recycling Program grant. The organics recycling program collects food scraps and peelings from the kitchen and paper towels from the restroom trash bins. These items are then made into compost, a nutrient rich soil additive, at a local commercial compost facility.

The new indoor recycling containers were placed both in public spaces within the facility and in every Resident room. The public spaces containers are color coded and clearly labeled to make it easier to separate items for either recycling, trash or composting. Additionally, these containers have restrictive lids to help prevent contamination. Also, all Residents now have a blue recycling container in their room.

MDVA also implemented similar efforts at the Minnesota Veterans Home - Minneapolis, near Minnehaha Falls, in late 2019. The Minneapolis Home also diverts food scraps from kitchen operations to a commercial compost facility. Other Minnesota Veterans Homes partner with local nonprofit organizations to divert food waste from going into the trash, which would ultimately end up in a landfill.

Sustainability at the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs
MDVA is committed to serving Minnesota Veterans and their families by connecting them to the benefits and services they’ve earned. Without compromising our care and services, MDVA is dedicated to serving as an exemplary steward of natural resources and making progress toward the State of Minnesota’s sustainability goals outlined in Executive Order 19-27. Learn more at https://sustainability.mn.gov/.