Secrets of the City

Minneapolis is considering going “all in” when it comes to recycling. Tuesday, the Public Works department approved steps toward single-sort recycling as a way to save costs and increase recycling rates. The Council is set to review the program May 25, which, if approved, would go into effect next year.

The MSP airport isn’t exactly a state-of-the-art facility, but it’s about to get a major tech upgrade. The Metropolitan Airports Commission is going to install $20 million worth of high-definition cameras throughout the airport, according to the STrib. The current security cameras date back to 1995, so an upgrade is long overdue. The new cameras should improve security and reduce flight delays.

While the idea of high-tech cameras zooming in on our every move is a bit awkward, we get it. After all, anything that gets us on a plane faster is OK with us.

The proper care and use of a park bench, street sign, or lamppost may seem pretty obvious to most of us. But a recent sprinkling of dead-serious informational signs accompanying these everyday objects all over the Twin Cities has had people wondering why exactly we need help figuring out how to sit on a bench. Journalist John Metcalfe, writing for the Atlantic Cities blog, asked if these were the work of some over-zealous parks administrator, maybe Minneapolis is home to its own Leslie Knope. Alas, no. These signs, called “urban plant tags,” are the work of local ad agency Carmichael Collective. An example of the botanists at work: No Parking signs receive the care instructions, “Grows best near yellow curbing . . . where parking would be most convenient.”

The Lake Street Council is launching a series of historical walks throughout the Lake Street communities. Brochures and plaques will share stories, events, and traditions of the area. The three separate, self-guided routes will each have about 15 markers, with the aim of creating a “museum in the streets.”